Regarding a local church’s plan for helipad
We’re in the middle of an economic crisis. People are suffering, losing their homes and their jobs. Meanwhile, Christian Faith Center, a tax-exempt mega-church with no apparent philanthropic goals or activities, has recently sought and received approval for a helipad at its Federal Way campus.
It’s bad taste for people to flaunt wealth in an economic downturn, whether they be CEOs of major US automakers, executives at AIG, or a church. It’s in even poorer taste to use perceived wealth, and the promise of wealth, to attract followers to a religion. Tax-exemption is best reserved to support non-profit organizations dedicated to the public good. Though there are organizations with religious affiliation that engage in charitable work, the propagation of a religious belief is not charitable in and of itself.
Since the definition of a tax exempt religious organization is very broad and there is little oversight of their activities, many churches continue to maintain tax-exempt status and huge incomes. While it is not the place of government to endorse or oppose religion, this obligation of neutrality does not logically extend to giving religious organizations a special exemption from taxes. Whether a community organization is educational, charitable, or social, its income should be reported and subjected to oversight if it wants to remain tax-free and accept tax-exempt donations—or it should pay taxes like any other private corporation. The Christian Faith Center is spending its money on a helipad, a luxury; other religious organizations have funneled ridiculous sums of money to provide personal luxury (and legal defense) to charismatic preachers or even to provide aid to terrorist organizations, all while remaining tax-free and largely un-scrutinized. Laws prohibit any private individual from benefiting from tax-exempt earnings, but these laws are unenforceable on religious organizations due to other laws limiting civil tax inquiries of churches.
While we don’t wish to interfere with the Christian Faith Center’s community building efforts, we think that their plan for a helicopter pad demonstrates poor taste given the current economic climate, is a misuse of their tax-exempt status, and wastes the hard-earned money of their donors. We would like to encourage the Christian Faith Center to scrap their plan of unneeded air transportation and instead donate the money to a local charitable organization that does not discriminate on the basis of religion, such as Seattle Atheists did when they raised nearly $1000 for Seattle Children’s Hospital by wrapping presents this holiday season.
— Lex Maxwell
For those who want to know this editorial was drafted by myself and then heavily edited by my fellow board member Eliza and my friend Noel.
As a Christian (or as I like to be called – follower of Christ) I agree that personally on the face of things that this money could have been well spent on other things. But you shouldn’t view this as a failure of the church but rather the fact that whether Atheist or Christian we are all human beings. We all have the capacity to do good and to do something that’s not so “good” (I didn’t want to sway my conversation by using the word “evil”). In the same way we make good and poor decisions – we live in a fallen world.
BTW did you know that Jesus was sometimes a harsh critic of the church? Listen to these words – “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations”? But you have made it a den of thieves.” Mark 11:17
Deep within us all there is a moral compass that creates a discomfort that tells us that life and the world should be better – poverty, injustice and abuse is wrong. I could give up cable TV and contribute more to the poor … I fail too. This is why as I disappoint myself and my neighbor. I need the Holy Spirit to change my heart in conjunction with using my intellect.
As a Christian (or as I like to be called – follower of Christ) I agree that personally on the face of things that this money could have been well spent on other things. But you shouldn’t view this as a failure of the church but rather the fact that whether Atheist or Christian we are all human beings. We all have the capacity to do good and to do something that’s not so good (I didn’t want to sway my conversation by using the word “evil”). In the same way we make good and poor decisions – we live in a fallen world.
In fact did you know that Jesus was sometimes a hard critic of the church? Listen to these words – “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations”? But you have made it a den of thieves.” Mark 11:17
Deep within us all there is a moral compass that creates a discomfort that tells us that life and the world should be better – poverty, injustice and abuse is wrong. I could give up cable TV and contribute more to the poor … I fail too. This is why as I disappoint myself and my neighbor. I need the Holy Spirit to change my heart in conjunction with using my intellect.