From: Brandon Crosby <bcrosby@mncs.k12.mn.us>
Date: Thu, 6 Nov 1997 02:52:57 +0800
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Taxing Churches for their views? Bad idea. (fwd)
Message-ID: <199711051838.MAA30824@ted.mncs.k12.mn.us>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text



> 
> >More telling, she doesn't seem to have a problem using a religious (and
> >therefore tax-exempt) organization to push a political agenda. Apparently
> >that whole 'separation of church and state' thing only applies when it's
> >convenient.
> >
> >If religions want to play politics, the least we can do is get them to pay
> >for the privilege. I'd feel a certain guilty pleasure seeing some of those
> >bottom-feeders taxed into penury.
> 
> Nonsense. And a dangerous course.
Yes.

> One can decide to "tax churches" or to "not tax churches." I have no
> particularly strong opinion on either option.
> 
> But one must definitely _not_ base the decision to tax or not to tax on the
> opinions expressed by a church!
Agian, yes.

> One cannot decide to tax the Catholic Church "into penury" because its
> anti-abortion views have become politically incorrect in the last 30 years.
> Nor can one decide to tax the tempes and synagogues of Judaism "into
> penury" because they are centers of support for the Zionist Entity.

'Political Agenda' and free speech are two seperate things. Nowadays, free
speech is constantly being challanged by racism, bias and such. People sue
each other because they say something that makes someone feel bad. Churches
lie at the center of free speech, being awarded for their views by tax
exemption. Should 3M have tax exemptions because it gives people jobs?

While I do not want a debate over tax exemptions in churches, 'Free Speech'
may very well involve supporting canidates for positions in a democracy.
This is the very basis for elections. However, one begins to question this
reasoning when a church leader attempts to get into the government, using
the church's tax exemptions, for either support of the church, support of
self, or some illegal (or, at least, unethical) mix.

Should churches be tax exempt? Without their long history of helping people,
I doubt they would have any benifits. However, even if their privillige was
removed, they would simply be able to donate less money to community causes.

Uncle Sam (and his son, IRS) really shouldn't be applied to this subject:
What is free speech? Is tax exemption justifiable to all types of [free]
speech?

-Brandon Crosby




[Can you see the ghosts making snowmen?]