Belly,
Sorry! you expected an answer?
If an organisation charges fees for services or goods then they ought to pay taxes. If gifts are given voluntary and of free will as a corporate group focused on charity or social benifit for the members or needy then it ought to be tax exempt.

Suppose a group of young mothers met each week and they decided among themselves to install a set of play equipment and each gave money to purchase the equipment then that money should not incurr tax. Suppose a group of retirees put money together to install a kitchen to serve disabled retirees then that money collected ought not be taxed. However if staff are employeed to cook the meals then the staff are required to pay tax.

I'm not sure what you want taxed; or what you expect tax to be paid upon.

My Church did a collection two week's ago for food parcels to struggling farmers in West NSW. Should tax be paid on this money by the Church, or the farmers receiving the goods; or neither; or both?

Philo, you're confusing aid money with earned money.

This is how I think it should be: Churches should pay normal corporate rates of tax. They should then receive a tax credit at taxation time. The tax credit should apply **ONLY** to charitable works for the disadvantaged.

I believe the tax credit should be 100% of the donation, with a strict, mandatory paper trail to minimise fraud.

This way churches will pay ZERO tax on their charitable works and normal tax on all their other activities.

Churches should not be above moral law. They should pay their taxes like everyone else.

I like and agree with that benq.
But truly think Philo did no address my question, and after requiring one from me that I gave.
Do you Philo support the church of Scientology being taxed as a church?
Are you happy with the exclusive Brethren, a Church that is also very much a business being able to get the tax break?
Can you tell me if any other cults get tax protection?
Is that ok?
Is your Christianity strong enough to not be concerned about other non Christian Church's getting exemptions?
I find unquestioning tax relief for many Church's thieves from me and others.
Not all Church's not all income but your God said do not build temples in my name and that a rich man trying to get to heaven was harder than a Camel trying to fit through the eye of a needle.

Belly,
As much as you and I might dissaprove of certain religions, it is against the law to merely discriminate on religious grounds. However I do believe that Scientology do charge fees for servives which is an income. All income is to be taxed, as well as staff who are employed. With the Exclusive Brethren I believe they do not offer services for fees. If you can verify such is the case then it should be taxed. Fifty years ago I mixed and worked among EB and they were great and compassionate people. I saw no services then that required any set payments.