If you are troubled by the fact that nearly one-third of every U.S. federal income tax dollar goes for military purposes -- nearly $600 billion dollars -- then BPF encourages you to support the Religious Peace Tax Freedom bill. BPF has endorsed this legislation, which would provide a way for people to participate in the U.S. tax system without violating their religious convictions regarding war and militarism. This is one very real step toward "Dismantling War." You can find out more about the campaign by visiting www.peacetaxfund.org.

Below is a copy of the letter that we have adapted for the Buddhist community. By April 15, we would like to see at least 1,000 letters sent from the Buddhist community to congressional representatives and senators. Please let us know how many of your members send the letter out.

Dear Congressman/woman, 

I am trying my best to obey both the duties of citizenship and the demands of my conscience. As a practicing Buddhist, I am conscientiously opposed to participation in war, yet I am required to fund the military every time I pay my federal taxes.

My conscientious conviction against paying taxes for military purposes is not based on mere personal or political preference.  It is grounded in deeply held beliefs and universally recognized moral, ethical, and religious teachings. The Buddhist tradition teaches me to value the preciousness of all life, and that violence does not cease through violence.

My conscience must deal with the double violence of our military expenditures. Advanced weapons do violence not only by their incredible destructive powers.  They also cause devastation in our communities by draining essential financial resources needed to address basic human needs. Approximately 31 cents out of every federal income tax dollar will pay for current military purposes in Fiscal Year 2005. It staggers my mind to contemplate what this nearly $600 billion dollars could do to alleviate human suffering and thus reduce the likelihood of future wars. 

Please do not misunderstand -- I am not opposed to paying taxes. I seek a way to pay 100% of my taxes without violating my deeply held beliefs against participation in war.  I urge you to enact the Religious Freedom Peace Tax Fund Bill when it is introduced in the new Congress (It was H.R. 2037 in the 108th Congress). This bill would allow sincere conscientious objectors to military participation to pay their federal income, gift, and estate taxes into a fund earmarked for nonmilitary governmental purposes only.

Since 1940, U.S. law has allowed conscientious objectors to military participation to perform alternative service rather than be conscripted into the military. This law should be extended to allow alternative service for my drafted dollars. 

Thank you for considering my request.

Sincerely,

Please send your version of this letter to:
Your Representative
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

Then please send a copy to:
Your Senators
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510

IRS (with your tax return -- IRS regulations prohibit writing directly on your tax return, but IRS has no policy against enclosing a letter of protest. Do not staple letter to IRS form.)

National Campaign for a Peace Tax Fund
2121 Decatur Pl NW
Washington, DC 20008

Buddhist Peace Fellowship
PO Box 3470
Berkeley, CA 94703