Post by Tar A on Mar 6, 2004 1:53:01 GMT -5
Today's issue for our communal puppet, please feel free to lodge your vote and participate in the debate.
(Dilemma #91) - "Sacramental Tax Time?"
The Issue
Secularists have been urging for the government to impose an income tax on religious organizations in The New Pacific Order for some time now, and the issue has finally made it's way to the upper levels of the government.
The Debate
(Dilemma #91) - "Sacramental Tax Time?"
The Issue
Secularists have been urging for the government to impose an income tax on religious organizations in The New Pacific Order for some time now, and the issue has finally made it's way to the upper levels of the government.
The Debate
- Option 1: Self-appointed civil rights spokesman Klaus King declares, "Churches are business organizations with a large income. It's unfair that they don't have to pay the same taxes that everyone else does. If they really do spend on any money on charity, let them write it off as a deduction just like corporations do. There's no reason that so-called clergy should be chauffeured around in limos tax-free, when we desperately need funds for public works."
- Option 2: "Freedom of conscience is foremost among liberties", says Reverend Faith Bush. "Churches have been exempted from taxation because it is wrong for the government to infringe on the right of people to worship as they please, and that includes charging them for the right to worship. Besides, churches are non-profit organizations that put all their funds back into the community."
- Option 3: The Honorable George W. Shiomi, Minister of Minding Other People's Business, has an idea: "This religion thing is such a great racket, why don't we make it a government monopoly? We'll ban all religions except the Church of The New Pacific Order, and make attendance and donations compulsory. I'll start writing the Holy Scriptures right away!"