It's time to reassess religious tax breaks

Recent news about the suspected abuse of young women and children of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is disturbing.

Even more disturbing is the thought that generous, well-intentioned tax laws in this country have helped to establish the 1,500-plus acre compound.

These same tax laws have also helped other churches that have long-standing problems with child abuse.

It's time for U.S. citizens and our government to do some serious soul searching on this issue.

Are the good deeds that churches perform sufficient to outweigh the potential for abuse, whether it is child abuse, large salaries and generous gifts to their leaders or large financial or property holdings?

Does the Reverend Wright deserve a million dollar retirement home any more than the countless social workers, juvenile officers, etc., who spend their entire working lives helping children and families toward a better life?

Do we really want our tax laws to provide so generously with so little oversight of how the money is used?

Cherryl M Crouch

Arlington Heights