IRS Pushed to Bill Churches $1 Billion

A demand from atheists that the IRS bill churches and other religious organizations a total of some $1 billion would violate freedom of worship and destroy many congregations, a new court brief contends.

In a case now at the Seventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, churches are seeking to overturn a stunning district court decision by Judge Barbara Crabb . . .

It provides that a housing allowance is not considered taxable income when the house is for the convenience of the employer. While pastors do benefit, the tax deduction also is available for workers who live overseas, employees of educational institutes, any member or former member of the uniformed services, government workers living overseas, any American citizen living abroad and others.

Crabb’s verdict in the case brought against Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and others by the Freedom From Religion Foundation found that while the exemption is valid for secular employees, it should not be available for Christian pastors, setting up a discriminatory standard for the benefit . . .

A brief in the case filed by the Becket Fund on behalf of Chris Butler, a pastor from the South Side of Chicago, contends ending the housing allowance “would discriminate against religious groups by treating them worse than many other secular employees who receive similar tax treatment.” (Read more from “IRS Pushed to Bill Churches $1 Billion” HERE)

Follow Joe Miller on Twitter HERE and Facebook HERE.