Would Jesus want tax dollars used to pay for the 'Piss Christ' exhibit? How about a picture of His mother smeared in elepahant dung?

I believe there was a quote covering this "render unto Ceaser what is Ceaser's". mpw

Michael, it's all in the 'nuance'.

Might be because they're hypocritical and interested only in promoting their agenda, the continued subjugation of "the poor", and higher taxes.

Just out of mildly revolting curiosity what ever became of that hag, Cindy Sheehan and those insufferable twits, Code Pinko?? Shouldn't they be getting front page coverage and 10 minutes of nightly evening news? Why haven't they staged protests in congressional meetings as they used to do when W was in office?

What's up with that?

mpw280, you are correct. However, Jesus refrained from specifically defining what was Caesar's, and what was God's.

Jesus never attempted to seize control of the empire and use it to build his Kingdom, nor did he teach his Disciples to do so. Religious activists both on the left and right sides of the political spectrum have erred in trying to do this themselves.

I wonder if these guys every think their arguments through.

I believe that vaccines that save children's lives; bed nets that protect them from malaria; and food that keeps their families from starving are more important to Jesus than tax cuts for the rich; bigger subsidies for corporations; and more weapons in a world already filled with conflict.

I believe that giving your money to a gigantic, impersonal government is not charity. That if you want people to have bed nets and vaccines and food, that you, personally, should see to helping those children.

I believe that abdicating that role to a government is not what Christ wants of us. Nor does he want us to force others, through the force of government, to provide those things for the poor and needy.

There is two parts to charity. The giver and the receiver and both are equal participants in the act. If you make the government the giver of "charity" it's not charity anymore. Now you're enslaving people.

It comes down to this, I can spend my money better than the government can spend my money. Period.

The government has no business forcefully taking my money and then claiming to give it away as an act of charity.

They forget Jesus was not a Political leader. he was not a community organizer. He did not even get into issues of Taxes. Christ was about asking the individual to individual acts. he did not say Do onto others through government programs? He requested that the individual take care of the individual.

We do know that you can do with your money as you wish.

Isn’t it lawful for me to do what I want to with what I own?

Providing support to the lazy is not allowed.

For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat."

because we are commanded to work.

By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground,

Now one t the more interesting one parables deals with loaning money. Of course the real meaning is that one should be diligent in worships and not take anything for granted. We will see taking from the poor and giving to the rich.

14“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15To one he gave five talentsa of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

19“After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’

21“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

22“The man with the two talents also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.’

23“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

24“Then the man who had received the one talent came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

26“His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

28“‘Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

The big difference here is that Christians should be helping others out of their love for man, not the government forcing you to help others through taxation.

I must have missed the scriptures where Jesus said it is the government's responsible to help people, not the individual person. The Bible does say (for you, as an individual)to help the least among you, it never states that the government should force you to through taxation. But, since many of these "Christians" have no ideal of what the Bible even says, they have abdicated their responsibility to the government. It's so much easier, they don't have to associate with the poor.

I've never liked the What Would Jesus Do line of questioning. It leads to people putting themselves in His shoes, elevating themselves to His level.
Better to focus on What Did Jesus Do.

I think Jesus would realize that you don't need to research multibillion dollar weapons systems to fight some untrained guy with a 1960s rifle.

Well, at least not to a level which puts your spending on par with the next 6 countries combined. I think he would probably figure out that if you only spent as much as the next 3 countries combined, China doesn't invade.

Lets not pretend we oppose all forms of government waste. Some of it makes for some really cool night vision footage every 10 years or so.

mpq280,

Yes, however there was multiple things going on at that time.
1. It was trap , Once they called him Rabbi which they knew he was not and then wanted him to answer in way where they could condom him either for being pro Roman or taking stance that would make him anti Rome either would discredit him with followers and lead to his arrest.

The coin he asked to see was one that only the Army or those who deal with Rome carried. Notice that Christ did not carry it so that made it obvious who was really in the pocket of Rome. The coin it self made the claim that Caesar was Son of god. Also Caesar claimed that all things came from him. God states all things come from him. So you have Choice to choose Caesar or chose God.

In that way a political trap was turned to a Spiritual question.

"China doesn't invade."

Tell that to the Japanese, Koreans and Vietnamese.

History isn't your long-suit.

It's just a distractor for
look what Obama did!

So I assume that Barry Lynn very soon will be all over this shameless mixing of religion and politics, right?

Right?

*checks watch*

Right?

Bookkeeper

Yet it is not the cost of Military Spending that has sunk us into untold debt.
it the unfunded Liabilities that means they are not PAID for!!!!.

1) Jesus wouldn't care because He wasn't looking for government handouts and His position was that people should take charge of helping each other and not abdicating their responsibilities for their fellow man to some government entity.

2) Jesus wouldn't cut anything because the First Amendment prohibition on establishment of religion would most likely bar him from holding office.

This is a pretty transparent attempt to shame political opponents into not cutting anything. I think that politicians and the media are pretty dim if they cannot ind a way to cut federal operations back to the 2008 spending levels. Ask the politicians if people were starving in 2008. Ask them if people were going without medical care. On thing we do know: a hell of a lot more people had jobs in 2008.

This is worthy of comment if only to point out yet another example of the Narrative.

Surprised no one caught that instantly.

"They believe, and so do I, that the moral test of any society is how it treats its poorest and most vulnerable citizens. And that is exactly what the Bible says, over and over again."

I consider myself a Christian but I am not an authority on scripture or much of a theologan, but I disagree with this statement. I think more in line with Jesus' teachings would be how you, yourself as an individual, treat the poorest and most vulnerable citizens - not society. I know that quote above says that the Bible says 'society' over and over again but I disagree. The parables and teachings focus more on the individual. I am open to be proven wrong however.

The ever hypocritical left.
Now faced with cuts they don't want to make, suddenly find religion.

The same folks who are always yelling about the separation of Church and State now want to introduce Jesus into the discussion.

They have no shame.

"The same folks who are always yelling about the separation of Church and State now want to introduce Jesus into the discussion."

Well, since the 'Won' has been exposed a clueless false prophet, a new free lunch spokesmen must be sprung.

If they were serious about helping the poor, instead of creating more. All campaign reelection funds would be used to 'feed the poor' and Barry would not run again. Somehow I think their ego's will not allow that.

When the left carries on about how society treats the most vulnerable members what they really mean is government. They want government to relieve them of any responsibilities.

When the bible talks about taking care off the most vulnerable it Is talking about individual responsibility.

"They believe, and so do I, that the moral test of any society is how it treats its poorest and most vulnerable citizens. And that is exactly what the Bible says, over and over again."

DaveD: The author, Jim Wallis, has twisted the meaning. A society is judged by how its individuals act - without coercion from government. A society is not its government.

It's how individuals govern themselves. Not what they're coerced into.

Wallis is being intellectually dishonest; not to mention the level of hyperbole he uses.

WWJD = VABO

The "religious left" has to be the most oxymoronic moniker out there.

Jesus' Bookkeeper or Woop for short-

"I think Jesus would realize that you don't need to research multibillion dollar weapons systems to fight some untrained guy with a 1960s rifle."

Maybe, but He would also realize they come in handy against the other multi billion dollar weapon systems of China and Russia to name a few.

According to his Facebook page, Wallis has been fasting for week for a "moral budget." He's been proclaiming very often how he's been fasting. Pretty unbiblical.

I daresay that I believe that Jesus would not want anyone taxed to pay for any social programs at all.

THe bible states that you will be judged on how well you treat the poor. Note it doesnt say how well you are taxed to help the poor or how much you are forced to help the poor.

I daresay that if you asked Jesus what would he do one of the first things he may say is "Stop abortion".

That would drive the left wild.

So if a leftist asks you "what would Jesus cut" simply say "the number of abortions" and watch their heads explode.

I, unfortunately, have no particular insight into what Jesus would do. Perhaps a better question is "What would Luca Pacioli do?"

You do not get points for relegating your heart felt charity to a representative. Your giving has to come from you directly and to where you think or know it is needed. ww

What would Jesus cut.
All social services for lazy unmotivated people.

If a man will not work, he shall not eat.

he might then tell them to cut all the programs that the are boasting about because it will not lead to "Collective Salvation"

And he spoke this parable to certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others.

Two men went up into the temple to pray--the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican [tax collector].

The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank you, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

I fast twice in the week, I give TITHES of all that I possess.

And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for every one that exalts himself shall be abased; and he that humbles himself shall be exalted.

Will they ask what would Jesus do about the definition of Marriage?
No no The Won said we were not a Christian Nation so why do they care what Jesus says.

Any way I need to go back and cling to my 1911 45 and the Bible while looking out for people who do not look like me.

I'm guessing Jesus would cut Planned Parenthood funding at the very least. ;)

Oyster #22,
Thanks for the follow up comment. I agree. The reason I brought that up was that I heard on liberal talking point was that Jesus was a community organizer (as Hank pointed out when they suddenly find religion). I always thought that was kind of a stretch. The only community organizer I am familiar with doesn't really get in to doing the heavy lifting.

Bookkeeper

Yet it is not the cost of Military Spending that has sunk us into untold debt.

DaveD said,

...I heard on liberal talking point was that Jesus was a community organizer (as Hank pointed out when they suddenly find religion). I always thought that was kind of a stretch.

I totally agree. The "Jesus-as-community-organizer" trope assumes that Jesus had an interest in earthly things, which He clearly did not. When Jesus was in the desert, Satan offered to make Him the ruler/community organizer of all the kingdoms of the world, and Jesus refused. So much for Jesus as community organizer.

Wow, the Blush LimpBlah is now a reverend, he can take his place next to the other flakes like Jim Jones, Jim Baker, Jimmy Swaggart, (all silly jimmy’s), Ted Haggard, Oral Roberts, Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, Franklin Gramham (son of Billy), John Hagee, and we can’t forget the rev. Mike Huckabee. Maybe LimpBlah next sermon will be about the scripture “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and give to God what is God’s”, found in the good book. But alas we probably hear more or the same lies that we heard today. He is such a windbag.

Regarding Mr. Wallis, ignore him.

Attempting to claim Christ's sandals is false prophecy.