Being free of taxation is not what makes a church, or a person, do the right thing.
In his recent opinion, “Government shouldn’t decide which churches ‘deserve’ a tax exemption,” my dear friend and long-time colleague Bill Duncan dutifully defends against critics of tax exemptions for religious institutions. But times have changed, so, new rules.
I could write a book explaining why our side, institutionally, should step away from old ways to protect what we’ve already lost, get out of culture wars that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints never should be a part of, and let the Lord, not governments, protect us.
Outside of meal choices over the past 20 years, I cannot remember a time I have disagreed with my friend. He is not wrong, if we still lived in 1990. But his three-prong defense of tax exemptions for churches is no longer relevant for a vibrant faith-based culture.
