Opportunity for Impact

An Americans United for the Separation of Church and State official told Vanderbilt University Christians to "stop whining" about the institution's all-comers policy and hold their meetings in private homes like Christians in communist China.

Executive Director Barry W. Lynn said "I would suggest that people in this position – to use a phrase on a button in my dentist office that he always wears when he works, it says, 'stop whining.' I'd say stop whining here. Why not do what evangelicals do: go out into the world, out into the community and have your meetings, if you have to, off campus. Show your faith and meet with students not in a club room somewhere in the university, but in those home churches that kept Christianity alive during the darkest days of communist China."

For more than a year now, Vanderbilt University and several religious student groups have been locked in a battle over discrimination.

The university insists that groups like the Christian Legal Society, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Vanderbilt Catholic and others cannot require prospective leaders to share their faith and values. To do so would run afoul of the university’s non-discrimination policy to admit “all comers.” If the student groups don’t shape up, they’ll have to ship out.

One group already has. In March, Vanderbilt Catholic said it would pick up and move off campus, rather than sign a pledge that non-Catholics were welcome to apply for positions of leadership. To do that, the group's leaders said, would be to compromise the entire purpose of the organization.

It seems that this is a perfect opportunity for Christian leaders to join one of the 7 gay and lesbian organizations and run for leadership positions. This would allow a Christian voice to be heard in the groups that most likely have none.

Christ dined with many people who were not believers and did not compromise his beliefs. This is an opportunity for Christians to join non-Christian clubs and make an impact for Christ! Get as many Christians as you can to join these secular clubs and vote Christian leaders into positions of influence in the club.  The opportunity to spread the Word and see the impact is ready to be had at Vanderbilt. This applies to all colleges and universities as well.

Governor and Senate Leaders Unveil Plans for Tax Cuts and Simplification

Governor Mary Fallin and leaders in both the House and Senate today introduced a joint plan for income tax cuts and tax code simplification. The proposal lowers the top income tax rate from 5.25 percent to 4.8 percent in Fiscal Year 2013 and includes a one-time additional tax cut tied to a revenue growth trigger in FY 2015. If state revenue grows by at least 5 percent in that year, the income tax rate would be reduced further to 4.5 percent.

The joint proposal represents a tax cut of over $218 million to Oklahomans when fully implemented in FY 2014, and would cut taxes by an additional $121.4 million in FY 2015 should the growth trigger be reached. Lost revenue is partially offset by tax reforms totaling $117 million when fully implemented in FY 2014. These reforms include the elimination of 33 tax credits, the elimination of certain deductions and the elimination of the personal exemption for single filers making over $35,000 and joint filers making over $70,000. 

The new plan also simplifies the tax code by dropping the total number of tax brackets from seven to three. New rates will be set at 1 percent, 3.3 percent and 4.8 percent. 

Rates	Single Brackets	Marriage Brackets
1%	0 to 2,500	0 to 5,000
3.30%	2,501 to 7,500	5,001 to 15,000
4.80%	7,501 and over	15,001 and over

PERSONAL INCOME TAX REFORM

Retain the full personal exemption of $1,000 per dependant on Oklahoma adjusted gross income for individuals making $35,000 or less and joint filers making $70,000 or less; eliminate the exemption for returns with income above those levels

Eliminate the deduction for state income or sales taxes paid included within the federal itemized deductions. Oklahoma is one of only 7 states that allows the deduction of state taxes paid; and

Eliminate the deduction for political contributions.

TAX CREDITS ELIMINATED

TAX CREDITS ELIMINATED

Recycling and Hazardous Waste

Manufacturing Gas Consumption

Energy Conservation Assistance Fund

Sale of National Historic Landmark

Employer Child Care Services

Child Care Center

Ad Valorem Credit for damaged/destroyed property

Small Business Guaranty Fee

Hepatitis A Immunization

Employer Credit for Wages and Modification for Injured Employees

Ethanol Facilities

Biodiesel Facility

Incentive District Investment

Poultry Litter Transportation

Film or Music Projects Investment

Dry Fire Hydrant or Water Storage

Specially Trained Canines

Computer Industry

Electric Motor Vehicle

Native American Employment

OSHA Safety Pays

Small Business Technology Transfers

Interest and Dividend Exemption

Swine and Poultry Producers

Police Corps Scholarship Program

Living Organ Donation

Competitive Livestock Show Award

Rural Economic Development Loan

Stafford Loan Origination Fee

New Computer & Data Processing Employees

Small Business Incubators – Sponsors

Small Business Incubators – Tenants

Oklahoma Capital Investment Board

 “This proposal represents a significant income tax cut and an important step forward for Oklahoma,” Fallin said. “Our plan is a responsible proposal that will go hand in hand with a budget that protects and supports all core functions of government. It also delivers a substantial tax cut that will allow Oklahomans to keep more of their hard-earned money while improving the environment for job recruitment and job retention in the state. I applaud both House and Senate leaders for coming together on this issue and giving the people of Oklahoma some well-deserved tax relief.”

 “Collections through April of this year are now $350 million higher than originally expected,” said House Speaker Kris Steele. “Oklahoma is growing. We have a choice to either spend all that money on more government, or give it back to the hardworking people of Oklahoma. We choose the latter. An income tax cut is not only the smart thing to do for Oklahoma’s economy; it’s the right thing to do for our citizens.”

Senate Pro Tem Brian Bingman said the tax cut would help small business owners while protecting core government services. 

“Today’s tentative agreement gives the people of Oklahoma a real and meaningful tax cut,” said Bingman.  “Senate Republicans have always believed lowering the tax burden is an important part of creating jobs and economic freedom in Oklahoma.  And today, we’ve taken an important step forward that shows the people of Oklahoma they can count on us to keep our word.  This plan will help more of our private sector citizens and small business owners be the innovators, entrepreneurs, and drivers of our state economy—all while protecting important core government services like teaching in the classroom.”

Loophole in the Oklahoma Religious Freedom Act

The Oklahoma Religious Freedom Act states in part:

§51-253.  Burden upon free exercise of religion.

A.  Except as provided in subsection B of this section, no governmental entity shall substantially burden a person’s free exercise of religion even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability.

B.  No governmental entity shall substantially burden a person’s free exercise of religion unless it demonstrates that application of the burden to the person is:

1.  Essential to further a compelling governmental interest; and

2.  The least restrictive means of furthering that compelling governmental interest.

The law says that “Substantially burden” means to inhibit or curtail religiously motivated practice. It defines “Exercise of religion” as the exercise of religion under Article 1, Section 2, of the Constitution of the State of Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Religious Freedom Act (referring to itself), and the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

It seems that this law says that the Oklahoma State Government cannot inhibit your free exercise of religion unless it is in the best interest of the government to do so.

The law defines “Exercise of religion” as the exercise of religion under Article 1, Section 2.

Section 1 Article 2 of the Oklahoma Constitution reads:

Religious liberty - Polygamous or plural marriages.

Perfect toleration of religious sentiment shall be secured, and no inhabitant of the State shall ever be molested in person or property on account of his or her mode of religious worship; and no religious test shall be required for the exercise of civil or political rights.  Polygamous or plural marriages are forever prohibited.

This article of the state constitution does not make any reference to the fact that the government cannot stop you or impede you from free exercise of religion, only that you cannot be harmed or mistreated because of how you worship. 

We will notice that §52-253 says that “Except as provided in subsection B of this section, no governmental entity shall substantially burden a person’s free exercise of religion”.  Section B then declares that the exception is when in the best interest of government and the least restrictive means of furthering government interest. 

The bill also mentions the US Constitution in defining “Exercise of religion”.  Of course we know that the First Amendment states Congress shall make no law prohibiting the free exercise of religion. However, regulations can be established that are not congressional laws exactly, not a part of US Code or Oklahoma Statutes, which may impede the exercise of religion. 

In order to close these loopholes the law could be amended so that Section B of §51-253 is repealed and Section A would simply read “No governmental entity shall substantially burden a person’s free exercise of religion even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability.” This covers both laws established and regulations passed in the affirmation of an individual’s inherent right to worship as and who they desire.