If you could remove one thing from the world, what would it be?
When I saw this question posted on Facebook, I found myself wondering about the scale of the answers.
A number of people said they would remove hate, which would definitely be a good thing, although a massive undertaking. Others who didn’t go as far suggested anchovies, palmetto bugs and rap music.
Many people got political, suggesting that Republicans, conservatives, Democrats and liberals should go away.
But one answer kept popping up all through the comments, with people insisting that the world would be a far better place if there were no organized religions.
That was the answer I chose too.
There is no question that fundamentalist religion of all sorts has contributed to division and hatred, especially among the three Abrahamic religions. Whether it’s fundamentalist Christians, ultra-Orthodox Jews or Wahabbi Muslims, they all seem obsessed with the belief that they are the one and only way.
I’m not suggesting that we ban belief in God, or even that we prevent people from worshipping God as we see fit. It’s organized religion that’s the problem. It’s organized religion that has people screaming the God Hates Fags at funerals, that argues that some books should be banned or all sorts of other complaints about the way other people live their lives.
It’s organized religion that turns performers into multi-millionaires and buys them mansions and private jets, all of it tax-free.
It’s organized religion that tells its true believers that Gods wants them to be prosperous to the point of being wealthy.
It’s organized religion that gets them to follow politicians who hold Bibles up to show how righteous they are. but would have a hard time quoting even one verse.
Donald Trump is a perfect example. He says his favorite verse is the one about “an eye for an eye,” failing to understand it isn’t about revenge but about proportional response. And of course he gives the lie to his own statement when he says that if someone wrongs him, he strikes back ten times as hard.
But the Religious Right loves him, and it seems to me the only reason is because the folks on the other side hate him.
Jesus wept.
So it seems to me the best way to go after organized religion is to eliminate its tax-free status. It could be done in a fair way. Any money actually spent on good works could be tax free, just as charitable donations people make from their own income is deductible.
But those private jets …
Well, let’s just say they shouldn’t pay any less for their jets — either in purchasing them or paying taxes — than any other CEOs.
And property taxes? It was once estimated that the Catholic Church owned about 10 percent of the real estate in New York City. Whether or not that’s true, churches own a lot of income properties. I think it would be fair to allow them tax-free status on the building in which they actually worship. The rest? Just like other big businesses.
I certainly wouldn’t try and stop people from worshipping. That’s one of the freedoms people cherish most, although I wish we could end door-to-door proselytizing. But if people want to get together and talk about Jesus — or anyone else — that has to remain legal.
Essentially, we would give religion the same status as the Kiwanis or the Optimists. Free to operate, but under the same rules as all the other organizations that people join.
Don’t think it would work?
OK, let’s try Republicans.