A Fair Trade: Your Freedoms For A Loaf of Bread?

The newspapers are full of "shocked" reports that the California Supreme Court is requiring Catholic Charities (Inc.) to provide a contraceptive drug benefit. The story is illustrative, but not as merely a Constitutional issue, or as an issue of freedom, but as a lesson in costly entanglements. Perhaps in the future a few people will more carefully consider the dubious nature of government services and protections.

For various reasons churches generally operate as incorporated entities. They are corporations, for the most part, if they handle money or own property. This provides continuity of ownership in the eyes of the law -- i.e. the pastor does not own the land and buildings -- as well as tax exemptions and legal liability protections. Churches maintain insurance policies to safeguard them from hazard, and employ workers such as pastors, secretaries, accountants and so on. Some churches are very wealthy, others are not. But in spite of the 1st Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, "Congress shall make no law regarding an establishment of religion..." nearly every church is thoroughly entangled in the laws and regulations of country, state, county, city, and various government regulatory agencies.

This smells like Catch-22 to me. But at any rate, churches receive and disburse money; unless the pastor is willing to accept liability for the income taxes on church receipts, a church is almost forced to incorporate. It has all come down to this: either operate as Jesus did, with no property and money or fill out permit forms with the government simply to be allowed to exist. Too bad nearly 100% of churches decided to go the route of forming corporations and holding assets...no doubt the temptations have led many astray and caused needless sin, not to mention the damage to church reputations.

Now if even a church must incorporate and hire accountants and lawyers, in spite of the 1st Amendment, how much less free is the average American? During the 20th century workers fought for government protections, such as safety, labor, healthcare and pension laws. In exchange for those promises the government assumed the right to control every aspect of work, business and money.

Fact is, nearly every possible way of legally earning money requires government permissions. If a company wants to hire you they must have permission from the government to operate, and if you want to go into business for yourself you probably need a business license and other legalities. Gamblers, beggars and small-scale operators such as artists and handymen can avoid all government forms, but everyone else operates on sufferance. It comes down to this: live without money or property and the promises of the Bill of Rights are yours to keep and hold; but dip your toe into any revenue stream and Big Government can regulate every aspect of your existence.

Today you may appreciate the conservative leadership, but things can change. What if leftists gain control next? I bet they are even more tyrannical in action than George W. Bush! One day -- perhaps today -- a person can earn a living, but who knows about tomorrow? So why not hire your own personal lobbyists and start donating money to politicians? That will solve the problem. Not.

The moral of the story is this: unless you want to be a slave you should strive to avoid all interactions with every level of government and work to eliminate government in every way possible. Don't ask for help from government and don't offer help to government. Don't fill out forms. Don't dial 911. Avoid contact with government the way you would avoid a contagious disease or a pile of dog plop on the sidewalk: unless you are a trained medic or shit remover, leave it alone!

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http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/opinions/documents/S099822.DOC

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