Taxing the rich to help poor is theft

ArmenianJohn said:

The Bible says it's the government's right and choice to tax and then spend those taxes as the government. It's not disputable. People who call it theft can only do so from an anti-Biblical perspective.

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I just don't get how people have come to have such a disconnect from common sense. Rich people can either pay workers a living wage, or be taxed to cover the living expenses they won't provide.

Ricky M said:

I just don't get how people have come to have such a disconnect from common sense. Rich people can either pay workers a living wage, or be taxed to cover the living expenses they won't provide.

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It occasionally is worth mentioning that two wrongs actually do not make a right. Believe it or not.

The "taxation is theft" meme is one that's applied in such a peculiar & lopsided fashion (with regards to the conservative perception of taxation) that it's borderline comical.

...a lot of that sentiment comes from these conservative and libertarian think tank groups, that are run by tremendously powerful & wealthy people, who use that as a vehicle to rally the support (votes) of people who will never make that kind of money and convince them that "if we just got rid of these taxes and regulations, you could be as rich as us one day without those government barriers"

Examples of the skewed thinking...
A drug company CEO petitions the government to get a taxpayer-funded R&D grant to develop a new drug, and the moment they have a new drug developed that's worth selling, the government gives them an exclusivity patent that allows them to operate & overcharge without competition for 15 years, thus price gouging the people who actually paid for it....
----- "That's just business being business, them developing new drugs is good for everyone!"

A commercial real-estate developer gets a commercial property grant from the government to buy up locations that had affordable housing, give the tenants 4 months notice that they have to move, level the place, and put up businesses that those displaced folks can't even afford to shop at...
---- "We need to lower their corporate tax burden, that'll make it better for everyone!"

A multi-billion dollar corporation wants to open a location in an area, thus increasing road traffic (thus road maintenance costs, public facility & transportation usage, and public utility/works costs (on the collective taxpayers' dime)...
---- "We need to lower their tax rates so that they can be more competitive"


...yet the mere mention of "that Drug Company CEO, that commercial real estate developer, and the President of that multi-billion dollar corp should perhaps pay a 25% effective tax rate instead of 23% on their $15 million dollar a year salary (noting that the bottom fifty percent of earners already pay an effective tax rate of 24%) to help offset the collective public expenses they're creating"
---- "Whoa now!!! That's Theft! He's a 'job creator'! You can't do that!"

Albion said:

In essence, that is just what taxation is.


However, it is not that simple. Just as with many other things in life, it matters how and for whom and under what circumstances. Nor, for that matter, does the Constitution provide for the government to confiscate as much of ones possession as it wants...just like that. No.


The passage, that comment by Jesus, isn't a commentary about taxation anyway.

It is another example of him being challenged by someone seeking to see if Jesus was going to be putting himself into some kind of bind by his answer. His answer is saying to stay focused on his teachings.

As for the taxation question, he is not going to bring politics into the matter. If the government says to pay those taxes, pay them, that's all. He neither condemns taxation nor the Roman government; but he also doesn't flatter the government with his reply, either.


Yes. However, here we are discussing taxation.

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Taxation is not theft. Theft is the unauthorized taking of a persons property. We the people are represented. Our representatives decide how we get taxed. If we don't like it, we can put pressure on them or vote them out and put people in who will do what we want.

rjs330 said:

Taxation is not theft.

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It can be.

Albion said:

It occasionally is worth mentioning that two wrongs actually do not make a right. Believe it or not.

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How is paying taxes a wrong? The rich are helping the poor -- and whether they realize it or not, helping themselves as well.

God only asked for 10%...

Aryeh Jay said:

God only asked for 10%...

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He doesn't have Uncle Sam's overhead...

Aryeh Jay said:

God only asked for 10%...

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But He also didn't allow write offs

Albion said:

It can be.

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And sometimes it's not.

Albion said:

It can be.

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Actually, according to the Bible, it can't be.

The rich shouldn't think of it as theft; they should think of it as health (or possibly life) insurance...

QUOTE="LoveOurNeighbor, post: 74381552, member: 423253"]Well...what did Jesus say?

18A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

19“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 20You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’ a ”

21“All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said.

22When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

23When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. 24Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! 25Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”


This wasn't 10, 20. 30, 40 , 95% but ALL
So was Jesus the 1st thief of the rich?[/QUOTE
=============================================
The Ekklesia understood , once, that everything is Yahuweh's , even our hands, bodies, minds, clothes, crops, houses, everything that we have to use, or hold, is Yahuweh's . Everything.

"The thief comes to kill, to steal and to destroy."

Yahuweh sent Yahushua to be LIFE-GIVING. And so HE IS.

TLK Valentine said:

The rich shouldn't think of it as theft; they should think of it as health (or possibly life) insurance...

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It is hard enough paying for insurance with the oppressive rates since Obama destroyed the insurance industry, I would rather not also pay for others that do nothing to better themselves.

Ricky M said:

But He also didn't allow write offs

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The late penalty is a lot more severe as well.

rjs330 said:

Taxation is not theft. Theft is the unauthorized taking of a persons property. We the people are represented. Our representatives decide how we get taxed. If we don't like it, we can put pressure on them or vote them out and put people in who will do what we want.

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It is often used by ungodly worldly governments everywhere (USA TOO) , to OPPRESS THE POOR. and to rob us.

< shrugs > Jesus says we (Ekklesia, disciples) ARE SHEEP, and HE (JESUS) sends us OUT in the midst of HUNGRY WOLVES.......

JESUS is the GOOD SHEPHERD ! (continued in the Bible, the "rest of the story") (required to understand God's Plan)

Aryeh Jay said:

It is hard enough paying for insurance with the oppressive rates since Obama destroyed the insurance industry, I would rather not also pay for others that do nothing to better themselves.

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Remember when no one had "insurance" ?

Aryeh Jay said:

It is hard enough paying for insurance with the oppressive rates since Obama destroyed the insurance industry, I would rather not also pay for others that do nothing to better themselves.

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I don't think you'd prefer the alternative.

TLK Valentine said:

I don't think you'd prefer the alternative.

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Beto O'Rourke and his supporters kicking in my door to take my guns and money to give to illegal immigrants so they vote for him?

I say we go ahead and tax the rich......to help the poor......if we agree to never say a bad word about them again..... dont mention the rich young ruler or say "blessed are the poor" anymore, in relationship to them. No more eyes of needles and wealthy men comparisons.

If you want to use them to better yourselves.....start speaking more positive about them.