From: Jim Burnes <jvb@n-o-s-p-a-m.ssds.com>
Date: Thu, 6 Nov 1997 05:41:45 +0800
To: Anonymous <nobody@replay.com>
Subject: Re: Taxing Churches for their views? Bad idea. (fwd)
In-Reply-To: <199711052039.VAA07597@basement.replay.com>
Message-ID: <Pine.LNX.3.95.971105135552.18286Z-100000@westsec.denver.ssds.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
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On Wed, 5 Nov 1997, Anonymous wrote:


--- respond to jim.burnes@n-o-s-p-a-m.ssds.com --- (you know the drill)

> Brandon Crosby wrote:
> > 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.
> 
>   Churches, like governments, corporations, or any other organized 
> entity, have some wonderful people in them, doing wonderful things.
> The problem, as always, is what our founding fathers realized--these
> types of organizations/structures tend to grow and attain power which
> is then used for the purpose of self-sustained growth (survival).
>   Humanity tends to evolve, while organized humanity tends to de-volve.
> Biped humans, walking upright, form organizations which move toward
> becoming quadrapeds dragging large clubs.
> 

Ha!  This is pretty interesting.  Rather than the typical cypherpunk
approach of eliminating such inefficient and corrupting methods as
income taxation and tax exemption we are playing by their game.

The whole of HG Wells warning to society was that by systematically
altering the language, you alter the things that can be discussed.

The phrase "Tax exemption" is the newspeak form of "favored religious
group that isn't currently being financially punished for speaking
out against their masters".  The unspoken assumption in the
exempt/not-exempt argument is that you want federal income
taxation for anyone.  It also assumes there are "favored" groups vs.
"unfavored"  groups by the federal government.  Of course this all flies
directly in the face of limited constitutional government. 

So rather than bitch and moan about how the Churches are exempt, why
not rejoice in the fact that at least the churches are free from
taxation.  We are part of the way there.

Or start your own church.  ;-)

Jim

jim.burnes@n-o-s-p-a-m.ssds.com
(de-spamify if you wish to respond)