Often one of the biggest commercial ventures in any economy, churches often escape taxes because they have been given a certain reverence as being ‘the abode of God’.
So people go there all the time to give away their money, get nothing in return, and the unscrupulous pastors profit off their congregations; all of this tax-free.
This is going to change, at least in Zimbabwe. Reports indicate the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority is working on a law to enable them tax churches as well.
The commissioner of the Authority, Gershem Pasi, made this known when he appeared before a legislative committee, according to Zimbabwe’s Herald.