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From: rjb@akgua.UUCP (R.J. Brown [Bob])
Newsgroups: net.politics,net.religion
Subject: Satanism, Witchcraft, and the Tax Man
Message-ID: <1703@akgua.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 30-Sep-85 12:16:37 EDT
Article-I.D.: akgua.1703
Posted: Mon Sep 30 12:16:37 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 2-Oct-85 05:32:24 EDT
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Xref: watmath net.politics:11263 net.religion:7834

A UPI story on 9/27 shows the Senate has voted to
"crack down" on Satanism and Witchcraft via the
denial of tax exemptions to any cult promoting
either of the above belief systems.

While I'm in favor of neither Satanism nor Occult
practices of any kind, I've got enough sense in my
pea brain to know that if we are going to deny the
tax status to one religious group on the basis of
its unpopularity then it could be MY group next.

You ought to let Senator Helms and your Senators know
how you feel on this matter.

Perhaps it is time to rethink the whole issue of tax
exemptions for religion, in that, in some sense my
tax money goes to support Moonies, Satanists, etc, etc -
groups whose doctrines and principles I abhor.  And
certainly someone like Rich Rosen, for instance, might
be put off by the fact that his tax money is supporting
ANY religious organization.  I sincerely sympathize with
that position and would not object if the deduction were 
completely abolished. 

(Note: I WILL continue to take the deduction
until it is eliminated...but that could be argued on a
complete different basis).

Besides, if your pivotal motivation in giving is the tax
break....what can I say...maybe you ought to just keep
your money.

Bob Brown {...ihnp4!akgua!rjb}