Tax Exemptions have existed in the US even BEFORE the countries founding. The Supreme Court on multiple occasions has ruled there are a few clauses in the First Amendment supporting such things particularly the establishment and free exercise clauses.
Taxing churches would give the government free range to investigate and put a dollar sign on their property. Putting a dollar sign on property belonging to a religious entity makes that entity vulnerable when many things are sentimental or religiously symbolic INCLUDING the shape many chapels are built. This is absolutely crossing the line of freedom of religion in my opinion as someone who doesn’t even go to church.
An example of this would be:
Most historic churches are built with the inside of the chapel shaped like an upside down boat. Historians have went back and forth about the reasoning but most agree it’s either a reference to Noah’s ark or being “fishers of men”. With that being said the extravagant build would be valued a lot higher than most modern buildings thus putting higher taxes on religious symbolism. (This is just one of many examples of how taxing them would be considered taxing a first amendment right.)
PS Fun Fact:
This is why the main area of a church is called the “nave” after the Latin word “Navis” meaning “ship”.
+1 Well said and it's why America has always been a bastion for religious freedom and just general freedom of expression.
An example would be the organization I'm a member of, "Vivekananda Vedanta Society". In India and even other parts of the world where there are centers all the rules/codes/etc. are different and in any country that isn't the US they can basically be ostracized and antagonized by local political/religious groups in the region. In America they don't have to worry about being literally physically attacked for their religious beliefs. There is a code of law here. In India a group of Muslim thuggies could get away with killing a monk. No chance in America.