America's budget deficit forcing it to tax hitherto untouched religious groups???

Recently I read an article online about the state of US Economy. This comes after a few years of economic decline. The federal budget deficit stood at $7.5 trillion at the end of 2009 and is projected to double by 2020. These are amazing figures indeed, but the world and particular creditor nations such as Japan, India, China, etc don't seem to be bothered... or perhaps they are keeping their fingers crossed waiting for the US economy to rise again.

In the meanwhile this particular writer Sam Hodges writing in the Dallas Morning News' religion blog chased the question of whether religious organizations and non-profits should be taxed. The responses from academics, researchers, pastors, and other religion intellectuals are quite revealing.

The unanimous opinion of the experts seem to suggest that these organizations should not be taxed. One expert says that taxing churches would be "disastrous both philosophically and practically;" another expert suggests: "religious groups should not be taxed as long as they obey the laws concerning nonprofits and religious organizations". There are numerous other opinions but in effect they all say that religious institutions must be left alone and even their employees such as pastors, priests, etc should not be taxed.

After reading the article I thought back about the state of Hindu temples in India. The money/ income from temples are taken away and funneled into renovation and development of Churches and Mosques. On the contrary Mosques and Churches enjoy total independence as far as their income and financing are concerned. When I think of these things I believe that there is absolutely no equality in India. I hope somebody in the government will have enough sense to bring the entire billion plus people under one common civil and criminal law.

Surprising Rule Passed in a Muslim-Majority Nation

I came across an interesting and quite surprising news item online. The headline "Uzbekistan orders sterilization, group alleges - The Boston Globe" drew me to read the short piece.

I am totally surprised that a Muslim-majority country has dared to pass a law to control population. At the same time I am quite happy too, that someone somewhere is taking steps to stem the population explosion that is threatening the very existence of life on earth. I hope the law will not be repealed because of pressure from human rights, and other groups.

This is a necessary law across the world, specially so in countries where culture/ religious beliefs proscribe population control. Along with legislation the government should also partner with grassroots level non-profits to advocate the benefits of having a small family and educate the masses about the perils of population explosion.

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Interesting article about America's baby boom

I read this article about America's baby boom in the Dallas Morning News and found it rather interesting. Population explosion is a global reality. Everywhere there is an increase in the birth rate and decline of death rates of people. Life expectancy is becoming better and people are living longer everywhere across the world. Everybody in the world says that the nations of India and China are solely responsible for this population explosion.

But then statistics prove otherwise. In 2006 Americans had 4.3 million babies, the highest number in the past 45 years. And the reasons for this baby boom according to the article are declining use of contraceptives, lack of education, poverty and lack of access to abortions. The last reason is not that there are less hospitals but the existing ones are prohibitively expensive. And even after paying for insurance month after month you have to shell out some part of the bill.

Another article I read in the magazine Texas Wildlife that, this lady who was bit by a copper head snake had to fork out over $40,000 in medical bills and how many days was she hospitalised? Just one day. Isn't that atrocious? well... that is how America works. Luckily for her her insurance paid for most of the bill. So if you are not properly insured, you can escape death from a snake bite but the hospital bill will surely kill you.