Paul Wilczynski's Observations

Blessing the Taxes

From the UUA Washington Office ...

As Unitarian Universalists, we are committed to creating an equitable tax system that provides sufficient revenue to meet our country's human needs. Faced with a federal budget that includes massive tax cuts that largely benefit the wealthiest among us at the expense of the common good of our country, "blessing" our taxes allows us to reframe the national conversation about the role of government in society and its moral and spiritual imperatives.

What you can do:

• Lay hands on envelopes containing tax returns or copies of returns in worship, and pray over them; or create an altar for tax returns
• Weave the blessing into sermons or pastoral prayers
• Conduct special worship services
• Conduct prayer vigils at local Post Offices on April 15 (a great and easy way to get local media attention!)
• Distribute the blessing with attached information about how taxes are used and how citizens can contact their legislators

  The message:

• Paying taxes is a moral responsibility of all people.
• Creating a just tax system used for just purposes is the responsibility of all people and institutions.
• Elected officials are entrusted with a greater responsibility to ensure that taxation hold as a primary concern the needs of low-income persons to prevent the entrenchment of poverty in society.
• Taxation must be used toward the organization of social structures to ensure that basic human needs for all people are met.
• Taxation must not inhibit a person's ability to meet their basic needs-the payment of a higher rate of taxation by those who have higher incomes or profits is just and good.

  (Adapted from the Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon www.emoregon.org)

  See The UUA Washington Office website at http://www.uua.org/uuawo/new/article.php?id=571 for suggested readings and sample blessings your congregation can use! You will also find analyses of the current tax structure and how our tax dollars are used on the federal and state levels.

  See The UUA Washington Office website at http://www.uua.org/uuawo/new/article.php?id=568 for updates on the Federal Budget Process-including some good news on Medicaid from the Senate! Both the House and Senate budget proposals include billions of dollars worth of new-unpaid-for -- tax cuts that deepen our deficit and largely benefit our country's wealthiest individuals. It's more important than ever to urge your members of Congress to create a fair and balanced budget!

posted by Paul Wilczynski @ 7:24 PM