Philadelphia Yearly Meeting

Quakers Act to Defend Freedom of Religion and Conscience

Press Release
10/23/03

Contact: Thomas Jeavons, General Secretary of PYM, 215-241-7210

Philadelphia Yearly Meeting [PYM] of the Religious Society of Friends (the Quaker church in this region) filed its answer yesterday to a Justice Department lawsuit that asks a $20,000 penalty to be imposed on them and seeks to make them the collection agent for the government. The Yearly Meeting’s response makes clear it intends to stand by its essential religious principles, and publicly defend the free exercise of religion on all possible grounds, including constitutional and statutory religious freedom defenses.

PYM is the central Quaker organization for a four-state area, serving 12,000 members and 104 Monthly Meetings (congregations). The IRS contends that PYM must garnish the salary of one of its employees and members who refuses – in keeping with longstanding Quaker convictions – to pay taxes that support war and preparations for war. While it could easily take other courses to collect the back taxes the IRS claims are due, instead the federal government is trying to force a church to collect these funds for it, an action which would require this Quaker organization to violate its own essential religious convictions regarding freedom of conscience. PYM has refused to do so.

As the Quakers’ Answer to the suit says:

The government “asks the court to assist it in violating the most fundamental religious principles of an established church, the Religious Society of Friends (known as ‘Quakers’). Although those principles and the Yearly Meeting’s reasons for its actions have been painstakingly explained to the [government] … the complaint purports to set forth the history of this matter without even mentioning PYM’s efforts at communication and conciliation. Further, the complaint labels the Yearly Meeting’s religiously mandated actions as a ‘failure’ to submit to government coercion, and brands the [Quaker’s] theological scruples as ‘unreasonable’ and deserving of harsh penalties.”

Quakers have long been known for their religious pacifism, opposition to war, and support of religious freedom and freedom of conscience. PYM regrets that being true to its faith has now brought us into conflict with the government. The Quaker organization sees itself as defending freedom of religion and freedom of conscience – and not just for itself, but for all those who desire to be both good citizens and people of faith.

While PYM regrets the need to resort to legal action, it looks forward to a full airing of the issues involved in a public forum where both the sound reasons and religious principles that guide this Quaker organization’s actions may be upheld. PYM’s defense will rest on the constitutional right to freedom of religion generally, and particularly as upheld and restated in the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1994.

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