Is being dishonest on your taxes a sin? How big a sin is it? What would you say to a church member who asked these questions?
Since few are likely to come forward and ask, should pastors in the United States talk about that issue with their congregations?
I am a part-time local pastor serving Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church and a participant in the Indiana Conference's Wesleyan ConneXion. I teach business communication at Indiana University in the Kelley School of Business.
I also blog at Luc means light and contribute to The View from Here blog at Next Step Evangelism.
My wife, Lisa, and I have been married 23.5 years. Luc, 8, lives with us. Zach, 22, and JillAnn, 18, are off at college much too soon for my liking.
Contact me at johnmeunier at Gmail.
The doctrine of original sin is surely more humbling to man than the opposite: And I know not what honour we can pay to God, if we think man came out of His hands in the condition wherein he is now.
— John Wesley
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Generally speaking, yeah, I think it’s a sin.
My short perspective on it. We live in a democracy with a democratically-elected government determining policies and taxes. Living in a democracy means you don’t get to decide that you don’t like the taxes so you’re going to pay them. Besides, taxes in the US are lower than in most developed countries.
Now, were the situation such as in the book of Amos where poor people were literally starving but still expected to turn over most of the fruits of their labors so that the rich could buy country houses, then I think we can begin to think about not evading taxes as immoral.
Now, what about tithing? The congregation I’m attending (n.b. I literally mean “the congregation” as opposed to “the pastor”) made it clear that we should be giving the (very large, very wealthy) church 10% of our income. No one asked “Are you living modestly but working part-time and being paid badly and can you not afford your living expenses at the moment?” They just put pressure on us to tithe. Was that right?
Argh. Getting tired.
“Living in a democracy means you don’t get to decide that you don’t like the taxes so you’re NOT going to pay them. ”
and
“…then I think we can begin to think about evading taxes as NOT BEING immoral.”
Thank you.
I don’t know that democracy really enters into it. The New Testament authors had no input in choosing their leaders (in fact, they were actively oppressed by them) and they appear to be pretty unanimous about paying taxes and obeying other laws.
You both answered the easy question. Here’s the one I wrestle with. Should pastors speak or teach about the obligation to pay taxes? Do we need to remind people about the moral issues at this time of year? Or do we assume they know and it would be patronizing or insulting to bring it up?
Pam: I so far set no model on tithing, so I am unable to speak to it without being blinded by the plank in my own eye.
I can’t say that I ever preached on the topic. I’d want to sit down and think about what the objective would be of that sermon. What do I want people to learn? And, most importantly, where is the good news in that sermon? Every sermon needs good news even if it’s on repentance.
That’s not a “no”. I just haven’t thought through the matter and I think it would take a reasonable amount of thought. Wanna have a go?