Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site 3comvax.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!oliveb!3comvax!michaelm
From: michaelm@3comvax.UUCP (Michael McNeil)
Newsgroups: net.politics,net.religion
Subject: Re: "Secular Humanism" banned in the US Schools.
Message-ID: <237@3comvax.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 27-Sep-85 19:02:35 EDT
Article-I.D.: 3comvax.237
Posted: Fri Sep 27 19:02:35 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 30-Sep-85 01:33:02 EDT
Organization: 3Com Corp; Mountain View, CA
Lines: 51
Xref: watmath net.politics:11251 net.religion:7816

References: <1072@ulysses.UUCP> <607@hou2g.UUCP> <5847@cbscc.UUCP> <dciem.1673> <2127@burdvax.UUCP>

[*ahhhhhh!*]

> >I thought that the US already did support all churches with tax
> >money.  Aren't they tax-exempt, which is the same thing as paying
> >the proper tax and then being given it back.  The taxes on some of
> >those churches would be pretty high, if they were based on the same
> >rules as for other properties.
> >[mmt@dciem.UUCP (PUT YOUR NAME HERE)]
> 
> Oh, c'mon!  That's the old, tired, liberal notion that all wealth
> belongs to the government and the IRS, in it beneficence, let's us poor
> taxpayers keep some of it.
> 
> Neither your taxes nor my taxes goes to support any church.
> [TOM ALBRECHT] 

I don't need to apply notions of whether the government does or
doesn't have a "right" to my money to know that if I didn't have
to pay any taxes, I would be a lot better off financially.  The
fact is that churches do not have to pay taxes on facilities any
other organization in society would have to pay heavily for.  

This has the dramatic, practical effect of decreasing the
required "outgo" each and every month, which when balanced
against the organization's "income," produces a direct and
highly visible difference in the church's pocketbook.  

In addition, the power to tax is the power to destroy.  Any
organization the State can levy taxes on, the State can tax
out of existence.  Constitutional freedom from that power
is a considerable security for religion in this country.  

-- 

Michael McNeil
3Com Corporation     "All disclaimers including this one apply"
(415) 960-9367
..!ucbvax!hplabs!oliveb!3comvax!michaelm

	Who knows for certain?  Who shall here declare it?  
	Whence was it born, whence came creation?  
	The gods are later than this world's formation;
	Who then can know the origins of the world?  

	None knows whence creation arose;
	And whether he has or has not made it;
	He who surveys it from the lofty skies,
	Only he knows -- or perhaps he knows not.  
		*The Rig Veda*, X. 129


Brought to you by Super Global Mega Corp .com