The Bible and Taxation

[seattlegal]

Originally Posted by pauli

Remember the pharoh had nothing to do with the decision to tax 20%. What makes this all work for the the Egyptians is it was God inspired. The Egyptians were feeding the world at this time, not unlike the United States of America. How long would the Egyptians have lasted the famine if they gave away the food? And their own workforce would have been destroyed by going on welfare. Life was more difficult then of course, but taking away the Blessing of work would have been a greater cruelty.

Pharaoh only took 20% of the crops, specifically the grain crops,--not 20% of all income. In this way, all the subjects came to be slaves of Pharaoh, and all the land came to belong to Pharaoh. However the temples and priesthood did not come to be owned by Pharaoh, as they already had their own government pensions they lived off of during the times of plenty and the times of famine.

20 In this way, Joseph acquired all the land in Egypt for Pharaoh, because every Egyptian sold his field since the famine was so severe for them. The land became Pharaoh’s, 21 and Joseph moved the people to the cities from one end of Egypt to the other. 22 The only land he didn’t acquire was the priests’ portion, for it was given to them by Pharaoh. They lived off the rations Pharaoh had given them; therefore they did not sell their land.

Pharaoh had to acquire land in order to give land to all the foreign immigrants from Canaan, no? Sounds like instituting socialism to me!

[Bemused]

Originally Posted by pauli

I think people are confusing God's example of 20% tax for the government with tithing to the Church.(Tithing is a base, the old law required more that 23% not 10%). They are not related, and the tax is an example, it was not written in stone. And God's example did not include giving it away. Christ's example is different and it was give to the government what they ask, what Christ did not have to tell you, is to vote for the candidate who requires less of a tax. I find it so amusing that so many Christians are unable or just outright refuse to study or even read the scripture for themselves. When you inform most Christians what the word actually says they tend to bury their heads in the sand or try to argue against the word of God.

I will yield to folks like rifleman, who are more intimately familiar with the concept, but my understanding is that the OT talks about "first fruits" and does not state anything about percentages or minimum requirements.

Sorry, but I do not accept verses taken out of context, to prove anything. I DO accept correction based on fact, not interpretation