“Sin taxes” are when government tries to regulate certain behaviors by making them more expensive. Like cigarette, gasoline, and other behavior-based taxes. I guess a pornography tax was the next logical step:
The Volokh Conspiracy – -
Proposed Porn Tax in California:“This bill would impose a tax on the sale of, or the storage, use, or other consumption of, tangible personal property that is adult material, as defined, in this state at a rate of 25%.”
I still believe, unlike many Christians I know, that adult pornography should remain legal. I agree with them that it’s harmful – in fact, I contend that the use of porn batters women and is harmful to men. But in terms of free speech, we need to remember that the gospel is as offensive to many people as porn is to us – and given the direction that society is going, just as subject to be taxed or outlawed later as porn is today.
Pornography will only become obsolete and unwanted in our society through the change of man’s heart, not through legislation. A sin tax on porn will do what it is meant to do though…. which is not reduce the availability or usage of porn, but to raise money for the government coffers.