Monday, August 22, 2005

On Divestment

From Voices in the Wilderness...

Others directly and publicly refuse to pay part or all of their federal income tax. We do this because roughly half of that tax is used to fund the US war machine.

Tax resistance is the most direct way US citizens can avoid being complicit in this war. If all of us who have written our Congresspersons or taken to the streets also refuse to financially back the war, the decision-makers in Washington have a much harder time ignoring our resistance.

We ask you to consider war tax resistance this tax year, and in the years to come. The best way to stop the war machine is to refuse to fund it.


This is something we have recently considered... divestment from the American government. Here might be a good place to start if you are interested.

7 comments:

Eric Wakeling said...

I do not agree with the war either, but if a person was to stop paying taxes than I suppose they should stop receiving the benefits they would receive from those taxes. For example, using the highways and roads, having police keep them safe from criminals, firemen, lifeguards, etc.

Ryan Lee Sharp said...

Some good thoughts Eric.

Thoughtful divestment in a time of war might look a bit like sending in 50% of your income taxes, since the remaining 50% is statistically used for war.

Most roads and local firemen/police are paid for with sales/property/state income taxes, not federal income tax.

Here is a pie-chart showing how federal income taxes are used.

Always appreciate your thoughts. Thanks.

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Brian Aaby said...

Ryan,
I think there is a way to stop all the spam through blogger, something where people would have to do a password or something, or where you have to approve the comment before it gets posted... just a thought.
Still processing your thought on the Tax thing... have to say my immediate reaction is that we would be "doing what is right in our own eyes." To be honest, this is how most of us live our own lives anyway, but as a person who tries to follow the Word of God I have a hard time reconciling the "render unto Caesar what is Caesar's" and taking matters into my own hands and giving only 50%.
It is illegal to give only 50% and then on top of that even with only giving 50% the governement would just take that 50% and still split the money evenly among each of those other areas. Thus the firemen, police, etc. would all be effected as well.
When I tithe, give money to individuals, etc. there is an element of trust that they will spend it wisely, I have to trust. I know that it is different in giving of taxes (because it is forced), but I still have to trust in God's sovereignty in the situation.
Those are my initial thoughts...
Grace,
Brian

Eric Wakeling said...

You know what's funny - I just realized that this past year I paid NO federal income tax because of my housing allowance and other deductions that I have. So I didn't support the war. My property taxes (and they are HUGE) paid for my firemen, etc. I feel better already. :)

Good point about where fed money goes vs. local money.