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Would Jesus be a Liberal?

Which of these political leans would Jesus be?

  • Liberal

    Votes: 40 44.0%

  • Conservative

    Votes: 12 13.2%

  • Moderate

    Votes: 7 7.7%

  • Potato

    Votes: 32 35.2%
  • Total voters
    91
Centinel said:
What's the difference?
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The difference being that a government has a legitimate power of taxation while people do not have a legitimate power to steal.
 
Peter Grimm said:
If Jesus Christ were alive today, would he be a liberal, conservative, or something else? Why?
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Jesus is a made up composite character based on several early mesopotamian myths.

You might as well ask, would Santa Claus be a liberal? The tooth fairy?
 
megaprogman said:
The difference being that a government has a legitimate power of taxation while people do not have a legitimate power to steal.
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Legitimate power? How do some people acquire a legitimate power to steal? Why don't you or I have this power?
 
Centinel said:
Legitimate power? How do some people acquire a legitimate power to steal? Why don't you or I have this power?
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The problem is that you are not making a differentiation between taxation and theft. Taxation is a legitimate power of the US government.
 
megaprogman said:
The problem is that you are not making a differentiation between taxation and theft.
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That's because I see no distinction. If you see a distinction, please explain what it is.
Taxation is a legitimate power of the US government.
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How do some people (the "government") acquire the legitimate power to steal, while other don't have that power? That's what I don't understand.
 
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Centinel said:
That's because I see no distinction. If you see a distinction, please explain what it is.
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One is legal and one is not. taxation is legitimate and necessary for government to function while theft is not.

Centinel said:
How do some people (the "government") acquire the legitimate power to steal, while other don't have that power? That's what I don't understand.
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Oh well, if you can't tell the difference between taxation and theft, then its your problem not mine. Its obvious though.
 
megaprogman said:
One is legal and one is not. taxation is legitimate and necessary for government to function while theft is not.
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Well, taxation is certainly necessary for the people in the government to do what they wish. But you haven't demonstrated, or even put forward an argument for, why it is legitimate from an ethical point of view.

Oh well, if you can't tell the difference between taxation and theft, then its your problem not mine. Its obvious though.
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Both consist of one person taking what belongs to another. I don't see any difference, obvious or otherwise.

The commandment says "Thou shalt not steal." I presume this commandment applies to all people, and does not excuse a certain subset of people with some sort of divine right to steal from others.
 
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But you haven't demonstrated, or even put forward an argument for, why it is legitimate from an ethical point of view.
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Are you.... asking someone to prove why taxation is ethical?
 
MKULTRABOY said:
Are you.... asking someone to prove why taxation is ethical?
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Not exactly. What I AM doing is claiming that it's not ethical, because it violates the commandment, "Thou shalt not steal." I see no reason why certain people are exempt from the prohibition from stealing, so I can find no reason to consider taxation ethical.

On the other hand, you seem to be claiming that it IS ethical. You are welcome to explain why some people are exempt from God's commandments if you wish, or not. It's up to you.
 
hazlnut said:
Jesus is a made up composite character based on several early mesopotamian myths.

You might as well ask, would Santa Claus be a liberal? The tooth fairy?
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Hello, don't ignore that Jesus was never 'alive'... he's a made up character, a composite of serval myths.

Notice how the story of Hercules and Jesus are so similar.

What about Superman and Jesus? Same story.

We humans keep recreated the same myth, the demigod son of God, born to earth parents, and growing up to sacrifice himself for us.
 
Centinel said:
Not exactly. What I AM doing is claiming that it's not ethical, because it violates the commandment, "Thou shalt not steal." I see no reason why certain people are exempt from the prohibition from stealing, so I can find no reason to consider taxation ethical.
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Taxes are voluntary. Note, as you have always paid them, would you ever not?
The government cannot steal, it is not a person.
It is an embodiment of the will of the people.
 
If Holden Caufield were alive today, what party would he be with?

What about Captain Ahab?
 
MKULTRABOY said:
Taxes are voluntary. Note, as you have always paid them, would you ever not?
The government cannot steal, it is not a person.
It is an embodiment of the will of the people.
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In what country do you live in where taxes are optional? Sounds like a magical place.
The real scenario you have to ask yourself is this:

- Is it morally ethical for someone to come up to you, and take your wallet? What if they needed the money?
- Is it morally ethical for a gang of 5 people to come up to you, and take your wallet? What if they needed the money?

What about 100 people? A thousand? At what point does it become ok for a group of people to confiscate the property of another group of people? Where do you draw the line?
 
RabidAlpaca said:
In what country do you live in where taxes are optional? Sounds like a magical place.
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Precisely, who would ever support an ideology where the people would not pay taxes?


The real scenario you have to ask yourself is this:

- Is it morally ethical for someone to come up to you, and take your wallet? What if they needed the money?
- Is it morally ethical for a gang of 5 people to come up to you, and take your wallet? What if they needed the money?

What about 100 people? A thousand? At what point does it become ok for a group of people to confiscate the property of another group of people? Where do you draw the line?
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I draw the line before analogising the government to a band of people victimising an individual through violence. I'll stop there.
 
MKULTRABOY said:
The government cannot steal, it is not a person.
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It can't? The government can kill, why can it not steal?
I will provide historical references upon request.

MKULTRABOY said:
Precisely, who would ever support an ideology where the people would not pay taxes?
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Uh, me? Prior to 1913 we had zero income tax, and we were doing pretty well.



MKULTRABOY said:
I draw the line before analogising the government to a band of people victimising an individual through violence. I'll stop there.
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Maybe you could explain how it is different? I see no difference. Perhaps you believe that all government actions are moral and of the people?

Will the state use zero force or violence when they kick down your door and haul your ass off to jail when you don't pay your taxes?
 
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MKULTRABOY said:
Taxes are voluntary. Note, as you have always paid them, would you ever not?
The government cannot steal, it is not a person.
It is an embodiment of the will of the people.
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The commandments apply to people, not to governments. Which is all well and good because, as you note, government's don't really exist. People exist, and it is wrong for people to steal. That would mean ALL people, including people who call themselves government. So which of us people are exempt from the commandment: Thou shalt not steal?
 
MKULTRABOY said:
I draw the line before analogising the government to a band of people victimising an individual through violence. I'll stop there.
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Wait. I thought the government doesn't exist.
 
RabidAlpaca said:
It can't? The government can kill, why can it not steal?
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It happens to print the money... I dont think it needs to steal anything.

I will provide historical references upon request.
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I would request evidence of the US stealing from it's citizens.

Uh, me? Prior to 1913 we had zero income tax, and we were doing pretty well.
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As a libertarian Im not surprised you're referring to a century prior as a model future.



Maybe you could explain how it is different? I see no difference. Perhaps you believe that all government actions are moral and of the people?

Will the state use zero force or violence when they kick down your door and haul your ass off to jail when you don't pay your taxes?[/QUOTE]
 
Dumb question. Jesus wasn't a big fan of politics. Just read the Gospel of Mark.
 
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