PAY YOUR TAXES, 'Jesus says'

If the bill fits, pay it! Wouldn't you think that Church leaders and Christians would be happy to get some free publicity and Bible text from the government? Seems not...

Tax officials in Sierra Leone have infuriated Christians by publishing newspaper advertisements saying Jesus Christ supported the paying of taxes.

The half-page advertisements said that when Jesus was asked if he was against a law requiring the payment of taxes to the Roman emperor he replied: "Pay the emperor what belongs to the emperor and pay to God what belongs to God," quoting from the Gospel of Matthew (chapter 22, verses 17-21). (CEV)

It continued: "All Christians should follow the teachings and example of Jesus Christ. This week: pay your taxes."

The advertisements provoked the anger of Christians, who make up 30 per cent of the population of the west African nation.

Anglican priest Thomas Carew said he could not "believe his eyes" while the Methodist pastor Cyril William described it as a "blasphemy" and called on the tax department to drop the ads.

A tax department spokesman said the initiative "was to encourage people to pay their taxes as soon as possible".