Disclaimer: The Congregation of Unity does not accept scripture as divine, rather views it as allegorical teachings meant to help men live better lives. Wisdom is found in many different places and when the lessons are found in ancient scriptures they should be used and applied to everyday life. Further, The Congregation of Unity endorses no teacher and or prophet as being divinely appointed.
Do not be a glutton in your consumption for you steal from the hungry and the poor. -The Body 1:21
In my studies of the various scriptures of the world I could not help but see that many texts instruct believers to love, lift one another up, bear each other’s burdens, provide for the poor and give freely of everything they have. Somehow these teachings have gotten twisted in America as religious organizations are quick to claim tax exempt status and flat out refuse to pay property taxes that could be used to benefit thousands all across the country.
With these tax exempt statuses in place religious organizations, the same organizations that are supposed to ease the burdens of their fellow man, place huge burdens on their fellow countrymen by inflicting them with higher taxes. When one group refuses to pay taxes another group is forced to cough up the difference-this I would assume is a basic understanding.
Religious tax exemptions in America cost taxpayers 71 billion dollars a year. On average, states lose 26.2 billion a year by not requiring religious institutions to pay property tax.
How can any religion justify this when every member of religious organizations in America want the benefits of taxation for themselves?
Taxes in America cover the costs of social security, welfare (something religious organizations claim to be interested in) disability, unemployment insurance, medical, national defense, police, prisons, courts, firefighters, education, roads, cleaning air and water, public parks and much more. These things benefit everyone in the nation.
Why do religious organizations hide behind tax exempt status when taxes go to helping people? It is unethical. It is immoral. It is social irresponsibility.
Muhammad, the prophet of the Islamic traditions taught, God has forbidden you to be undutiful…to withhold what you should give or demand what you do not deserve.
The book of Proverbs teaches: He that giveth unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hideth his eyes shall have many a curse. (Proverbs 28:27)
Galatians teaches: Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law… (Galatians 6:2)
The Mormon tradition teaches: Wo unto you rich men, that will not give your substance to the poor… (Doctrine and Covenants 56:16)
For behold, ye do love money and your substance, and your fine apparel, and the adorning of your churches, more than ye love the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted. (Mormon 8:37)
The Quran calls for those to: Let him who has abundance spend out of his abundance… (Surah 65:7)
If you manifest charity, how excellent it is! And if you hide it and give it to the poor, it is good for you. (Surah 2:271)
You cannot attain to righteousness unless you spend out of what you love. (Surah 3:92)
With universal teachings of giving and providing for the poor and condemnation of greed how can religious organizations in the United States not pay?
Why have a doctrine and religious law if you don’t intend to follow it?
The Congregation of Unity 