Los Angeles Jewish Journal
February 15, 2002
Letters to the Editor

http://www.jewishjournal.com/home/preview.php?id=8127

Religion and the IRS

Dear Editor:

In Wendy Madnick’s article, ("Court Writes Off Deductions," Feb. 8) the predominant issue is that Michael Sklar was requesting equal treatment by the IRS regarding deductible payments for "qualified religious services."

Qualified religious services, as defined by the IRS in its 1993 agreement with the Church of Scientology, include those appearing on the "Scientology Classification, Gradation, and Awareness chart." The courses listed there not only included courses on auditing but also courses on the general and specific theology of the Church of Scientology. The 9th District Court had no problem with Sklar’s thinking.

The problem the court had was with the thinking of the IRS. Ruling for Sklar would have corrected an inequality in tax enforcement, but as the court stated, in its opinion, righting one wrong with another wrong is not correct.

If Larry Clumeck had done his homework, he would not have dismissed Sklar’s case so quickly and cavalierly. I believe this issue has not been settled and that there will be future challenges to this inequitable enforcement of tax law by the IRS.

Stuart Zimmermann, Valley Village

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Dear Editor:

We should not hope for Jews to receive the same constitutionally suspect tax break as the Scientologists. Rather, we should stand firmly for the principle of church-state separation. We should be encouraged that the three judges on the panel strongly condemned the IRS’ wrong-headed policy; they also suggested that a new lawsuit challenging this policy as a violation of the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause would likely succeed.

The separation of church and state has always been the greatest guarantor of our religious freedom. That, more than any tax deduction, is what is good for Jews, for Scientologists and for America.

Daniel Sokatch, Executive Director, Progressive Jewish Alliance

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Dear Editor:

I wanted to commend Michael Sklar’s efforts ("Court Writes Off Deductions," Feb.

8) on behalf of the whole Jewish community. As we say in Hebrew, "Kol Hakavod."

I encourage him to appeal the court’s decision and I am sure he will come out a winner.

Name Withheld by Request

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