Subject:
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Re: Latter Day Saints (was:Re: God and the Devil and forgiveness (was Re: POV-RAY orange color))
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Wed, 8 Sep 1999 09:47:32 GMT
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Viewed:
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1420 times
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John DiRienzo <ig88888888@stlnet.com> wrote
> Moz wrote:
> > No. Theft is at the core of Christian beliefs.
> Now, tell me the difference between tithing and taxing.
There is no difference *in princliple*, provided that membership is voluntary.
This situation has only recently arisen for both countries and churches. However,
the difference is that taxation can be seen as payment for services rendered in
the physical world, while tithing is typically only justified by reference to
metaphysics. In practice some people (me, at least) who tithe do so because of
what happens to the tithe (it is used for charitable works and other necessary
tasks). Although little of my tenth actually goes to a church beaurocracy, I
have to admit.
> And, now, doesn't the government regulate interest rates?
Maybe in the USA, but not in New Zealand. The government decides what rate it
will pay for the bonds it issues, and from time to time the governer of the
reserve bank rants at the other banks about their interest rates, but there
is no direct regulation, and the threat is not IMO especially powerful because
they all seem to agree on their analysis of what will happen if they're naughty.
> It does in my country.
Are you sure?
> Isn't being taxed to take care of your society the same as being your
> brothers' keeper?
Yes. I have explained why I think this is a good thing. Please distinguish
between my objections to the holes in other people's positions and the
things that I advocate as my position.
> And, from another post of yours, name a country which at one time or
> another hasn't disallowed genocide, in some form?
Australia. They have refused to sign the relevant treaty because they at
least admit to the mechanism they used to found their country. Not that
I'm singling out the USA on this one, there are numerous other countries
in the same boat. "Genocide is bad, very bad. But only if it happened
after <the date we founded our country>". Although if by "disallowed"
you mean removal of genocide as a formal policy Australia has managed that
bit.
Moz
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