Pope Francis: 'Very Grave Sin' When Employers Underpay Workers, Avoid Taxes

originally posted by: FlyersFan
a reply to: ketsuko
Yep. Jesus said 'pay what is Caesar's to Caesar, and what is God's to God'. He didnt' care about taxes. He preached 'love God and neighbor'. He spent his time trying to get people not to stone each other to death, and to forgive. I don't remember seeing him set up any social justice charities or work with governments to redistribute wealth (tax people more).

IMHO the pope should stick to matters of theology for Catholics and not get into taxes and world wealth redistribution. If he wants to preach to Catholic business owners that they should pay an honest days pay for an honest days work, I can see that because that goes to a theological issue of honesty and treating others correctly.

Sometimes I really dig what he says. (like when he said 'who am I to judge' when it comes to homosexuals. Love them and leave the judgements of their souls to God)

Other times, he makes me really nervous. (like when he starts talking about taxes and massive wealth redistribution)

What do you think the pay to Caesar's what is Caesar's was about? It was about taxes. At that time the Romans taxed their citizens so he was telling his followers to pay their taxes. One reason was because the Romans used to help the poor. Attalus III of Pergamum gave his entire kingdom to the Romans on the stipulation that it be used to help the poor. So in a way you can Jesus supported social programs if he were alive today he would be called either a communist or Socialist.

originally posted by: buster2010

originally posted by: FlyersFan
a reply to: ketsuko
Yep. Jesus said 'pay what is Caesar's to Caesar, and what is God's to God'. He didnt' care about taxes. He preached 'love God and neighbor'. He spent his time trying to get people not to stone each other to death, and to forgive. I don't remember seeing him set up any social justice charities or work with governments to redistribute wealth (tax people more).

IMHO the pope should stick to matters of theology for Catholics and not get into taxes and world wealth redistribution. If he wants to preach to Catholic business owners that they should pay an honest days pay for an honest days work, I can see that because that goes to a theological issue of honesty and treating others correctly.

Sometimes I really dig what he says. (like when he said 'who am I to judge' when it comes to homosexuals. Love them and leave the judgements of their souls to God)

Other times, he makes me really nervous. (like when he starts talking about taxes and massive wealth redistribution)

What do you think the pay to Caesar's what is Caesar's was about? It was about taxes. At that time the Romans taxed their citizens so he was telling his followers to pay their taxes. One reason was because the Romans used to help the poor. Attalus III of Pergamum gave his entire kingdom to the Romans on the stipulation that it be used to help the poor. So in a way you can Jesus supported social programs if he were alive today he would be called either a communist or Socialist.

The monty Python guys summed this up pretty well back in 1979;

Indeed, what havethe Romans ever done for us?

a reply to: TheTengriist

Monty Python gets it right quite often.


Nice to meet you.

a reply to: FlyersFan

I wonder what Biblical verse he backs this up with. Especially because Jesus apparently disagrees.

Mat 20:10
So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius.

Mat 20:11
When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner.

Mat 20:12
‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’

Mat 20:13
“But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius?

Now the point of the Parable is not actually about Earthly money, but Jesus would not have used it had the idea of "didn't you agree" been wrong. The rest of my comment I will withhold, but perhaps the Pope did not read the same Bible I did.

originally posted by: buster2010
One reason was because the Romans used to help the poor. Attalus III of Pergamum gave his entire kingdom to the Romans on the stipulation that it be used to help the poor. So in a way you can Jesus supported social programs if he were alive today he would be called either a communist or Socialist.

Perhaps you can show me where Jesus talked about this reasoning. What Bible verses?

a reply to: FlyersFan

Another "spiritual" person obsessed with money. Now we know his true god is mammon just like the majority of the world.