Posted on 11/20/2014 2:17:43 PM PST by marshmallow
Churches in a Maryland county are being offered tax breaks for incorporating environmentalism into their sermons.
In Prince George’s County, 30 pastors have started preaching ‘green’ ministries to avoid extra taxes, the Washington Post reports. The taxes depend on the acreage for all property owners, including churches, as part of Maryland’s “storm water remediation fee.”
Reverend Nathaniel B. Thomas of Forestville New Redeemer Baptist Church said he attempted to challenge the fee and said:
"Once Uncle Sam finds a way to take your money, he doesn’t stop.”
Thomas acknowledged the people of his congregation have higher priorities than the environment, such as employment and family-related issues:
"What God made was good, but it’s us that made it bad.”
Church leaders were able to negotiate a deal with the county’s environmental director Adam Ortiz. The deal reduces fees on the condition that churches introduce programs to lessen their environmental impact such as planting trees and constructing gardens as well as attempts to prop-up environmentalism.
(Excerpt) Read more at ijreview.com ...
I think they misunderstand the whole “Render unto Caesar” thing.
Justice Roberts said in the Obamacare decision that the government can use the taxing power to force people into doing what would otherwise be unconstitutional.
IJ Review is now the third news site reporting this story. Earlier was Daily Caller and Frontpage Magazine was 2nd. Hopefully this story will continue to spread beyond the formerly free state of Maryland.
No, just to exchange following Jesus to following earth mother goddess gaia and her secular humanist adherents like presidential wannabe Martin O’Malley.
Not disagreeing just expounding on your comment.
Thanks GF.
selling soul to the democrats or the devil, I see little difference. And the 30 churches are probably majority democrat voters
No way, that would be the sin of simony.
Whether the churches preach as directed or not, this act of the Maryland legislature establishes the precedent that churches in Maryland are no longer tax exempt.
The warm up to preach equality (homo marriage) or lose you federal tax exempt status.
selling their souls for shekels
Yeah, and the IRS will send spies to make sure that sermons adhere to the Democrat party line.
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