11.02.2009 5:26 pm
What does the Weatherbird think of taxing yoga centers?
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Is yoga for fitness or spirituality?
Post-Dispatch religion writer Tim Townsend reports that question — yoga as exercise versus yoga as meditation — is at the heart of the argument that yoga teachers will make to state legislators.
The state of Missouri has started taxing yoga centers, citing a state statute that mandates a 4 percent tax when people pay to get into “any place of amusement, entertainment or recreation, games and athletic events.”
Townsend reports that yoga teachers say the service they provide isn’t recreation, but physical preparation for meditation — based on ancient Hindu texts — that leads to spiritual enlightenment. They want to be exempt from the tax.
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Steve Parker is the deputy managing editor for news, and oversees the Post-Dispatch's front page. STLtoday's online news editors are on his newsroom team. Parker has been at the paper since September 1980. 
Sticky subject for sure….what exactly is a “religion” or a “cult” and what types of what things equals tax-exempt status and no property taxes? I think we should allow “religions” as in a non-profit organization with a board of directors that engages in charitable work….to be tax-exempt….but I think everyone, regardless if you are selling t-shirts or salvation, should pay property taxes. some of the giant churches are taking up valuable property without giving back to the local schools, placing that burden on residents….who also are expected to tithe to the church.
Leave the joga studios and dance studios alone..and re-collect the
5-6 million a year the City ‘gave up’ to the Cardinals. Collect that tax
until Ballpark Village is completed and open, then only give up half
of it, and dont give the Village any tax breaks.
One of the reasons city offers big professional entertainment, with big crowds, is the tax revenue.
It has been a long time since I have attempted a writing assignment, and this post made me to think on it, and it’s a good one so I thought I should take it. Thanks for sharing it….
Does this mean that my gym can opt out of taxes as well? Its a religion, I go to worship the god of eliptical machines.
Religion my butt, tax these businesses like all others, and when you are done start taxing the churchs as well. They like to play politics so much they should pay the price of admission.
I’d like to know why traditional churches are NOT taxed. I’ve heard the argument of “separation of church and state” but of what logic is that? Governments do not pay taxes either, so doesn’t that make the untaxed chruches MORE like the state?…..Furthermore, referring to the practice of any spirituality outside of the Christian/Jewish venue as a “cult” is very telling of the proudly backwater/hillbilly attitude of Missourah.
I support yoga and have attempted it. However, Yoga studios use the roads, the telephone, the rails, the ports, the police, the fire department, education, utilities, the Navy , the Air force, the Army, the Marines, the Coast Guard, and other government supported services. Admittedly or not. Thus I think they should pay. As a matter of fact I do not think there should be an exemption for religious or spiritual places that accept money of anykind except humanitarian aid for the poorest of the poor.