Friends (Quakers)

Baltimore Yearly Meeting Peace and Nonviolence

Friends of all ages may witness by acts ranging from refusal to pay war taxes to non- participation in war-related work to demonstrations and other public witness. All should be aware of the tragic consequences of indifference, timidity and procrastination.

(From Faith and Practice of Baltimore Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, August 1988)

For further information, contact: Baltimore Yearly Meeting, 17100 Quaker Lane, Sandy Spring, MD 20860-1296; bymrsf@igc.org; www.bym-rsf.org

Friends United Meeting

Resolution on Personnel Policy Regarding Employees Who Are War Tax Resisters

As Christians we seek to be biblically obedient, submitting to such instructions as Romans 13-7 “pay taxes to whom taxes are due,” but also Romans 13:8 and 10 “owe no one anything except to love one another . . . love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” We accept our subordination to government and our obligation to pay taxes. However, we must witness to governments our conviction that war and preparation for war do wrong to our neighbors and are contrary to the will of God as revealed in the teachings of Jesus Christ and his death, resurrection, and ascension to Lordship.

We urge our governments to sharply reduce military spending and use our resources for life-affirming purposes. Furthermore, just as conscientious objectors have received exemption from military service, we also seek legislation exempting conscientious objectors from paying taxes for military purposes. Thus we continue to work for the passage for the World Peace Tax Fund which would allow individuals to designate all of their federal income taxes for peaceful purposes.

Policy in Regard to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Levies And Liens

At the meeting of the General Board in October 1987, FUM affirmed that conscientious objection to paying taxes for military purposes is an appropriate and traditional individual expression of Friends Peace Testimony. It recognized its obligation to uphold the consciences of its staff by agreeing, on request of a staff member, to not withhold that staff member’s federal income tax.

(Approved by the FUM General Board, October 25, 1988)

For further information, contact: Friends United Meeting, 101 Quaker Hill Drive, Richmond, IN 47374-1980; info@fum.org; www.fum.org