not for the benefit of that many I suspect but nevertheless good to see the authoritarian, bullying HMRC (unless it is an international company of course) have to accommodate the people they are supposed to be working for the benefit of rather than act as tin pot dictators.
http://religionlaw.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/beekeeping-god-and-taxes-blackburn-v.html 
Comments
They are just being difficult because they can.
I just wonder a what date does technolgy cut off for them.
Oh, the irony.
They are basically making it up to suit their own preferences as to be awkward buggers and make a point. I am sure, as was the original judge, that the religious exemption was added to take account of situations where the accepted pracitice of religions states that it's members should not use technonolgy like this and NOT where the individuals own interpretation applies.
There is no provision in law for ignoring traffic law on religous grounds but there is provision as to how you submit tax returns.
That protection was already in UK law so you argue that rather then a victory for religous freedom it is an example of special favourable treatment for the religous.
The objection is to HMRC proscribing that the ONLY way you can pay and file returns, under pain of penalties if you do not, is online.
Your analogy is thus not correct.
I suspect that the reality is that they are a small business, barely above the VAT registration limit, and are not computer literate and thus cannot cope with HMRC's draconian regulations. In a free society there should be some flexibility as to how you file and pay.
I know of small charities that can no longer claim gift aid on donations, which was a substantial boost to their annual income, because of the requirement to now file everything online rather than send the claim form in the post. These charities are run by volunteers some of whom are not computer literate and those that are do not want to be registered on a computer database.
Again an organisation such as HMRC that supposedly serves the public should have sufficient flexibility to accommodate small organisations in my opinion.
The fact of the matter is we all have to do stuff we don't like from time to time, it's just these characters think they've found a way around it...at our expense.
I agree with Len - everyone should be able to file and pay how they want. I can see that working perfectly well without any problems whatsoever.
Just out of interest...why have they not taken action against the business directory firms which include their business on their websites? Surely a case of someone "using computers on their behalf"!
Or has no-one told them that this is happening??
but the hmrc are just as bad with their stance
companies that refuse to give you the bill how you want it, like home telephone bills in the old way with numbers how long, when etc
should be banned also
They've always paid their tax.
HMRC change the rules to suit themselves - and try to make criminals out of people who don't dance to their new tune.
At this rate the next thing could be the Government making cash illegal.
It's only a small step to having to buy commercial software to file your tax return. Hang on a minute.....
Also wasn't there a case in which someone pitched up at the tax office with enough pennies to pay his bill, but was turned away because HMRC wouldn't accept a feckin great sack full of perfectly legal tender?
But the religious argument is just dumb.