02084cam a22003013u 4500 38371 UtSlPG 20260610133856.0 m cr n 260607r2011||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d UtSlPG en iso639-1 BV Morton, James F. (James Ferdinand), 1870-1941 Exempting the Churches : An Argument for the Abolition of This Unjust and Unconstitutional Practice Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg, 2011 1 online resource : multiple file formats text txt rdacontent computer c rdamedia online resource cr rdacarrier Release date is 2011-12-22 Produced by David Widger "Exempting the Churches" by James F. Morton is a critical social and political treatise written in the early 20th century. The book argues against the practice of exempting churches from property taxation, asserting that this practice undermines the democratic principles of equality and individual rights. Morton presents a compelling case that state support of religious institutions through tax exemptions constitutes an unfair advantage and violates citizens' rights to freedom of conscience. The opening of the book introduces the central argument that tax exemptions for churches represent a special privilege that undermines the democratic spirit. Morton emphasizes that such exemptions unjustly transfer the financial burden onto other taxpayers, thereby promoting inequality within society. He outlines the historical context of church-state relations and critiques the associated moral implications, consistently asserting that true democracy requires the strict separation of church and state and equal treatment for all institutions irrespective of their religious affiliation. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Original publication data not identified Church property https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/38371 79210 79210