LETTER TO A SUCCESSFUL LOCAL REPRESENTATIVE
It
was good to have a chance to talk with you on your pre-election rounds. I mentioned that we should
have religious institutions pay their fair share of city, state and national
financial finances. Of course that they do not
pay for fire, police, street repair, property tax, etc. puts an unfair burden on we who
do pay our share and forces us to support their cause. If religious groups did
contribute it would ease our civic indebtedness. It might be a hard sell as
they have gotten away with it so far. Still, for an honest lawgiver it is the right thing
to accomplish.
Jefferson's
Separation of Church and State, though not explicit in our Constitution, is a
well established American tradition that follows from our various safeguards. It is sometimes claimed
that churches are tax-exempt as not for profit industries because "they do
so much good". It is appreciated that in
part they do good things and perhaps that portion might be tax-exempt. However if they do good
things at tax payer expense it cheapens the deed and it is usually associated
with proselytism. Alas their primary purpose
is the indoctrination and spread of various conflicting magical systems.
Simple
fairness demands that believers and non-believers be on equal footing in
government matters. The Minnesota State
Constitution is more specific in Art. I Sec. 16......"nor shall any man be
compelled to attend, erect or support any place of worship............nor may
any preference be given by law to any religious establishment or mode of
worship."
That
religion has exemptions, does compel us all to support places of worship.
Thanks,
Roger, for lending a ear,
Bill
van Druten
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