I am an average american and I am not used to those things. I go to work, and then I go home and cook a meal for my family.

https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/survey-shows-how-often-americans-dine-out/

There are other surveys with similar results, but the average American doesn’t do what you do, so, in this regard, you aren’t average.

So then why do they need my tax dollars if they have all these lucrative deals with multinational billionaire companies? Although, this is beside the point that I don’t think any part of the U.S. Military should be “making money.” JFC

The way you think things should be, and the way they are aren’t the same. I agree with you, our military shouldn’t be making money. However, in a capitalist society we provide our military service members and their families amenities.

Why? I find that those establishments are neither healthy nor economical compared to a basic vegetables and rice meal.

Cool. Teach all our soldiers and their families how to do that, or convince the military to.

Then I would expect the bases to have facilities that reflect this fact. That is proper logistical thinking, after all.

They do. They’re called restaurants.

There are also contracted entertainment venues, banks, grocery stores, gas stations, etc. Should each military base provide their soldiers with unlimited gas to get around in their person vehicles, or are you okay with the gas stations? The better solution to that problem would be to upgrade public transportation, but I’m not going to get on a public forum and whine about gas stations on military bases in a society full of cars.

This is an entirely different problem. Why is your assumption that the base desire is for fast food and not out of a perceived more palatable alternative of a not shitty mess hall?

Because I have actually worked on a military base with soldiers. I didn’t say that their desire was for fast food. I said it was for basic services that they are used to and that are available to citizens outside of military bases. As I said before, you are complaining about a symptom of a much larger problem.

Have you ever interacted with American soldiers? Recently? The average American is used to those things. I think we should change a lot about our society, but focusing on keeping fast food off of military bases is treating the symptoms instead of the problem. If the soldiers didn’t want that food, then those places wouldn’t make money, and the military makes more money through those contracts. This is a simple and expected outcome of a capitalist society. If those establishments exist, we should give our soldiers the choice of having them in their lives.

Do you know what our military bases actually look like? These people literally live on bases for years. There are elementary through high schools on bases. Filled with children who are only there because of their parents’ decisions. With teachers who aren’t active military either. Saying “these people should be satisfied with mess halls, and we should provide them with better mess halls” completely ignores everything else about the situation.

Why is there privately owned stores? How are there privately owned stores? You’re an SF Commando, eat the mess hall gruel or whatever, surely?

Why would we not provide services to our active duty military nembers and their families? We definitely pour way too much money into the military, but I don’t think making them miserable is the idea when talking about cutting funding. I’m fairly certain AAFES is the branch of the DOD that deals with contracts to give basic retail services, such as fast food, banks, etc. to Army and Air Force bases.

The monster under your bed will always be there. <3

If you’re going to be telling the hungry people you are feeding that they are going to hell if they don’t convert to your religion (or the equivalent) then you should be taxed. If you don’t do that, then you have nothing to worry about! I already said I believe branches of religious institutions that don’t proselytize or encourage seeing sermons shouldn’t be taxed, so I’m not sure what you want me to say. I’m sorry I fit your definition of a bigot, but I don’t think enough people agree with you for it to ever matter. Have a nice life.

Your view of taxes is strange. Is it “punishment” when businesses pay taxes? What about private citizens? I think it’s just the government getting it’s due to serve the population. Institutions whose sole purpose to serve the population, and also want to find ways to make sure they are served better, shouldn’t be taxed. Institutions that try to push their version of the afterlife, while just happening to randomly serve society, should be taxed.

I made it abundantly clear that I feel religious institutions should be taxed. You are the one trying to say that it makes me bigoted somehow. You are also assuming I agree with an anarchist group, when I have said no such thing. I just think they should be able to spread their views as they help people, because they aren’t a religion. I think anarchism in practice is usually a stupid concept. Don’t worry though, I’m not going to use your assumptions about me to presume bigotry.

If a religious group has a charity branch that doesn’t proselytize or encourage people to attend services, that specific branch shouldn’t be taxed.

If there is a group that feeds hungry people or builds homes, while also pushing for people to vote and participate in our electoral processes, then I don’t think they should be taxed. It doesn’t make me bigoted to say that trying to convince someone of something practical they can use in their life or to change their society is different than preying on people with your unverifiable beliefs. There are thousands of religions. A lot of them do a ton of charity work, but that isn’t their main goal. Just as we tax businesses and allow them tax breaks for charitable work, we should do the same for religions.

I don’t need to accept anything besides you trying to equate two inequal concepts. A system of government/political philosophy doesn’t equal a religion. I was very open in my initial comments on taxing religions. You’re the one trying to manipulate things into a gotcha to say things I’m not.

…the entire premise of my argument is that religious institutions should be taxed. Why the fuck would I care about non-religious charities being taxed? You’re literally crying the sky is blue.

I think Mosques and Temples and all religious institutions should pay taxes, I’m not bigoted. I’m an equal opportunity tax enthusiast.

Hell, some aheist “religious” organizations voluntarily pay taxes, despite all the charity work they do. And the churches have dunces online begging them to be left alone.

If you can’t see the difference between “Hey, we know the world is shit, and we are sorry for the situation you are in, but here’s what we’re trying to do about and here’s our philosophy on how to keep people from ending up in your situation” and “Hey, we know you’re in s really shitty situation, but it could be a lot worse if you die and haven’t converted to our religion,” then I don’t really see s point in continuing this conversation. That moral failing is beyond my ability to reason.

Can you point to the parts of anarchism that say you will be tortured by a loving god for all eternity if you don’t convert?

Anarchist groups and leftist charities don’t make promises on the afterlife to people in need, do you not see how that is a problem?

Yes. I’m not sure why you seem confused. The premise is churches should pay taxes. I’m not sure what you don’t understand about that. They should pay taxes. They are influencing people’s opinions on our politics and policies. They should pay taxes. They are influencing people in their weakest moments. They should pay taxes. Do you understand that I believe any religious institution should pay taxes? I hope you aren’t confused still.

If they operated full time as a food bank and didn’t proselytize to the people they are helping, then they shouldn’t pay taxes. If they preach and try to convert people to their religion during their service, then I’m going to bet they try to do that to the people they feed. Preying upon people in their weakest moments is not a good thing to do, but it’s all I’ve ever seen Christians do

Edit: “Marianists emphasized the power of small communities to “renew Christianity” following the French Revolution.” If this is their emphasis, then they should definitely be paying taxes.

“Flarking” is a Marvel space curse-word. I think in media I hear Rocket and Captain Marvel say it the most.

I’ve been feeling pretty nostalgic and wanting to ignore the world, so I’ve been playing Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town. Before that I was playing Marvel’s Midnight Suns for a while.