An article in the Baptist Press warned of the “serious threat” to churches and non-profits if the federal government adopts Obama’s proposed charitable deductions limit for tax benefit purposes.
Richard Land, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC). called the idea of capping the charitable deduction “as serious a threat to religious organizations as anything the federal government has done in recent decades.”
“This would be catastrophic in its impact, particularly on those large gifts that many religious organizations, colleges, universities and ministries, as well as churches, depend upon for continuing operations,” Land told the Baptist Press. “Everything we know from past experience tells us if they cap deductions it will seriously erode charitable giving.”
The proposal could reduce charitable donations by as much as $7 billion a year, according to an estimate cited by Independent Sector, which leads a network of about 600 nonprofit and philanthropic organizations.
The federal tax system needs an overhaul, but the suggestion to limit charitable deductions further “is a threat aimed like a dagger at the heart of America’s charitable nonprofit entities, secular and religious,” Land said. “It will weaken most, kill many, and harm all.”
Note from churchleaders.com: We urge pastors and church leaders to advise and encourage their congregation members to contact their congressman about this issue. This proposed cap on charitable deductions has the potential to dramatically impact the ministry of churches. Continue reading the article at the Baptist Press for ideas on how to effectively portray the impact of this issue to our government representatives.
