IRS and Scientology link?
From
Marginal Revolution comes this link to a strange story in the
NY Times:
bq. A trial is to begin here on Wednesday morning to determine whether a Jewish couple can deduct the cost of religious education for their five children, a tax benefit they say the federal government has granted to members of just one religion, the Church of Scientology.
And more:
bq. "Why is Scientology training different from all other religious training?" Judge Barry D. Silverman wrote in his opinion, adding that the question would not be answered just then because the court was not faced with the question of whether "members of the Church of Scientology have become the I.R.S.'s chosen people." Judge Silverman then recommended litigation to address whether the government is improperly favoring one religion.
And more:
bq. A subpoena for the secret agreement with the Scientologists has been quashed at the request of the Church of Scientology and the I.R.S. A fight over access to that agreement is likely to be a crucial issue on appeal, which seems certain regardless of how the trial judge rules.
So there is a secret agreement between the IRS and the Scientologists and they are both acting to quash the subpoena to release it... Interesting...
For more on Scientology, visit
Operation Clambake.
Rick Ross also has some good information
here.
Posted by DaveH at March 25, 2004 12:36 PM