Subnostr

Assuming you mean the 'render unto Caesar...', People who say that about Scriptures have it quite wrong. Jesus was making a point that since it was whichever Caesar's face on the coins, that he can have them. The dialogue leading up to that point is alwsys ignored by state-cuck christians who want Biblical justification for their placing government over God.

Marakesh 𓅦 2y ago

No, I think I've resolved that one in my mind, although if you're using the government's fiat currency with Washington's face on it then you have to render to Washington what is Washington's. All the more reason to transact in Bitcoin.

I'm referring to other passages like Romans 13:7 - "Pay your obligations to everyone: taxes to those you owe taxes, tolls to those you owe tolls, respect to those you owe respect, and honor to those you owe honor."

And there's an example in the Gospel where Jesus paid a tax even though He made the point that He didn't have to, just to avoid offending people, presumably thereby setting an example.

When the Jews indicted Jesus in front of the Roman governor they accused Him of opposing payment of taxes to Caesar (Luke 23:2), among other things. The question is, did they misunderstand what Jesus had said about "render unto Caesar...", or did they have it right in this case?

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Discussion

Joel Walbert 2y ago

Does that necessarily mean taxes as we understand them today though? Or could it be maybe what perhaps a sharecropper owes the land owner? Or at least, does it really imply an income tax or similarly unavoidable one?

Marakesh 𓅦 2y ago

Here's a comment I once came across on that subject:

"Grotius observes that the Greek words here used, answer to the *tributum* and *vectigal* of the Romans; the former was the money paid for the soil and poll; the latter, the duties laid upon some sorts of merchandize."

–Jonathan Mayhew, *A Discourse Concerning Unlimited Submission and Non-resistance to the Higher Powers* (1750), p. 9.

Joel Walbert 2y ago

'Some sort of merch' reads to me as usage taxes. Not obligatory taxes that must be paid no matter what ie income tax

Joel Walbert 2y ago

Also, 'Money for soil' is very likely a sharecropper's due to landowner. If one goes back to older translations, and with ability to compare to the original texts/languages, almost all this 'tax' talk is actually fees due in private/voluntsry contracts. Back then, one could actually go live in the woods and be left alone. But some would rather have the security of paying rent (tribute) to a landowner, in one manner or another.