Members of the Pottstown Worship Group, along with others from traditional Peace Churches, recently met with the executive director of the Peace Tax Fund, Malachy Kilbride at the Akron Mennonite Church.
The members of the Pottstown Worship Group, under the care of Gwynedd Meeting, have been under the weight of a concern for the traditional Quaker Peace Testimony. Friends deeply held religious convictions have led many to declare themselves to be conscientious objectors and to refuse to participate in wars. Many others have refused to pay their taxes, as a way of avoiding paying for wars. Currently the United States is engaged in multiple wars in multiple continents. Many of us have become quiet in our opposition to these actions.
Our worship group has discerned that one way to work for peace and religious liberty is to work in support of “The Religious Freedom Peace Tax Fund Act of 2017,” House Resolution 1947, which has been introduced into the Ways and Means Committee by John Lewis. This bill, if enacted, would permit those who are conscientious objectors to war to pay their taxes without paying for war.
If you share our convictions, please sign the petition for the Peace Tax Fund. http://peacetaxfund.org/petition/