I couldn't help but start this thread after brother TM made the following statement in a previous thread:
....So now your into plagiarizing to?????? ...well unlike the guys at the TIMES, at least you did give writers credit .. ....BTW, I know for a fact that god is a conservative....he showed me his voter ID card and drivers licenses.....Did you know he's 6"10 and has blue eyes? but he is restricted from driving at night due to poor eye sight
Hey I'm not a liberal....but it's pretty clear that Jesus lived as one. He was a welfare-advocating pacifistic altruist, this cannot be denied. "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven." (Matthew 19:21.) "Truly, I say unto you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven." "You cannot serve both God and Money." (Matthew 19:23; 6:24.) "When "you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." (Luke 14:13,14.) To his credit though, I belive he advocated <b>voluntary</b> welfare, only <b>recommending</b> that the producers/owners of goods freely hand over the fruits of their labor to the incapable/moochers/lazy non-producers. Today's liberals take this altruism to whole different level, when they <b>force</b> the producers/owners to pay welfare to the moochers. Refuse to pay income taxes toward this purpose, and you'll be hauled off to prison at gunpoint. I really doubt Jesus (or America's founding fathers for that matter) would ever have supported such insanity.
Jesus was a pot smoker, too....probably not exactly what we'd call right wing...:eek: Now if he was blowing coke, that'd be another story.
Rearden To his credit though, I belive he advocated voluntary welfare, only recommending that the producers/owners of goods freely hand over the fruits of their labor to the incapable/moochers/lazy non-producers. Today's liberals take this altruism to whole different level, when they force the producers/owners to pay welfare to the moochers. Refuse to pay income taxes toward this purpose, and you'll be hauled off to prison at gunpoint. I really doubt Jesus (or America's founding fathers for that matter) would ever have supported such insanity. ________________________________________ This observation is dead right on. Jesus was perhaps liberal in His compassion but conservative in His solutions and actions. There are three levels to this helping the helpless. 1. Give the hungry a fish. Liberal, throw someone else's money at the problem. Also Goverment aid etc. 2. Teach the hungry to fish. Somewhat a mixture of conservative and liberal to send teachers. Peace Corps etc. 3. Share the Gospel or some moral teaching. Purely conservative. The idea is that the first two won't last unless the moral causes for the poverty are addressed. ie. excessive alcohol use tends to cause the poor to stay in or return to that condition. Other moral issues are also involved. I tend to believe in a combination of 2&3. After years of working in this field you come to realize there just isn't enough money anywhere for No. 1 and 2 alone is much better but the combination of 2&3 can cause real change. This is especially true in private charities trying to help impoverished third world ethnic groups. The money is very limited. Jesus said to give to the poor but what He really wanted was a change of heart both in the wealthy and the poor alike. If that change of heart took place then the money that was spread around could do some lasting good.
Regarding the views of Jesus on the matter of taxation, you may wish to read the following and replace "Caesar" with "The United States of America": Luke 20 21 And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly: 22 Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no? 23 But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me? 24 Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Caesar's. 25 And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's. 26 And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace. http://abcnews.go.com/sections/us/Politics/religion030702.html
Doubter....a slight exaggeration? I don't think anyone in America has been hauled off to prison at gunpoint in a hundred years (if ever). I am not a tax lawyer (or any kind of lawyer), but I am pretty sure that while not filing is punishable by a possible prison term, not paying is NOT something that will land anyone in jail. I think if you file and don't pay, you are ok. They can take away your assets. They can garnish your wages. They can make your life miserable. But I don't believe prison is one of the things they can do to you if you don't pay. As long as you FILE!!! There are no "debtor's prisons" in America. (I am sure MSFE will find some article to paste here to prove me wrong, and show how America enslaves the poor, the hungry, and the huddled masses. And anyone who doesn't pay their bills). MarcD