Jeff asked:


Also, what would Jesus think of the republican policy of persuing war without any diplomatic attempt to resovle conflict.

Also what would he think of the republican policy of denying welfare and national health insurance to the poor?
This is just a hypothetical – as if jesus were asked these questions in a sit down interview with Matt Lauer. I know Jesus wasn’t political.

17 Responses to “What would Jesus think of the republican policy of taxing the poor and giving tax breaks to the wealthy?”

1. patchouli4279 on February 19th, 2008 8:32 pm

   Jesus believed in individual charity. Only you can help your neighbor.

2. StereotypeMeBecauseYouKnow on February 22nd, 2008 1:15 pm

   Jesus would not approve of lying.

   Poor do not pay taxes. My girlfriend was making under 32K 2 years ago, and she paid nothing. Zip. Got it all back.

   Social Security is an Insurance program that is going bankrupt, and the Democrats oppose any privatization that would increase the poor’s wealth. The Democrats simply need to control the flow of money. Stop spreading lies. Jesus would not like that, and he certainly would be displeased with many of your views.

3. E Welch on February 25th, 2008 7:31 am

   He wouldn’t care. He wasn’t interested in how humans run their governments, and didn’t want to be involved in it.

4. pachl@sbcglobal.net on February 27th, 2008 12:33 pm

   I just love this question, in all its many incarnations. Other versions ask who would Jesus bomb, or who Jesus would allow to have necessary surgery.

   Sheesh!

   Let’s start with basic math: it has been proven that the latest tax cuts have already paid for themselves more than twice over. Proof of this is simple: just look at the increase in tax revenues. Cut taxes, expand the economy, and the government gets even more money.

   You must understand something about the rich: they want to stay that way. If you try taxing them to death, the U.S. will follow in the footsteps of sad, miserable places like Peru where the rich simply export their capital to other countries where they can make a higher return… and protect it from taxes. Is that what you want?

   Let’s face facts: most people are on welfare because of:

   1) bad attitudes; they don’t apply themselves to their job, they don’t try to do a good job

   2) unproductive lifestyles: promiscuity without protection against contraception, drug and alcohol use

   3) they didn’t study in school, and therefore are not attractive to potential employers

   Now, you want to change that? Welfare just encourages everything I’ve mentioned. Welfare doesn’t solve the problem, it enlarges the problem.

   Maybe you are “Loquitia” and your boyfriend du jour whines he can’t get his groove thing on if he has to use a condom. So, taxpayers are then stuck with huge bills for the next 18 years or so. Loquitia stays unmarried, and sees no harsh consequences to her actions, encouraging her unproductive, non-Jesus-approved lifestyle.

   See how it works?

   You think the Republican party pursues war without any diplomatic efforts? There were 10 years of ongoing diplomacy between the U.S. and Iraq. Add to this 17 sternly-worded resolutions against Iraq. If you don’t eventually take action, you just encourage these illegitimate, rougue criminal states to keep flaunting the rulings of the U.N.

   See how it works?

5. Mortimer on March 1st, 2008 6:17 pm

   They have a different Jesus. One with a crew cut who wears a business suit.

6. j dog on March 2nd, 2008 6:32 pm

   jesus was not a political figure…

   so im not sure why peopel always do this.

7. El Guapo on March 5th, 2008 10:15 pm

   Jesus would laud Republicans for being people who are accountable and productive. The truly poor are not taxed. The war was preceded by diplomacy. How soon you forget the warnings Bush gave and his diplomatic requests. As for tax breaks to the wealthy, you better be more specific. Having paid over $72,000 in 2007 income taxes I am at a loss to see where I got a break.
   Welfare is not denied to the truly poor. National health insurance is not a God given right.

   The bottom line is that Jesus would approve of Republicans and would disapprove of whining libs who invoke His name to further their partisan political interests.

8. thc451 on March 9th, 2008 8:12 am

   “Render unto Ceasar what is Ceasars” (sic?) Give to the poor what you can.Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Stuff like that.He would not be happy but would knock over the money lenders bags of gold,etc.Of those to whom much is given….

9. John de Witt on March 10th, 2008 10:29 pm

   Actually, I don’t think Jesus saw either welfare or health insurance as normal governmental functions. Considering the negative consequences of the Great Society programs on the US health care system, which went a long way towards destroying charitable health care, it’s an interesting question what he’d think.
   Likewise, I’m not aware of much in the way of taxes paid by the poor, except excise taxes. Indeed, most of the taxes paid are paid by a very few wealthy people.
   I can’t say I’m a big fan of the war either, but if you’ll recall it came after a decade of diplomatic failures.
   Now let me pose a question: If God himself only wants a 10% tithe, why should I pay more to the government? Perhaps other organizations should provide most of those services. I think I’ve even heard of some, called churches.

10. Jokers Wild on March 13th, 2008 2:20 pm

    You sound alot like a pharisee

11. TexasChick on March 14th, 2008 1:19 pm

    The top 1 percent of income earners pay more than one in every three dollars the IRS collects in Taxes.

    from 1986-2004 the total share of the income tax burden paid by the top 1 percent grew from 25.8 percent to 36.9 percent, while the total share of the tax burden paid by the bottom half of earners fell from 6.5 percent to only 3.3 percent.

12. Lincoln6 on March 16th, 2008 2:30 am

    Jesus would condemn George Bush to Hell.

13. ndgbill on March 19th, 2008 8:44 am

    Based upon the writings and opinions of literally hundreds of US
    clerics/theologians ,the overall assessment is that the HYPOCRISY of American Christians is simply so monumental that for the majority of them to claim to be Christians based on what they do and say is ,is simply OFFENCIVE.

    Like Bush using Christ and Christianity to in part justify his crime against humanity in Iraq, (when virtually all Christian Churches including Bush’s own Methodist Church have condemned the war as a Christian abomination) ,there is no end to Americans use and abuse and bastardization of Christianity to justify their greed and avarice .

    These good little American Christians had better really realize that there is a day of judgement and their support of the atrocities of their government both domestically and internationally will be part of that judgement.

    Republican/conservative taxing policies are simply an anathema to all Christ stood for and if you have any doubt just read the Sermon on the Mount

14. dumdum on March 19th, 2008 11:05 pm

    Great Question Jeff O! Good food for thought. I think that I will sit and ponder on it for awhile.

    O.K. I think i have it- he would do like he did the money changers in the temple of worship- he would drive them out of the temples of power in our country. The money changers were trying to turn a profit in the church- they were probably early republicans.

15. smsmith500 on March 20th, 2008 8:36 am

    Actually people below a certain income level don’t pay taxes. While those defined as “rich” or “wealthy” pay up to 50% of their income. And the facts are that the Republican party has never “denied” anyone welfare. The national Health Insurance hasn’t even made it to a vote in Congress.

16. Gentle Giant on March 21st, 2008 6:48 am

    Who is so arrogant as to presume to speak for Jesus?
    I think that to do so is pure hypocrisy but, since under Yahoo’s rules, I must answer your question, I will pretend I’m Jesus.
    I think the Republican’s policies of fair taxation is wonderful and Democratic. I think the Policies of the Leftist Liberals is socialistic and would destroy the economy of the US eventually.
    I suggest that you vote for the Republicans.
    Many of you have chosen to ignore my words:
    Render unto Caresar that which is Caesar’s and render unto God that which is God’s.
    I never said it is right to destroy those who work and produce wealth and create jobs for the others.

17. leopardlady on March 21st, 2008 10:20 pm

    The poor are NOT taxed!
    The middle class is taxed!
    The rich is taxed much more, just not enough for socialist Democrats.
    And Jesus said “render unto Ceasar what is Ceasars.” Do you think he was only referring to the rich?

    I am not sure what Jesus would say about the war. His sermons were about indiviual to indiviual. – not about country to country. But there was plenty of attempts to resolve the confict before the war.

    And Jesus says to GIVE to the poor – NOT to TAKE from the rich to give to the poor.
    You are confusing Jesus Christ with Robin Hood.