Sending IRS Against Phony Churches Is Bringing A Knife To A Gun Fight
Also, the IRS can’t really be in a position to assert that religious beliefs are bogus. Set aside the fringe and look at mainstream Christianity. The claim is that God sent his son to Earth and let him be sacrificed to save mankind. Moreover, one should tithe or otherwise donate to churches to support the institutions, spread the word, and also help the less fortunate. Other than helping the downtrodden, it sounds absolutely nuts to a non-believer, much like Greek mythology sounds to us today. The IRS has to tread very lightly when dealing with faith and claims that religious leaders are ripping off their flock. As a constitutional matter, we really don’t want the government intruding in religion and telling people what to believe or that their beliefs are bogus.
John Oliver Should Not Blame IRS For Televangelist Tax Abuse
Like many John Oliver skits, this spoof, while amusing, raises serious issues. To identify three of these: First, the IRS does not write the Internal Revenue Code. Congress does and the American people elect Congress. To minimize church-state entanglement, Congress has constrained the IRS’s ability to audit churches. Mr. Oliver criticizes this low audit rate without explaining who is responsible for it, namely, Congress.
Follow Me
Over and over again courts have said that there is nothing sinister in so arranging one’s affairs as to keep taxes as low as possible. Everybody does so, rich or poor; and all do right, for nobody owes any public duty to pay more than the law demands: taxes are enforced exactions, not voluntary contributions. To demand more in the name of morals is mere cant.