The Assault on Religion

The proposal to reduce the income tax deduction for charitable contributions may be the first major salvo in an attempt to eliminate religion through the back door.  

Ever since the founding of these United States charitable organizations have played an important role in our social structure.  Whether they were primarily religious or simply interested in good works, they earned a special role in making America a better nation and a better society than it would otherwise be.  As a result of this, when the federal income tax went into effect in 1913 a special classification was carved out within the law which is now known as Section 501(c)(3).  This section allows certain organizations organized for charitable or religious purposes to be exempt from federal taxation, and by virtue of its interaction with other sections makes contributions to such organizations deductible from a tax payer’s income.  In effect, the government is subsidizing these organizations by reducing the taxes paid by people who contribute to them.  

Of course many of these organizations are religious in orientation.  It is religion that serves as the catalyst for many people to engage in good works.  This is the reason behind such organizations as the Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, and the many assistance organizations of all faiths that exist everywhere in the United States.  These organizations survive largely on donations of time, food, merchandise, and, of course, money.  Without donations many would be in serious trouble or may even cease to exist.  

Throughout history secular government and religion have had a difficult relationship.  The tension between secular and sacred was never truly eliminated, although on occasion government and religion did work together as when the Roman emperors either served as high priests, or were deified.  Thus, they could invoke the gods when their personal authority was insufficient for their political goals.   

After the fall of Rome Western Europe continued to experience a struggle between the Catholic Church (which was the most influential entity in European politics at the time) and secular authority.  This led to, among other things, the so called Babylonian Captivity or Avignon Papacy when the Vatican was effectively moved to France for approximately 70 years, culminating in a period during which there were two Popes, one holding office in Rome and the other in France.  

The appearance of democratic governments and the recognition of religious liberty changed much of this.  The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution being an excellent example Thus, competition between secular and religious authorities declined until the 20th century when authoritarian systems became more prominent in the political landscape.  Stalin’s Russia, Mao’s China and Nazi Germany are all examples of governments, which suppressed religion in favor of absolutist, government centered societies that also took on the trappings of cults of personality.  Because the leader of the state required absolute authority, they could not brook any competition and that included competition from God.  

From approximately 1960 onward, the left wing of American political society began a concerted campaign to remake the ethical and moral structure of the nation.  The first major shot in this campaign was the anti-war movement, followed by politicization of issue of abortion.  Ever since then the political left has steadily been increasing the heat on religious institutions, describing them as reactionary, and seizing on every misstep to brand them as not worthy of recognition as beneficial to society.  Now with an extreme left wing president and extremely powerful majority in both houses of the legislature, the left intends to attack religion financially, as well as otherwise.  The First Amendment effectively prohibits any direct attacks therefore Mr. Obama’s proposes to do so by the back door; to reduce their financial support by gradually eliminating the income tax deduction for charitable contributions.  In short, government is seeking to put God out of business.  

We should always remember that government is a creature of power.  Unless those in government are willing to accept that they are not the be-all and end-all of creation, then they will seek to obtain increasing amounts of power to the detriment of all else.  Religion is a competitor in this arena.  When people turn to faith in God, and toward their faith community when they experience adversity it diminishes the role that government might play in their lives.  If their religious community can help them through times of need, then why should they turn to government for help?  If the people worship God and have a personal relationship with a force beyond the human sphere, then they simply will not worship government or its power holders.  Thus God becomes competition and must be eliminated.  

I have been for some time, and continue to be one of those people who believe that Barack Obama was a member of the Trinity United Church in Chicago purely for political purposes.  It gave him a hook into the local community so that he could further his personal ambitions.  If he were truly religious he would not want to cause potential or actual damage to the faith communities in America.  His tax proposals and his position on abortion state otherwise.  His desire for personal power and prestige militate against his being a person of faith.  Anyone who believes otherwise is simply being foolish.  

The proposal to reduce the charitable contribution deduction, if enacted, will make people less capable and likely less motivated to donate to religious organizations and other public charities.  This will reduce community-based services and force people into relying on government agencies instead.  It is likely that within the massive, poorly controlled spending measures that the present administration supports, money may then be leaked, under the table, to pro-government organizations and/or “churches” that are more interested in politics than in God.  

Reducing the financial support for religious charities will not only make needy people more dependent on government support.  It will work to sever the ties between charity and religion that might bring people in need closer to the faith community and possibly into a better life.  At the same time, if formal religious congregations receive less money and become less viable, it is possible that many may fall apart.  Some may cease to exist as formal organizations. A wedge may be driven into the community, causing people who no longer have a formal congregation to become less faithful in their observances.  This may lead the next generation to lose touch with that faith, either gradually or altogether.  Eventually it may spell the demise of faith communities entirely.  It could well pave the road toward a government-centered society instead of a God centered society and eliminate the proper concepts of right and wrong, and good and evil from our philosophical foundation.  

It appears very likely that Obama, Biden, Pelosi and Reid do not like competition, and will only grant religion lip service out of political necessity, hence, Pelosi’s recent visit to the Vatican, at taxpayer expense.  At least Pope Benedict was wise enough to prevent her from using it for her personal advantage.  It is even more likely that one of the most important things on their agenda is the elimination of religion as a social force.  This tax proposal may be their first step in that direction.  May God save us from our elected leaders.  His help may be all that stands between our faith and government folly.