As a Christian, Easter marks the most stunning act of grace and enemy-love in human history -- Jesus' death and resurrection. As Jesus was being tortured and executed, he cried out for mercy, even for those terrorists who hurt him. As his buddy Peter picked up a sword and cut the ear off one of the persecutors, Jesus scolded Peter and picked up the ear and healed the wounded persecutor. The early Christians understood the message -- it was a message of Amazing Grace. It was a message about how there is something worth dying for, but nothing in the world worth killing for, not even freedom or democracy. One of the early Christians said, "When Jesus disarmed Peter he disarmed every Christian." After all, we don't see Christians picking up swords again for hundreds of years.
I am one of those Christians who believe we should still have the right NOT to kill, even in an empire that has a military bigger than Rome's. Perhaps that's why it has been hard for me to navigate what to do as tax season approaches, with so much of our federal tax money going toward militarism. It was a crisis familiar to the early Christians who were accused of insurrection and tax evasion because they had an allegiance that subverted, or super-ceded, their national allegiance.
So I respectfully filed my taxes this year, and I sent the IRS the little letter below. My intention is to respect my country and contribute to the common good -- but also to uncompromisingly follow the way of the nonviolent Jesus this Easter in a world that continues to pick up the sword and die by the sword.
Dear Internal Revenue Service,I am filing my 1040 here. As you will see, I made $9,600 this past year, and found that according to the 1040 form, I owe $324.44 of that to federal taxes. While I am glad to contribute money to the common good and towards things that promote life and dignity, especially for the poor and most vulnerable people among us, I am deeply concerned that 30 percent of the federal budget goes towards military spending, with 117 billion going to support the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. (Further, when we include the 18% that goes towards past military costs, such as the 380 billion in debt payments, 80% of which are military related debts, that number goes up to a total military budget of 1,372 billion dollars -- nearly half of the federal budget). My Christian faith and my human conscience require me to respectfully reserve the right not to kill, and to refrain from contributing money towards weapons and the military.
For this reason, I am enclosing a check for $227.11, which is, according to the form, 70% of what I owe. The remaining $97.33 represents 30% of my tax payment, the amount that would go towards military spending. I will donate this remaining 30% to a recognized US nonprofit organization working to bring peace and reconciliation. My faith also compels me to submit to the governing authorities, which is why I am writing you respectfully and transparently here. I am glad to discuss this further if you have any questions. I can be reached by phone at 215 423-3598 or by mail at 1838 E. Allegheny Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19134.
May we continue to build the world we dream of.
-Shane Claiborne
Christian pacifism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Shane Claiborne - God's Politics Blog
Shane Claiborne: Give to Uncle Sam What Is Uncle Sam's: Tax Season ...
But I see your point. I'm going to include a letter in my filing respectfully asking that none of my tax dollars goes to support religious organizations.
Following your logic, I will send a letter to the IRS telling that that no part of my taxes from this year should be applied to religious organizations. Have fun with your audit!
The sad part is, that she thinks she's making some statement, but all she's really doing is forcing someone else to pay the taxes that she decided she didn't want to.
You'll be getting a "90 day letter" soon.
Taxpayers don't have the option to write their own tax laws or their own federal budgets. Those are functions of the Legislature.
I admire the principled stand, but if it comes to litigation, you've got a dead bang loser of a case.
Shane, you're off the mark. The Department of Defense budget for fiscal 2010 was 19% of the federal budget. US military spending as a percentage of 2009 GDP was 4.7%.
I think 4.7% of GDP is a small price to pay for defense. The last time foreign troops invaded our soil was the War of 1812.
Enjoy your freedom.
As far as the idea that the military maintains freedom for the people of the US, I don't see it.
Then try living in a country where the military prevents freedom instead of defends it, like say North Korea. Then you'll see it. Of course by that time it will be too late -- you'll have lost the freedom you enjoy here.
Now if he'd just written $227.11 on the line for amount due and sent in the check, his chance of an audit would have been well under 2%. The protest letter will get him immediately flagged.
In fact Madison, no stanger to the Constituion wrote that “I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents.”
To work for peace we must begin with ourselves or neighbors and families.
If you don't want to pay war taxes then keep your income below the level where you need to pay federal taxes.