Atheist Group Chides Governor Hutchinson for Quoting Bible Verses on Facebook

Religious Freedom, ,
Above: Governor Hutchinson signs the Religious Freedom Restoration Act into law in this file photo from 2015.

Recently the group Americans United for Separation of Church and State sent a letter to Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson chiding him for posting Bible verses on his official Facebook page every Sunday.

The group posted a soundbite on social media, saying, “Freedom of religion is freedom WITHOUT Favor. Our government represents ALL citizens, regardless of faith or belief.”

Governor Hutchinson has routinely shared verses of scripture on his official Facebook page since he was inaugurated in 2015.

Here’s an example of one of the passages that he posted recently from the Psalms:

Unfortunately, atheist organizations have a long history of saber rattling in Arkansas.

In 2017 the atheist group the Freedom From Religion Foundation sent a letter to Governor Hutchinson asking him to stop posting scripture every Sunday, but Governor Hutchinson has continued to do so. To date, no one has sued the governor for sharing Bible verses online each week.

In 2016 Americans United for Separation of Church and State unsuccessfully opposed a 40 Days of Prayer event in in El Dorado.

And in 2011 Americans United for Separation of Church and State fought to remove a Nativity scene from a bulletin board at a school in Paragould.

The truth is that elected officials don’t lose their First Amendment freedoms.

By most accounts, the Bible is the single most widely-read book in the history of human civilization, and public speakers, writers, and elected officials have quoted it routinely for centuries.

The President of the United States typically takes the Oath of Office on a Bible.

Elected officials often share well-known, popular, or inspirational quotes via their official social media accounts.

In light of that, why shouldn’t an elected official be able to post a Bible verse on Facebook?

It’s ridiculous to suggest that posting Bible verses on Facebook violates the U.S. Constitution. However, that seems to be what Americans United for Separation of Church and State is doing.

READ MORE

Rule Change Could Make it Easier for Counties to Tax Property at Churches

Religious Freedom, ,

A proposed rule-change at the Arkansas Assessment Coordination Division could make it easier for county assessors to collect taxes on property that churches, charities, and other nonprofits own.

Currently, the Arkansas Constitution makes it clear that churches and charities are tax-exempt, and churches and charities generally don’t pay taxes on property they own unless they make some sort of profit from it.

The proposed rules would require churches and charities to file forms and paperwork with the county assessor that prove their property is exempt from taxation “beyond a reasonable doubt under Arkansas law.”

That’s a very high standard — and it gives county assessors tremendous leeway.

The forms also require churches and charities to give the county information that many people would consider private — like information about their staff’s salaries, bonuses, and other compensation. It isn’t clear why the county would need to know that kind of information.

If a county assessor decided to reject the nonprofit’s application for a tax exemption, the county could force the organization to pay taxes on anything it owns — land, buildings, vehicles, electronic equipment, machinery, and other property — as if it were a business.

The new rule could hurt many different nonprofits in Arkansas, including:

  • Churches
  • Charities like the Salvation Army or Union Rescue Mission
  • Christian summer camps
  • Private schools and private colleges and universities
  • Food ministries
  • Nonprofit hospitals and medical clinics
  • Homeless shelters

Charities and churches contribute millions of dollars to the economy each year by serving their communities. That’s part of the reason the Arkansas Legislature voted to designate religious organizations and charities as essential earlier this year. Making it easier for counties to tax property at churches and charities hurts everybody.

Please contact the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration today, and ask them to opposed Rule 6.01 – 6.04, the Property Tax Exemption rule that affects nonprofits, charities, and churches.

Email your comments against the rules to kayleigh.gilliam@dfa.arkansas.gov. All comments are due by Monday, May 31.

You can read the proposed rules here. You can read some of the paperwork churches and charities would have to file here.

READ MORE