Privileged tax status for clergy is an egregious affront to the First Amendment — my freedom of religion should mean freedom from compulsory subsidizing of those ridiculous clubs — and the Holy Men are getting worried.
A federal district judge has already ruled that the cash housing allowance paid to ministers is unconstitutional (the HA that includes a parsonage is a separate section of the tax code and was not challenged). This is the case brough by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. The case is on appeal with the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals and some law profs have weighed in on the matter, on the side of the FFRF.
Good. There is no one thing we can do that would curtail the destructive power of the churches, and be consistent with the Founders’ plainly-stated intention, as end their tax privileges.