Requirements to refuse to pay taxes

[bben15]

Even Jesus told the Jews to pay Roman taxes, while keeping to the laws of God. “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”

Plus, it is not like most of the money is going to fund immoral purposes. All we can do it pray.

 

[Beryllos]

… Second, if taxes are imposed unlawfully, then I think there is no moral requirement per se to pay them.

I am not sure what you mean by unlawfully. In the US, we have an elected, representative government which creates laws and authorizes taxes, as provided for in the Constitution.

 

[Jozefo]

I am not sure what you mean by unlawfully. In the US, we have an elected, representative government which creates laws and authorizes taxes, as provided for in the Constitution.

In the US, there are many different kinds of taxes. If the federal government sought to impose a tax on a person that didn’t apply to that person, then that would be an unlawful tax in my opinion. I wouldn’t see a moral obligation to pay it, although the US might try and force a legal obligation to pay it.

 

[Reep]

As far as I know the Church teaches that it is generally morally necessary to pay your taxes. This is apparently true even when tiny percentages of the government’s budget go towards immoral purposes (funding abortion centers). In light of the current health care situation and the federal government’s homosexual propaganda - is it still morally necessary to pay federal taxes? Who decides if it is or not? Is it up to each individual to decide?

I think I understand why the Church says to pay our taxes. She is not saying that taxes are good. LIkewise, St Paul is not approving slavery when he says, "Slaves, obey your you masters," Here St Paul–under inspiration–is making the judgment that the time to throw off slavery had not yet come. But it did come. And most countries–unfortunately not mine–were able to get rid of slavery without killing 750,000 people.

“Pay your taxes” is a similar injunction, yet the time may come when we find a way to fund necessary societal structures without using or threatening violence.

All that said, I am very sad when even a dollar of my taxes is used to fund an abortion or kill an innocent child in Afghanistan. The Church may excuse me, but I will never rest easy with it. And I pray and long for a day when I am not forced to pay even a penny to fund evil.