DISQUS

To me, it goes back to lack of omniscience.

I cannot know entirely the future, so if I do evil to _potentially_ stop evil, then I am the only one that has done evil. The other action may or may not have happened! Grace may have been aborted! This is why torture is wrong, this is why entrapment is wrong, this is why pre-emptive violence is wrong.

Not to mention that fact that torture breeds more dissidents, terrorists, and/or vengeance. Any that might be saved via torture are likely to be outnumbered by the victims of the new attackers bred as a response to torture.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Democracy is simply the tyranny of the majority. It should not be venerated any more than other tyrannies.

Democracy is simply the tyranny of the majority. It should not be venerated any more than other tyrannies.

Congrats!

I recall my days of being excited about how much arse the USA would kick in the first Gulf "War."

I've definitely changed since then.

I'm going to try to look you up. You can catch me at Indy Menno.

Congrats!


I recall my days of being excited about how much arse the USA would kick in the first Gulf "War."



I've definitely changed since then.



I'm going to try to look you up. You can catch me at Indy Menno.

Money for roads, schools, and emergency services could be donated or paid directly, if that is your only roadblock. This is true regardless of whether you donate to voluntary organizations (such as toll roads, private schools, security companies, volunteer fire departments, and the like) or State agencies.

However, I think there is a more important point. The good Samaritan didn't bypass the man and go to the nearby town, demanding money (under threat of theft, imprisonment, or death) in order to start an agency which would cater to the ill and poor. He did something about it himself.

That's what we, as Christians, need to return to. Helping our neighbors lovingly, rather than relying on the Sword to inefficiently, corruptly, and violently do it "on our behalf."

Obviously, we can't get to that point in one single, easy step, and I don't fault anyone who pays taxes, due to the threats behind them. (I pay them myself!)

What I do think we need to be cognizant of, however, is that any time we ask the State to implement a new restriction or initiate or expand a program, we are advocating it be done violently, rather than voluntarily; we are recommending it be done via the false idol of the Sword, rather than through the guidance of the Peacemaker.

Money for roads, schools, and emergency services could be donated or paid directly, if that is your only roadblock. This is true regardless of whether you donate to voluntary organizations (such as toll roads, private schools, security companies, volunteer fire departments, and the like) or State agencies.


However, I think there is a more important point. The good Samaritan didn't bypass the man and go to the nearby town, demanding money (under threat of theft, imprisonment, or death) in order to start an agency which would cater to the ill and poor. He did something about it himself.



That's what we, as Christians, need to return to. Helping our neighbors lovingly, rather than relying on the Sword to inefficiently, corruptly, and violently do it "on our behalf."



Obviously, we can't get to that point in one single, easy step, and I don't fault anyone who pays taxes, due to the threats behind them. (I pay them myself!)



What I do think we need to be cognizant of, however, is that any time we ask the State to implement a new restriction or initiate or expand a program, we are advocating it be done violently, rather than voluntarily; we are recommending it be done via the false idol of the Sword, rather than through the guidance of the Peacemaker.

For those who are pacifists, or at least non-aggressionists: refusing war taxes only addresses part of the picture.

All government statutes are backed by threat of violence. All taxes support aggression, not just some of them.

If it is a worthwhile endeavor to fight war taxes, it is a more risky, but perhaps more worthwhile endeavor to fight all of them. Only an individual can make that judgment him or herself, based on the risks involved, and who all it would adversely affect (such as, does he or she have strong community or familial commitments, wherein persecution would endanger them as well, without their consent?)
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As for the discussion above, my understanding is that the people DID have competing taxes at the time. Some went to the Temple, some to the Sword.
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I believe it is telling that Jesus talked about and looked at the image on the coin, as if to show them that they had already accepted the idol.

Anything and everything belongs to God. None of it is Caesar's (or the Sword's, or Washington's).

I named my blog after this point.

For those who are pacifists, or at least non-aggressionists: refusing war taxes only addresses part of the picture.


All government statutes are backed by threat of violence. All taxes support aggression, not just some of them.



If it is a worthwhile endeavor to fight war taxes, it is a more risky, but perhaps more worthwhile endeavor to fight all of them. Only an individual can make that judgment him or herself, based on the risks involved, and who all it would adversely affect (such as, does he or she have strong community or familial commitments, wherein persecution would endanger them as well, without their consent?)

___



As for the discussion above, my understanding is that the people DID have competing taxes at the time. Some went to the Temple, some to the Sword.

____



I believe it is telling that Jesus talked about and looked at the image on the coin, as if to show them that they had already accepted the idol.



Anything and everything belongs to God. None of it is Caesar's (or the Sword's, or Washington's).



I named my blog after this point.