What's the best way to address rising debt and deficits? According to one liberal blogger, it's not cutting spending, but taxing churches, that will solve America's financial woes.
"[Americans] should have the right to support any institution they feel supports their views," William K. Wolfrum wrote on Alan Colmes's Liberaland blog Aug. 17. "But that does not mean the State should reimburse people or churches for their beliefs."
He argued that because churches take "political stands" - opposing gay marriage or abortion, for example - they should not enjoy tax-exempt status. But, to be fair, Wolfrum appears to show no favoritism.
"The most important aspect of removing tax-exempt status from churches or religious entities is that it must be all-encompassing," he wrote. "Whether you believe a certain religion is ‘true' or ‘false' makes no difference. Scientology should be taxes, as should Islam. The Catholic church should be taxes, as should synagogues. There are no favorites. Whether you believe in L. Ron Hubbard, Jesus, a tree, Mother Earth or Allah, it is time for the tax man to cometh."
Wolfrum brushed aside the idea that churches provide charity services for the needy, saying such work is done "for a singular purpose - to encourage people to follow their beliefs. The more that follow those beliefs, the more money is taken in by the church or religious entity."
He complained that the "Tax God" movement would never succeed "in a nation so riddled with religion." Even so, Wolfrum concluded, "If America is serious about reigning in its ballooning debt, taxing churches needs to be put on the table. God has gotten a free ride long enough in the United States, and it's hurting the one true religion in America - Capitalism."
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