Why Churches Should Be Taxed

It has become particu
larly disturbing that the
Nigerian Pentecostal movement  has turned the church into a money-collecting venture. This has made-many preachers to preach prosperity messages more than other messages that can equally edify Christians. Unfortunately, helpless church members have come to accept it.
Pastors these days demand multiple donations, some of which come in cheques and foreign currencies in huge amounts. Church members are fleeced out of their meagre resources, yet they hardly complain about the ostentatious lifestyle of their pastors. Infact, members donate cheerfully as they have been told and firmly believe that this will open the floodgates of unlimited prosperity to them, even though some of them can hardly feed themselves.
I am disturbed that anyone can start a church in Nigeria without meeting any clear requirements other than claiming that God has spoken to such a one to begin a ministry. The church in Nigeria has become a profitable venture or business in the country. There is hardly any street in Nigeria without a church.That is why I think the government should consider taxing them as they have become profit-making outfit.
In Cameroun, for instance, President Paul Biya, sometimes ago closed down over 100 churches, alleging that they had doubtful papers. I term this a good start which the Nigeria government should emulate. Although the action of the Camerounian leader had political undertone, we can take similar action devoid of such motive.
However, I am not indicting all the churches in the country. Some churches  are integrating well with their communities. They assist the needy ones in the areas of education, health and even the provision of food. They should be applauded. The ones performing below expectation should borrow a leaf from them.
They say the judiciary is the last hope of the common man. But I think it is the church that should be the last hope of the common man. The problem now is that the church has allowed the corruption in the Nigerian society to plague it and that is why it has failed in its duty of offering hope to the average person. Truly, the church has lost it potency. If not, why is it that nearly all our politicians are in one church or the other and the Muslims among them belong to one mosque or the other, yet corruption and evil thrive endlessly in the society? So the question now is why is there so much corruption in the face of a strong presence of the church in the society?
Only few churches truly practise what the Bible says. Going by the holy book, the churches that  are socially relevant to the society are insignificant in number. Any church that lacks relevance is not fit to exist. Such church is set up for profit-making. Genuine churches ought to consider setting up orphanages, hospitals, rehabilitation centres, schools (not exploitative ones) or even light projects. This is one of the ways a church can become relevant to the society within which it operates.
I am particularly worried that in situations where church members are willing to meet the social obligations of their church, some of pastors, who I can describe as high-handed, thwart the effort of the members for selfish reasons. But when it comes to asking the church members to donate towards their needs, they hardly hesitate.
Meanwhile, many pastors, especially the ones that fall in the above category, have established branches of their churches in the United Kingdom (UK), Ghana, United States of America (USA), and many other countries that have strong economies. If they are sincere why have not these same pastors established branches of their churches in countries like Yemen, Iraq, Pakistan, Somalia etc?
Another disturbing feature of the churches in Nigeria is their ridiculous claim to the working of miracles. Many of them parade themselves as great miracle workers who can cure all kinds of ailments. The ugly consequences of this is that some of their gullible members express faith in them and die in the process for ailments that can be handled medically. Unfortunately, we have a system that does not demand accountability from such pastors.
I think we have reached a point in this country where the government has to sit up and regulate churches in Nigeria. Registering them is not enough. Their operations have to be regulated as well. I am making this call because I believe the government has a duty to protect its citizens from exploitation.
Let churches be taxed and be made a source of revenue for the government.
Chimuaya is a student of Rivers State Polytechnic, Bori.

Ihuaenyi Chimuaya