WASHINGTON — An estimated 750 churchgoers assembled at the Indianapolis Baptist Temple Jan. 17 to protest a U.S. Supreme Court decision to let stand a ruling obliging the church to pay $6 million in back taxes on employee paychecks and fines, CNSNews.com reported Jan. 18.
The protesters said they feared a raid by federal marshals to seize the property was imminent.
Gregory A. Dixon, the church’s senior pastor, said a Jan. 12 Supreme Court ruling meant “the death of religious liberty,” CNSNews.com reported, while his father, Gregory J. Dixon, said the courts were corrupt.
Without comment, the court refused to accept the church’s argument that its religious freedom exonerates it from having to withhold Social Security, Medicare and income taxes for its workers. The church owes about $6 million in back taxes and penalties and has faced seizure by federal marshals since Nov. 14.
The threat of foreclosure brought supporters to the church in droves for a noon rally Jan. 17, a spokeswoman told CNSNews.com.
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