Blockchain Conversations

I have a rule that when a comment becomes long enough, I copy it to a post. This post is a response to my good friend @lasseehlers who asked some very excellent questions:

If god is real, why he is letting all this happen? And do you believe the bible came from god? Whats your proof? I started to believe that satan is behind behind statisme and all that, I understand that. But I don't understand why the church live of taxes? I mean taxation is theft according to the none aggression principal and therefore its criminal behaviour. How can the church then live of taxes? Did Jesus approve taxes?

Did the Bible Come from God?

Believing that the bible was written by inspiration of God is something someone either believes or doesn't believe. It's a choice. There are many proofs, but no matter how convincing the proof it, they are always rejected by those who don't choose to believe.

Why is He letting all this Happen?

I believe God has a script, that even though we have free-will and the ability to change the future even in major ways, overall the big plot-twists are already scripted. This is how the prophets can describe things in the future and they always come about as they prophesied.

Why does the Church Operate on Taxes

I believe God never intended the institution of the church as a mode of His worship. I agree that taxation is theft, but in His kingdom, God require a portion returned to Him for specific purposes, but God never mandatory payments towards a man-made hierarchical institution of "priests".

Did Jesus approve of taxes?

The issue of taxation takes a little digging, bear with me. Yeshua was tested in this point:

"Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not? Shall we give, or shall we not give?" But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, "Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it." And they brought it. And he saith unto them, "Whose is this image and superscription?" And they said unto him, "Caesar's". And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they marvelled at him.

People think this means that Yeshua approved of taxes, but nobody notes what things are God's. Everything is God's!

Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all. 1 Chronicles 29:11

Yeshua says everything in the earth and in Heaven belongs to God, that would includ the silver coin and Caesar himself! The subscription on the coin said:

Tiberius Caesar, son of the divine Augustus

Yeshua was testing them to see whom they would offer service to, the creator and owner of heaven and earth, or to a man, Tiberius Caesar who claims to be the son of divinity. So which god will you serve?

If it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods. Joshua 24:15-16

He phrased it in a way that people who already decided it's ok to pay taxes to Caesar would take his words as confirmation of their preconceived idea (render unto Ceasar). But paying "tribute" to a self-proclaimed "god" is not lawful in the eyes of God.

Should Believers Pay Taxes?

If our overlords proclaim themselves as gods (like Caesar), it is the duty of a believer to deny payment of taxes and suffer the consequences. As long as our overlords to not steal God's title of "God" - we hand over the ransom to avoid the consequences - the same way God would not fault us for handing over our wallet in a car-jacking.

Just as a note, Yeshua did pay the temple tax, as God required, never called it theft as it's an offering to God:

Everyone who crosses over to those counted must pay a half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. This half shekel is an offering to the LORD. Exodus 30:13

When they were come to Capernaum, they that received the temple tax came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay the temple tax? He saith, Yes. Matthew 17:24

As believers, we are NEVER to pay a debt that we do not owe, unless it's done willingly as a gift:

Pay everyone what you owe him: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due. Romans 13:7

If we were sent a (negotiable) BILL by the government with our actual used resources, if fair, that BILL would be due payment. Taxation is theft because they are demanded when there is nothing due. Taxes are voluntary offerings enforced with the threat of fines, arrest, confiscation of assets, jail... it's like an elaborate car-jacking.

These are my careful answers to your excellent questions because you, Lasse, are due the honor. Bless the Most High.