tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13739529.post114402878948318716..comments2024-02-29T15:34:43.878-06:00Comments on Illinois History: 'Serious Christians', Politics & HistoryUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13739529.post-1145476041779637382006-04-19T14:47:00.000-05:002006-04-19T14:47:00.000-05:00Hey rum -Chill out... My Grandfather and Grandmoth...Hey rum -Chill out... My Grandfather and Grandmother lived in The Old Slave house at one time, paying rent to the Sisks. My Grandfather ALSO became a Methodist Preacher.He paid and talked about taxes.He lived and talked about Christians. If you're a true Southern Illinois info seeker, you gotta know that you can't have one without the other!!!!! That tithe of 10 percent bit they're talking about, and doing more for the poor, simply created the term "Southern Hospitality", I think.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13739529.post-1144307712135315432006-04-06T02:15:00.000-05:002006-04-06T02:15:00.000-05:00Jon -- thanks for the thoughtful post. My central ...Jon -- thanks for the thoughtful post. My central question remains: if the call of the New Testament is largely to care for the poor, and you believe that taxes are generally bad for those who are getting taxed, should't the pious vote to tax the poor less (or not at all)? I think it's clear that cutting marginal tax rates on the highest incomes creates larger incomes for the wealthiest among us, but does not do so for the poorest among us. I'd be curious to hear how you square putting our tax burden on the poorest and most needy while lessening it on the most comfortable and affluent (assuming that you are a Bush/GOP voter). And to make the argument clearer, assume that the question of the overall size of government is off the table for the moment. The only question is what income group will pay more for the cost of the government -- the poor or the wealthy? (And finally, because you are such a good textualist, I'd like to know how you interpret the passages on the likelihood of a rich man getting to heaven as less than finding a needle in a haystack, or something to that effect). Oh, one more thing: I was careful not to call anyone a hypocrite, especially regarding their religious beliefs, as that's a different and more personal conversation than forcefully challenging people to justify their choices as a citizen to vote for economic policies that primarily benefit the wealthy. Whether anyone may or may not be a hypocrite as it relates to their religious beliefs is not for me to determine or discuss.Dan Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07467295534995212259noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13739529.post-1144039468720198562006-04-02T23:44:00.000-05:002006-04-02T23:44:00.000-05:00The gift of the two copper coins by the widow wasn...The gift of the two copper coins by the widow wasn't a tithe. It was an offering of all she had. <BR/><BR/>I keep track of what I make as a writer and in my real estate business. I tithe 10 percent of that to my church. That's my duty. I don't think the Bible considers that an offering.<BR/><BR/>Anything I give above that is an offering.<BR/><BR/>In my own practice I now tithe first, then for the regular mission drives (Southern Baptists do two a year), special disaster relief donations (Katrina last year), and special love offerings for visiting missionaries and evangelists I give an offering.<BR/><BR/>The churches of Marion (and local one Jewish businessman) are in the process of opening the city's first homeless shelter in a former nursing home, a process they are doing without public funding. <BR/><BR/>The Ministerial Alliance has provided a soup kitchen for years. Our church, as well as probably most of the other larger churches, also run their own food pantries.<BR/><BR/>We help the crisis pregnancy center as well as provide funding each month for the regional home for unwed mothers, and a separate children's home.<BR/><BR/>Since the fall of the Soviet Union our church has been sending mission teams over to Chernivtsi, Ukraine, every other year for both evangelization, but also usually with some type of health clinic component. I've gone the last two trips and plan to return this summer.<BR/><BR/>Individual members of the congregation have traveled to Africa numerous times for various mission projects.<BR/><BR/>We've come a long way since the First Century when that Jewish sect called Christianity had to help feed and clothe its own poor members.<BR/><BR/>Although there are poor members in our church, few, if any go hungry. If they do it is only because they do not let anyone know they need help.<BR/><BR/>Our church isn't perfect. Only weak and sometimes faulty humans are able to join. The Bible calls us sinners, but we know through faith if we repent of our sins and accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we will be forgiven.Jon Musgravehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12230036838737606381noreply@blogger.com