Paying Taxes
Wednesday, November 18, 2009 -- Week of Proper 28, Year One
Hilda, Abbess of Whitby, 680
Today's Readings for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p. 992)
Psalms 101, 109:1-4(5-19)20-30 (morning) 119:121-144 (evening)
1 Maccabees 3:42-60*
Revelation 21:9-21
Matthew 17:22-27 *found in the Apocrypha
The story from Matthew's gospel offers some early church commentary on a controversial subject. The Temple Tax was much debated among Jewish scholars. Since the time of Nehemiah, Jewish authorities had collected a tax for the upkeep of the Temple. In earlier times the Temple was supported primarily by the royal house. Scholars debated whether the tax should be paid each year or whether the tax should be paid once in a lifetime.
Some scholars referenced the instruction to Moses in Exodus 30. After the discussion of the yearly day of atonement, Exodus 30 provides for a census. Tradition held that taking a census angered or insulted God. A census was often the basis for military conscription and for governmental taxation. The Exodus 30 instruction provides for a ransom, a fee of half a shekel, in order to ward of the plague that might be expected as God's reaction to a census.
After 70 CE, Rome picked up the tradition and imposed a two-drachma tax on Jews for the upkeep of the temple to Jupiter. From the Jewish perspective, that tax was humiliating, or possibly idolatrous. From Rome's perspective, it was merely an act of patriotism in relationship to the civic religion. Matthew's gospel was written after 70 CE when this Roman tax was a hot topic.
In the scene that Matthew gives us, the collectors of the temple tax ask Peter whether Jesus' followers pay the temple tax. "Yes, he does," answers Peter. It was an answer that would please Roman authorities when they might be suspicious of the new Christian movement.
There is a second conversation about the ultimate freedom that those who are royal children enjoy. The implication seems to be that Jesus' followers, as children of God, are completely free and liberated from obligations to lesser authorities.
Jesus' next act in Matthew's sequence seeks to keep the peace. Jesus has Peter catch a fish that will have the coin for the temple tax in its mouth. Peter is to pay the tax so that they would not give offense to the authorities.
The story is not unlike the question elsewhere in the Gospel whether it is right to pay taxes to Caesar or not. Jesus anwered, "Whose image is on the coin?" Every Roman coin bears Caesar's image. The wonderfully ambiguous answer: "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, but give to God what is God." Every listener would know that all things come from God -- the earth is the Lord's and all that is in it.
Such answers intend to maintain the ultimate freedom that is ours as God's children and the absolute claim that God has on us and on all creation. They are also practical answers that protected the early church from persecution as enemies of the state.
There have been Christians who have protested the payment of taxes on religious and ethical grounds. Some were jailed during the Vietnam War era when they withheld a percentage of their tax that represented their share for the financing of what they believed was an immoral war. Acts of civil disobedience have generally included a willingness to suffer the consequences of such disobedience.
The early church walked a fine line between its declaration of challenge to the Roman Empire -- the fundamental creed "Jesus is Lord" defies the claim that "Caesar is Lord" -- and the church's wish to avoid active persecution. From Matthew's perspective, paying the hated tax to the Jupiter temple was not a place to draw a line.
Where is that line? For the most part, I am glad to pay taxes because our taxes support so many of the services that are basic to a healthy society. I am blessed to be in a high tax bracket because my wife and I both have jobs that pay us well. We certainly could afford to pay more taxes, and would happily do so if it would relieve the suffering for those who do not enjoy the security that we do. I prayerfully hope our nation is on the way toward providing a public way of insuring health care for all people as most other industrialized countries already do, and I would gladly raise taxes on people like me to underwrite such a benefit.
On the other hand, I opposed the unnecessary war and occupation that the Bush administration launched against Iraq, and the subsequent $700 Billion cost to taxpayers which helped reverse the budget surplus President Bush inherited, sending us into a deep deficit. (The human suffering from that decision to go to war is incalculable.) It would have been much more honest for Mr. Bush and Congress to raise taxes on people like me who can afford it in order to pay for the war rather than to continue to pass the costs to future generations. But it seems raising taxes is even more unpopular than war, so we borrow.
So, like nearly everyone else, I pay my taxes, and I argue about what the best use of our resources might be. I hope for a more progressive tax policy that relieves the poor and lets those of us to whom much has been given be expected to give more. Is there a line for me when the policies of a government might be so abhorrent that I would refuse to pay taxes? I don't know. Maybe there is. I know I respect many who have risked their freedom to raise into public awareness policies that are immoral.
I'll just leave it at that today, except to mention briefly about 10-year-old Will Phillips in neighboring West Fork who has endured some consequences as the result of his refusing to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance until we truly live up to our pledge on behalf of liberty and justice for all. His interview on CNN is pretty impressive.
Lowell
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About Morning Reflections
Morning Reflections is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.
Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117
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The Mission of St. Paul's Episcopal Church
is to explore and celebrate
God's infinite grace, acceptance, and love.
Visit our web site at www.stpaulsfay.org
Our Rule of Life
We aspire to...
worship weekly
pray daily
learn constantly
serve joyfully
live generously.
worship weekly
pray daily
learn constantly
serve joyfully
live generously.
Lowell Grisham, Rector
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, Arkans
Fayetteville, Arkans
posted by Lowell @ 8:20 AM
13 comments
13 Comments:
God walk before me as I walk behind and I pray to follow the path you have set for me. Jesus of the Cross I pray that you give me the work that you have obtained for me.....
With that work, like Father Lowell... I would gladly pay more, even happily in a higher tax bracket if I could just get back to the work that I know HE has for me! I never minded paying and I never felt it before when I had the money, but now that I don't... I feel every dime they take... painfully!
Lowell,
Some interesting comments the last few days. Would that we could all articulate and make a stand on our views as well as the 10 year old has done. I have a very hard time following the logic and wording of many. I do appreciate your clarity and attempts to argue and answer.
And for one who finds herself in the lowest tax bracket to hear that one in the highest feels blessed to be able to contribute more is in itself a blessing. I suppose my prayers tonight will include all those who don't understand that there is geniune need present in our world, our nation, and even our community. And that it is up to us whether we address or ignore those basic needs - our own and others.
Peace, Janet
Lowell, why wait for the government to take your extra money in the form of taxes, just give it to janet and sage.
Janet, if lowell doesn't give you what you need, refer to his comments in the previous post.
I think it is sad that a preacher gladly admits he is in the high tax bracket and yet his followers are in need, hmmm, strange days in America.
HH,
Would you like to sit down and talk face to face? That would be preferable to me.
I can tell you what I do and what my congregation does to respond to the needs of our community. We are responding concretely to feed and to house people, and I am personally involved and invested in that ministry.
Let's talk in person, instead of your lobbing presumptuous bombs from behind your anonymous computer. My name, email and phone are public: Lowell Grisham, lowell@stpaulsfay.org; 479-58209335. I'll buy you lunch, we could have a cup of coffee, whatever you would like. You've obviously got some pretty cynical feelings about me. Let's talk about them in person.
Lowell
I will consider the invitation, but I don't think you or I will ever change each others mind. Im not under the illusion that my posting here will ever have that effect, maybe a reader will hear another view.
I am not disparaging you of your congregations ministry in the community. They are noble. I just do not see how higher taxes will help your ministry, it will simply reduce the amount of money in your congregation. How can Barrack Obama and any government POSSIBLY be as effective, as accountable, and sincere as the local church.
You have decided that BHO will save us all, I just not sure a meeting would benefit either of us.
Dearest HH,
I follow Christ and love God. I do admire and respect Lowell for his leadership and his actions in the world. Being in the lowest tax bracket does not mean my basic needs are not being met. I still have much to give of my time and talents, which I do. I see there is much work to be done by all of us. Please read the comments as they are stated, and refrain from your judgements and harshness. If your idea of sitting down to talk is to change another's mind, it would be a waste. We should attempt to understand each other's positions first. God's peace to you. Janet
Janet, this blog is a mouthpiece for liberal political views that, with the exception of a few examples, I disagree with. To advance that view is the purpose of this site whether stated or not. This I know and fully understand, as does Lowell. He is intelligent enough to know what my view is and that it is opposed to his. Would his judgement of my "cynical feelings" offend you as much as my judgements?
Your last comment is full of judgement (I thought you are condemning judgements) and presuptions.
Incidently, you see much work for all of us to do, how on Earth are we supposed to do that work when the government (with is track record of waste and fraud) is continually making it more difficult, via higher taxes? Jst a question.
Humble,
dialectic, dialogue, ad hominem argument, fallacious argument - please look up the definitions of these. I do apoligize for not stating my ideas clearly. I was judging your arguments, not yourself. Your arguments seem to be ad hominem and fallacious because you attack the person or the belief system, not the issue. So they are hard for me to follow.
I see the blog as a dialectic and a place of dialogue. I see it very differently than you do.
When I look at the world and see what needs to be done to make it a more equitable, egalitarian, just place - I see the need for government programs, for church and civic entities, and for individual sacrifice of time and resources to all play a part.
If you and Lowell ever do sit down and are in true dialogue I would love to present you both with some ideas about how to solve some of our social problems in the Northwest Arkansas area. No government involved, just communities of faith. Perhaps your community, Humble, would be interested in that.
And it is really hard to love neighbor as self without much waste - most of the time love and compassion aren't very efficient means. But, they seem to be the ways God asks us to do the work.
Peace,
Janet
Dear HH,
Let's do sit down together. You tell me what your values are; what you believe in. How do we best solve our problems as a community and a planet? I have only heard what you are against. I'd like to hear what you are for. I'd like to know you as a person, not just an anonymous typist.
How about coffee sometime Monday afternoon? I've got a lunch meeting that will end by 1:30. Anytime after that, including early evening, work for you?
Lowell
I would like you to site specifics Janet. I have attacked the concept of taxes and the government solving our problems. To say that is ad hominem is fallacious. But I would like to hear your interpretation.
You said "When I look at the world and see what needs to be done to make it a more equitable, egalitarian, just place".
Describe your vision of "equity".
As far as egalitarian, do you mean socially, economically or something else?
How would your "just place" look.
I would also like to know your impression of what tht 10 year old was expressing. I wonder what your definition of liberty is?
A more just place would look like... Ah, 1200 homeless in NW Arkansas have shelter, jobs, are contributing citizens to society. 600 homeless in Fort Smith have shelter, jobs, are contributing citizens to society. 1600 children in Fort Smith, AR that are fed on the backpack program, that they would all have nutritious meals over the weekend (one church does feed some of them). Children in the Delta area school system would have the same learning opportunity as children in other areas of the nation. Men and women would have equal pay for equal work and equal opportunity for work. (egalitarian). Less patients to nurse aides on the hospital floors. There are just a few specifics for you, most likely not what you need.
You have attacked those people who were having a dialogue about blessings and thrown in the Dalai Lama and brought up something about should you not feed your two kids, vebally attacked and made assumptions about two people posting on the blog and stated how sad a church community was ... What does that really have to do with your stance above?
The 10 year old expressed his stance well - listen to the link.
A vision of equity and a definition of liberty and the rest.. Well, that is asking much for a blog. Perhaps I'll publish those answers one day and you'll be free to read them.
And you are most welcome to attend worship at St. Paul's. Everyone is welcome.
Peace,
Janet
Peace, Janet
Janet,
You have actually cited some specifics, thanks. And in my book, all they do is illustrate our need for a Savior, and not the government. The liberals have has control of the Education Department for decades and yet our children are poorly educated at best. So what is your solution, you can't create good teachers who want to work in the Delta out of thin air. The parents, another example of decentralization, are the only answer. A massive government entity is incapable of serving individual needs properly. And yet our government has done nothing better than to grow itself.
You assume alot incidently, my wife is the bread winner of my household, so what she earns is very important to me.
My comment about the dali lama was trying to illustrate that some people are hungry by choice. Some people are just too lazy to work, that my friend is a fact. My point is that again, centralized governments can't discern lazy people from needy people nearly as effectively as local churches and charities. Would you dispute this?
My problem is that centralization does little to serve communities.
As far as I am concerned as a Christian - people are fed because they are hungry, not because they "qualify" as hungry. You can look to St. John's Episcopal Church in Fort Smith and their sack lunch program. Anyone who comes is fed.
I find I am liberal because I try to pattern my life after Christ. The God I follow and worship is very liberal, very liberal with grace, love, compassion, mercy, justice, freedom of will. Very liberal with all of us, lazy and un. That is the truth I look to.
So, put your ideas into action and the government programs you are upset about will cease to exist, if your ideas and implementations are good enough. I will do the same with mine.
And the only "faith community" feeding program I have knowledge of that requires a qualification
was a very fundamentalist sect and there were faith requirements along with getting the food, including joining a very violent sect. That is coercion, not compassion.
I am not familiar enough with St. Paul's but I'm sure Lowell could answer that one, though I do believe you or I could walk in to St. Paul's on Monday at noon and be fed.
You are going to run into lazy and unqualified and chronic homeless and all those judgements you want to make before you give. It is part of the human story. We are still called to give food to the hungry. Perhaps it will be the
77th time someone gives one a meal, a kindness, compassion on their situation where the person is able to take more on themselves. Perhaps they never will be able to. They are still ours to care for.
You say the government, like it is some entity. We the people, are the government.
I wish you the best with your work in the world.
Peace, Janet
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