Story originally printed in the Winona Daily News or online at www.winonadailynews.com
Published - Sunday, May 04, 2008
Time to tax criminal religions
New York Catholic Cardinal Edward Egan recently criticized Rudy Giuliani for taking communion. Like others, Egan overstepped his authority and used the pulpit immorally and illegally to threaten or sanction those who vote or profess secular laws and politics they oppose.
How could anyone presume to know the state of a person’s soul? What about the Catholic doctrine of obeying one’s own conscience even above the Church?
Egan and the televangelists, under investigation by Iowa’s Sen. Charles Grassley’s committee, make the case for taxing all religions.
Televangelism’s self-serving corruptions of Scripture and bogus healings aired to reinforce fundraising are offensive — Elmer Gantry swindlers of funds and souls.
“We’re not representing any of the parties but … huge constitutional questions are being raised,” said Gary McCaleb of the Alliance Defense Fund, a group founded by James Dobson (Focus on the Family) and influential evangelicals.
Others say Grassley’s targets are too broad or misdirected.
Constitutional issues? Too broad? Misdirected? Not tax evasion? Lying? Stealing? What about the tax-exempt status of religions being the primary prey that draws the wolves to fleece the lambs? The complainers are not the rubes but the tent-show ringmasters.
Religions can interfere in secular politics, advertise politically and threaten to propagandize, inflame and grease the religious reach deeper into the pockets of pew and couch-perched victim — in violation of the law with impunity?
Cults as well as religions, such as scientology and others, play havoc, cajole, threaten and swindle to gain wealth, quiet criticism and shield criminals, no less than those princes of the Catholic Church, who remain at large, shunning victims who demand the same justice bishops preached from their altars.
Scriptures or canons justify shielding criminals and permit greed and political action?
Why not all seven deadly sins? All deserve to lose their (tax-free) temptation.
All stories copyright 2000 - 2006 Winona Daily News and other attributed sources.