Have you ever been substantively wrong online?

[DinoDoc]

Liberation Theology?

Heretical teachings for 100, Alex?

[loinburger]

Heretical teachings for 100, Alex?

Pope DinoDoc has spoken!

[DinoDoc]

Pope DinoDoc has spoken!

Pope John Paul actually.

[loinburger]

Was he infallible at the time?

[Ben Kenobi]

besides you still pay income taxes in texas, and there is still a social safety net there, although less so than in canada.

Federal, not state. I've probably paid more in taxes in total dollars to the state of Texas than I have anywhere else. Have to check out my splits.

[Ben Kenobi]

So things are better now but might get worse, therefore we should make things worse before things get worse? Awesome.

When you are headed over an enbankment, do you give it that last little bit of gas so you can soar further? Evel Knievel style?

[loinburger]

Why is it that you spend so much time complaining about how your taxes are being used to provide food and medicine to the poor, and so little time complaining about how a much larger proportion of your taxes are being used to fund unnecessary foreign wars?

[Ben Kenobi]

Why is it that you spend so much time complaining about how your taxes are being used to provide food and medicine to the poor, and so little time complaining about how a much larger proportion of your taxes are being used to fund unnecessary foreign wars?

So I should be concerned about where the money's going, not that I got robbed?

[loinburger]

Evidently you only care about the relatively small portion that goes to provide food and medicine for the poor, and your answer to solving the debt crisis is to cut the relatively small portion that goes to provide food and medicine for the poor. Or am I mistaken and you've complained about the costs of the Iraq war somewhere on here in the past? Please link to the thread if this is the case.

You can say "taxes = theft" all you want, but it rings hollow when you consistently complain only about the taxation that provides food and medicine for the poor and not for the much larger chunk of taxation that funds the military industrial complex. Apparently you're fine with the government "stealing" from you so long as they use the money to kill people.

[giblets]

Yeah, ignoring military spending is the pacifist way.

[Boris Godunov]

Didn't Paul settle this issue for Christians in Romans 13?

1 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.
6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

[loinburger]

But when Paul said that he never expected that there'd be a Muslim Caesar President - he was only referring to paying taxes to a pagan ruler

[Zevico]

/never mind.

[Imran Siddiqui]

FWIW, even after my "oppressive" tax burden, of which the evil government is stealing from me, I give to charitible organizations. Hey, in fact, I just gave $30 to the "It Gets Better Project" on Monday. (Though I do give also to charitible organization serving the poor like World Vision and Blessings International)

Things are far, far better than the 19th Century and there is no comparison. As for taxes being robbery in a democracy, that is highly amusing and ridiculous at the same time.

[C0ckney]

Federal, not state. I've probably paid more in taxes in total dollars to the state of Texas than I have anywhere else. Have to check out my splits.

so you still pay the income taxes then...

i don't know exactly how the safety net in texas works, but i would guess that some is federal, some state and maybe local as well. nevertheless it certainly exists and you are still paying for it in some way.