Eyebrow2, you asked if anyone would be interested, yes, I woulkd. I read a book by Vivien Kellems titled, "Toil, Taxes and Trouble" and what caught my interest was a rendering of Jesus words at Matt. 22:15-22 as well as in Mark 12:13-17 and Luke 20:20-26. It had to do rendering taxes, note the difference when she quotes from ISV.
Publisher's Preface to the Second Edition
In the NKJ it reads, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."
"Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's - NIV
" Give to Caesar what belongs to him. But everything that belongs to God
must be given to God." - NLT
" Give therefore to the emperor the things that the emperor's, and to God
the things that are God's." - NRSV
"Then the Pharisees went and planned how to trap Jesus in conversation,
They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. They said,
"Teacher, we know that you are sincere and that you teach the way of God
truthfully. You don't favor any individual, for you pay no attention to
external appearance. So tell us what you think. Is it lawful to pay
taxes to Caesar or not?"
But Jesus recognized their wickedness and said, "Why are you testing me,
you hypocrites? Show me the coin used for the tax." They brought him a
denarius. Then he asked them, "Whose face and name is this? They said to
him, "Caesars's." So he said to them, "Then give back to Caesar the
things that are Carsar's, and to God the things that are God's."
When they heard this, they were amazed, then they left him and went
away.
`One of the remarkable elements to this story is that Jesus never spoke against paying taxes. He just wanted to see that everyone got his just due - both God and Caesar. And even mnore, the fundamental question as to who owes what and how much - and to whom (or to Whom) it is owed - has been overlooked by most commentators. The reason for this oversight has to do with mistranslation in the text. The problem is with the verbs in Matthew 22:21. Note how the verb is translated as "give back" in the International Standard version in the citation above. But note how some other translations erroneously translate the verb in the previous quotes.
You see, the versions of the Bible above have translated the operative verb as "to render" or "to give." That is to say, the presumption is that Caesar and God are to be "given to" in the same fashion. But only the International Standard version brings forth the marvelously subtle elements of the Greek verb here. The proper word choice here is not "give" but rather "give back." And there is a world of difference.
Jesus was saying that everything belongs to God in the first place. In a very real sense, God is "owed" everything that we have. He is our source. But in the Roman world, Caesar was God. In these passages, to "give back" is the proper translation in regards to obligations to God and to Caesar for the audience to whom Jesus was speaking.
But America is not Rome. And the principles on which America was founded say that our money belongs to us first, as the people who earn it. And all of these rights are "inalienable," meaning that they cannot be taken away by the government. Further, in America the government's ability to govern 'and' to tax is derived from the consent of the governed, i.e. from "We the People." Therefore, if Jesus were speaking these words to America today, He would say, "Then give back to America the things that are Americas, and give back to God the things that are God's."
Note the term "give back" is used in my example in regards to what is owed to God because everything ultimately comes from HIM anyway. But I use the term "give" in regards to America (and the IRS) because the money belongs to "We the People" before it is to be handed over to our government, and that only with our consent. And I believe that consent has to be a "rightly informed" consent by the way.
Vivian Kellems was a rare women for her time. She was highly educated, a business owner of a very successful corporation, highly opinionated and 100% pro-American. Ms. Kellems, through intense research, came to the conclusion that the federal government was unlawfully forcing her to withhold taxes from her employees' paychecks. Once she determined that a wrong was foisted upon unsuspecting Americans, both employer and employee alike,, she decided to fight back - way back in 1948!
When the federal government went after Ms. Kellems, it assumed she was just another female out of her element in the business world and therefore wasy pickings. The feds soon found out the error of their ways. Ms. Kellems fought back with the paper war that comes with standing up for what's right and what the law actually says. She began an all-out, high profile, highly public campaign to take the issue to the people.
Daring the President of the United States of America to make her a paid tax collector, she spared no elected public servant in her quest to see the truth exposed. She dared the government to come after her and they did. The outcome will surprise and delight you. Toil, Taxes and Trouble is a book that must be read by every American in order to understand one of the greatest scams being perpetrated by the United States government against its people.
I read the book back in 2003.
Posts by Golf
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33Have you re-read the bible since leaving the Kingdom Hall?
by Eyebrow2 ini always wanted to re-read the bible after i left the org; to be able to read it without having to feel like i had to apply something, or to have to read it out of obedience, etc.... well, i have always liked the new world translation, i know it isn't perfect, but i think it is better than some.
but i have always wanted to get a different modern english translation, and read that.
well, i finally picked up a new international version at wal-mart the other day...under $6, what a bargain.. started last night, and finished genesis today, and am just starting into exodous.
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Golf
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8
Man of the Year Award
by Golf insomeone recently posted the man of the year award.
well, here's an article that i came across and would like you to view.
the title is, "man of the year is everyman in anybody town" by judith moriarty .
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Golf
googlema, the newspaper reads, "TIME Presents Person Of The Year Award." Why does Time insert the word 'Award' for?
Guest77 -
18
Revelation 11:18 ("bring to ruin those ruining the earth") Meaning?
by AlmostAtheist inhey folks,.
just curious, any concensus on what john actually meant here?
i doubt a guy in the first century could honestly envision a time when mankind could genuinely "ruin the earth" if the idea struck them.
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Golf
Googlemagoogle, I believe in my mother does that me a religion unto myself?
Just how you got American Indians being a religion is worth knowing.
Guest77 -
8
Man of the Year Award
by Golf insomeone recently posted the man of the year award.
well, here's an article that i came across and would like you to view.
the title is, "man of the year is everyman in anybody town" by judith moriarty .
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Golf
googlemg, true, I agree. By the way, did you read the entire article? What caught my attention are the pictures of Hitler and Stalin on Time magazine, persons of the year? Does this ring any bells to you?
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47
New OM Book replacement & Upcoming Elder School
by doinmypart inthe organized to accomplish our ministry (om book) will be replaced on sunday march 20, 2005 with a book titled organized to do jehovah's will.
this is confidential, so be sure to tell your relatives and friends that are still in!
will there be any updates to the org's procedures, or just a re-hash of old policies?
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Golf
Great comments everyone.
Willyloman, "These guys are fresh out of ideas..."
doingmypart, "This release is just something to excite the publishers..."
Propolog, 'Informant' hey, that brought old memories.
Audi-Apere, What you said was so true. Help others and screw you, right? Very
Christlike isn't it?
Blondie, 'On page 26, 27, "They discuss corporations..." question, if Jesus were preaching in modern times, would he be 'incorporated' just to be tax exempt? This being incorporated needs a little looking into, what say you? -
8
Man of the Year Award
by Golf insomeone recently posted the man of the year award.
well, here's an article that i came across and would like you to view.
the title is, "man of the year is everyman in anybody town" by judith moriarty .
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Golf
Flyinghighnow,thanks for posting a part of the article. It was an interesting story about Gary Webb. I double checked if the pictures of Hitler and Stalin (twice) were on the cover of Times, they were.
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18
Revelation 11:18 ("bring to ruin those ruining the earth") Meaning?
by AlmostAtheist inhey folks,.
just curious, any concensus on what john actually meant here?
i doubt a guy in the first century could honestly envision a time when mankind could genuinely "ruin the earth" if the idea struck them.
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Golf
Native American Indians believe in Mother Earth. What has man done to Mother Earth ecologically on an 'international' scale?
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8
Man of the Year Award
by Golf insomeone recently posted the man of the year award.
well, here's an article that i came across and would like you to view.
the title is, "man of the year is everyman in anybody town" by judith moriarty .
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Golf
Flyinghighnow, you'll get the drift of the article when you read it. Thanks for the comments. How many lives have been sacrificed under Hitler and Stalin?
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60
Why are women angry?
by Dirt Rocker inwe started to "bud" in our blouses at 9 or 10 years .
old only to find that anything that came in contact .
with those tender, blooming buds hurt so bad it .
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Golf
One, being in the construction trade and being a foreman, I wouldn't hestitate having a female construction worker working for me. I've had some fellow female ironworkers walk the steel better than some men. Some of them can handle their booze pretty well too.
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8
Man of the Year Award
by Golf insomeone recently posted the man of the year award.
well, here's an article that i came across and would like you to view.
the title is, "man of the year is everyman in anybody town" by judith moriarty .
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Golf
When I first viewed the newspaper article it had a picture of Hitler's face on Time magazine in 1938 as the 'Person of the year.' In 1939 as well as 1942, Time Magazine had Jos. Stalin as the 'Person of the year.'
I emailed JM asking if this is the case. She said, yes and will forward me copies of the pictures.
What say you?