On April 1st, The National Pulse posted an article about the U.S. Supreme Court Case regarding the tax exempt status of Catholic Charities. In the past, charitable church organizations have pretty much automatically been tax exempt, but some anti-religious groups are working to change that.

The article explains:

The United States Supreme Court appears poised to rule in favor of a Catholic charitable group challenging Wisconsin’s decision to deny them a religious exemption from state unemployment taxes. The case brought by the Catholic Charities Bureau may alter the way religious activities are classified under state law, with significant implications for religious freedom.

The crux of the disagreement lies in whether the Catholic Charities Bureau qualifies as a religious employer eligible for tax exemptions under Wisconsin statutes. The state law permits such exemptions for organizations if their operations are primarily religious. However, Wisconsin officials assert that the charity does not meet this criterion because its activities, like assisting the elderly and disabled, are not explicitly religious nor centered on religious instruction.

Catholic Charities Bureau has contributed to the unemployment tax system since 1972. They argue their missions are embedded in Catholic tenets of charity and good works, thus deserving of the religious exemption. The organization challenges the state’s evaluation of what constitutes religious activity, suggesting it is an unfair assessment.

While the Supreme Court’s more conservative justices appeared open to the Catholic Charities Bureau’s arguments, Justice Elena Kagan—who is one of the high court’s more liberal justices—appeared amenable as well. “I thought it was pretty fundamental that we don’t treat some religions better than other religions, and we certainly don’t do it based on the content of the religious doctrine that those religions preach,” Justice Kagan said during oral arguments on Monday.

With oral arguments concluded in the case, the justices will confer, and an opinion on the case is expected later this summer. The outcome might influence how other religious organizations are taxed and exempted, with restrictions placed on a state’s interpretations of “religious” work.

Before the growth of big government, charity was handled by the church and by individuals. If you knew your neighbor had lost his job, you might leave a bag of groceries on his front porch. Charity wasn’t done by the government–it was done by churches and individuals who understood the needs of the community.

For further information on the government and charity, please read the speech regarding government charity given to Congress by Senator Davy Crockett. You can find it here.