Should the government require churches and other religious institutions to pay taxes?

Under current US tax code, churches and religious organizations are classified as 501(c)(3) non-profits, exempting them from federal, state, and local taxes while allowing donors to deduct contributions. This exemption—originally intended to separate church and state and support charitable work—has come under fire as "mega-churches" accumulate massive wealth and religious leaders increasingly wade into partisan politics, technically a violation of the Johnson Amendment. Proponents argue that religion has become a profitable industry that drains the public coffer and…   that tax exemption should be earned through proven charitable acts, not just religious status. Opponents argue that the power to tax is the power to control, and levying fees on religious exercise would violate the First Amendment while bankrupting small congregations that provide the bulk of America's social safety net.