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Pastimes : Let's Talk About Our Feelings!!! -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Sidney Reilly who wrote (26457)	12/3/1998 7:32:00 PM
From: Dayuhan	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 108807

Bob, I do hope you don't need me to point out the logical inconsistencies in your post. If taxing a church is an attack on freedom of religion, why isn't taxing a business an attack on freedom to do business? Why isn't taxing the purchase of automobiles an attack on freedom to travel? How do you feel about churches violating the terms of their tax-exempt status by engaging in partisan political activity? Steve

To: Sidney Reilly who wrote (26457)	12/3/1998 8:06:00 PM
From: Sam Ferguson	Respond to of 108807

What a flimsy excuse. Tax relief supports religion at the expense of others making me an involuntary supporter of a religion I do not believe in. What the devil is free about that?

To: Sidney Reilly who wrote (26457)	12/5/1998 4:27:00 AM
From: nihil	Respond to of 108807

RE: taxation of religion I don't think there is any constitutional prohibition of taxation of religion. If one supposes it would violate the free exercise clause, one need only to avoid discriminating against any kind of religion. The most recent great case -- dealing with the City of Hialeah attempt to forbid the religious sacrifice of animals found not on violation of free exercise but on the city's failure to regulate all animal slaughter indifferently. The exemption of religion is simply a result of IRS Sec 501(c)3. The word "religious" could be amended out, and the fact that Congress discriminated against all religious organizations in favor of educational etc. would apparently be legal. It would probably be accompanied by a lot of whining and fruitless lawsuits, but there would be no suppression of free exercise.