When a religion is good, I conceive it will support itself; and when it does not support itself, and God does not take care to support it so that its professors are obligated to call for help of the civil power, it’s a sign, I apprehend, of its being a bad one.
– Benjamin Franklin
Churches can be taxing, with or without being taxed. This is true especially when certain churches start pushing constitutional hot buttons.
An MSNBC report this last week revealed that seven months ago, 33 churches participated in “Pulpit Freedom Sunday” and defied the IRS rule preventing churches from endorsing candidates. In exchange for obeying this rule from the governing authorities, churches enjoy tax exempt status. The churches have yet to hear whether the IRS will be stripping them of that status. This action was basically taken in hopes that the churches could force a legal challenge on the issue.
So far the IRS has not responded. I was amused at a quote from one of the pastors who said “It would have been nice to have a direct conversation with the IRS. I thought they would at least contact us, talk to us about the issues.” Well now perhaps your overinflated sense of self and societal importance will be sufficiently adjusted. Maybe the IRS is scared to take on these churches, but maybe they just don’t give a damn.
At the heart of the issue is a gnarled and mangled first amendment mishmash of free speech versus free religion. I say we make the Bill of Rights happy by allowing freedom of speech and not having a law that respects an establishment of religion. I think the perfect solution is the elementary school classroom solution. If one student breaks the rules, the whole class suffers.
Let’s give these churches what they want and our country what it needs in these economic times. Revoke the tax exempt status of every church, synagogue, mosque, temple, cult compound and prayer shanty in this country. This will allow these preachers the freedom to say all the crazy crap they want, up to and including who to vote for. In return, we will get all kinds of new tax revenues to the federal government to pay down the deficit that the right is so worried about.
As to the firm Biblical foundation these preachers are standing on as they challenge the IRS and wonder whether they can get this law overturned without any punishment . . . well I guess “Pulpit Freedom Sunday” didn’t include this:
Romans 13:1-4 (NIV) “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.”
{ 4 } Comments
I think the best solution to the problem is to remove churches/religion as a category for tax exemption. I think that would allow churches that genuinely seek to perform civic service can be covered under already existing secular exemptions and it would allow churches that are mainly instruments of political proselytizing and profit to be taxed.
In other words make the churches abide by the same rules that exist for secular charities.
Taxing churches is certainly an option. Personally, I think I would prefer a greater willingness for the government to enforce the law. Give churches the choice – pay taxes or obey the law.
Certain religious organizations–I am thinking here of the good example of the Catholic Worker–have traditionally refused tax exemption as a privilege contrary to the humility that faith is meant to engender.
Certain religious organizations–I am thinking here of the good example of the Catholic Worker–have traditionally refused tax exemption as a privilege contrary to the humility that faith is meant to engender.