HSO

So lately I feel like I want to write about some of my opinions but they might be a little on the controversial side of things. So I am just going to jump in head first - if you don't agree with me, that's totally cool I respect your opinion and ask that you do the same for me.

1 - The T.E.A. Parties. These parties were held across the nation on April 15th to protest taxes, get it TEA - Taxed Enough Already. Here are the organizations main bullet points that they are against:

• vote for a $500 billion tax bill without even reading it?
• are spending trillions of borrowed dollars, leaving a debt our great-grandchildren will be paying?
• consistently give special interest groups billions of dollars in earmarks to help get themselves re-elected?
• want to take your wealth and redistribute it to others?
• punish those who practice responsible financial behavior and reward those who do not?
• admit to using the financial hurt of millions as an opportunity to push their political agenda?
• run up trillions of dollars of debt and then sell that debt to countries such as China?
• want government controlled health care?
• want to take away the right to vote with a secret ballot in union elections?
• refuse to stop the flow of millions of illegal immigrants into our country?
• appoint a defender of child pornography to the Number 2 position in the Justice Department?
• want to force doctors and other medical workers to perform abortions against their will?
• want to impose a carbon tax on your electricity, gas and home heating fuels?
• want to reduce your tax deductibility for charitable gifts?
• take money from your family budget to pay for their federal budget?

Ok as a Christian I have a problem with this organization. When Jesus is talking to the Pharisees in Matthew 22 he doesn't say, "Give to Caesar if you agree with how he spends the money, if you like how things are going, if you feel like it is a fair amount." No in fact Jesus is speaking to a people that are being oppressed, they are in captivity, they are being taxed without relief, they are seeing no fruit of their taxes, and there are severe penalties if they don't pay. Jesus says, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's." We are not asked to agree with the taxes, we don't even have to like how "our" money is being spent. We are asked to give to God what is God's and that is our heart, our life, and our obedience. We have such an opportunity to be a light in a dark world by submitting and this includes paying our taxes.
Ok my brain hurts now so I will stop there.