Many churches are legally classified as non-profits-which is a broader category than charities-the local bridge club is likely to be a non-profit but not a charity. It depends on the country, but in many countries the majority of the tax exemptions religions get are just the general exemptions to which all non-profits are entitled. To deny those non-profit tax exemptions to a church, while allowing them to the local bridge club, would be a form of state discrimination against religion, which (in many countries) would be unconstitutional, and may even violate international human rights law