Congress should
- not steal
- discourage others from stealing
Suppose I want to install a security system in my home. I lack
sufficient funds. May I put a gun to your head and demand that you
provide me with the money I need for my project?
- What
if my father confiscated the property of your father, and I proposed
to “succeed” my father in this capacity? (“Hereditary monarchy”)
- What
if my friends all “vote” for me to do so? (“Democracy”)
The anarcho-capitalist believes that nobody—even those calling
themselves “the State”—can legitimately confiscate the property of
others. “Taxation” is theft. And
it is taxation that defines the State; private parties must rely on
voluntary support for their endeavors.
A Politician's "Searching and Fearless Moral
Inventory"
Have I Obeyed the Eighth Commandment?
The Bible says "Thou shalt not steal." The politician adds,
"except by majority vote."
The Bible and the State are moving in diametrically opposed
directions.
This page is adapted from our Ten
Commandments Checklist, to show the conflict between the Law of God
and the State.
The Westminster Larger Catechism (1648) explains our duties under the
Eighth Commandment. [Why
the Westminster Standards are important for Americans.]
How to use the Catechism for a Moral Inventory
First, you must agree that the Catechism has correctly explained the
implications of the Commandment. Assuming it has, you must agree with
God that you are obligated to carry out those principles in your life.
This page is a checklist for you to discern your agreement.
Second you
must ask yourself if you have violated each aspect of the command.
Third, you
must take steps to develop the Character of Christ, and eliminate
"character defects" from your life.
- For each item below, do the following:
-
- 1. Understand the Scripture proof-text. You will notice that the
brilliant Puritan Theologians who compiled the Catechism discerned
sins and duties in passages of Scripture which do not begin with the
words "Thou shalt" or "Thou shalt not."
- Every word
of God is a command for us.
- But even the "thou shalts" and the "thou shalt nots"
demand more from us than we might first think:
- How to
Study the Ten Commandments
If you do not understand the Scripture proof-text after reading the
pages above, write to me.
2. If you understand the Scripture text, but do not agree that the
duty spelled out is in fact commanded to God, explain
to me why not. I'm open-minded. In fact, you will find several
places where I have already indicated my disagreement with the
Catechism. On the whole, however, I think the Catechism is amazing in
its accuracy.
3. If you can think of other duties which might be meaningful in the
lives of others, please send
them to me so I can include them here as well.
Question 140: Which is the eighth commandment?
Answer: The eighth commandment is, Thou shalt not steal.
Question 141: What are the duties required
in the eighth commandment?
Answer: The duties required in the eighth commandment are,
truth, faithfulness, and justice in contracts and commerce between man
and man; rendering to everyone his due; restitution of goods unlawfully
detained from the right owners thereof; giving and lending freely,
according to our abilities, and the necessities of others; moderation of
our judgments, wills, and affections concerning worldly goods; a
provident care and study to get, keep, use, and dispose these things
which are necessary and convenient for the sustentation of our nature,
and suitable to our condition; a lawful calling, and diligence in it;
frugality; avoiding unnecessary lawsuits and suretyship, or other like
engagements; and an endeavor, by all just and lawful means, to procure,
preserve, and further the wealth and outward estate of others, as well
as our own.
Question 142: What are the sins forbidden
in the eighth commandment?
Answer: The sins forbidden in the eighth commandment, besides
the neglect of the duties required, are, theft, robbery, man_stealing,
and receiving anything that is stolen; fraudulent dealing, false weights
and measures, removing land marks, injustice and unfaithfulness in
contracts between man and man, or in matters of trust; oppression,
extortion, usury, bribery, vexatious lawsuits, unjust enclosures and
depopulations; engrossing commodities to enhance the price; unlawful
callings, and all other unjust or sinful ways of taking or withholding
from our neighbor: What belongs to him, or of enriching ourselves;
covetousness; inordinate prizing and affecting worldly goods;
distrustful and distracting cares and studies in getting, keeping, and
using them; envying at the prosperity of others; as likewise idleness,
prodigality, wasteful gaming; and all other ways whereby we do unduly
prejudice our own outward estate, and defrauding ourselves of the due
use and comfort of that estate which God has given us.
Q. 140. Which is the eighth commandment?
A. The eighth commandment is, Thou shalt not steal. Exod. 20:15
Q. 141.
What are the duties required in the eighth commandment?
A. The duties required in the eighth commandment are, truth,
faithfulness, and justice in contracts and commerce between man and man;
Ps. 15:2, 4; Zech. 7:4, 10; Zech. 8:16-17
| Psalms 15:2 He who walks uprightly, And works
righteousness, And speaks the truth in his heart; {4} In whose
eyes a vile person is despised, But he honors those who fear the
LORD; He who swears to his own hurt and does not change; |
When a politician finds that he cannot keep his
campaign promises without alienating a special interest group,
does he keep them anyway, "to his own hurt?" |
| Zechariah 7:4 Then the word of the LORD of hosts
came to me, saying, {10} Do not oppress the widow or the
fatherless, The alien or the poor. Let none of you plan evil in
his heart Against his brother.' |
Has there been a government in the history of man
that has not ripped off widows in order to fund its pet
projects? (Find out about "Fractional
Reserve Banking") |
| Zechariah 8:16-17 These are the things you shall
do: Speak each man the truth to his neighbor; Give judgment in
your gates for truth, justice, and peace; {17} Let none of you
think evil in your heart against your neighbor; And do not love
a false oath. For all these are things that I hate,' Says the
LORD." |
Since
1961, no American politician has taken a
true oath. |
The duties required in the eighth commandment are, rendering
to everyone his due; restitution of goods unlawfully detained from the
right owners thereof; Lev. 6:2-5; Luke 19:8
| Leviticus 6:2-5 "If a person sins and commits
a trespass against the LORD by lying to his neighbor about what
was delivered to him for safekeeping, or about a pledge, or
about a robbery, or if he has extorted from his neighbor, {3}
"or if he has found what was lost and lies concerning it,
and swears falsely; in any one of these things that a man may do
in which he sins: {4} "then it shall be, because he has
sinned and is guilty, that he shall restore what he has stolen,
or the thing which he has extorted, or what was delivered to him
for safekeeping, or the lost thing which he found, {5} "or
all that about which he has sworn falsely. He shall restore its
full value, add one-fifth more to it, and give it to whomever it
belongs, on the day of his trespass offering. |
If you are robbed, do not expect the State to get
your money back. Instead, expect the State to take more money
from you in order to pay for the cable TV and weightlifting set
which your robber will enjoy during a few short months in
prison.
A
Biblical Critique of Prisons
Do you want the robber to do what's right, or do you simply
want to "punish"
him?
|
| Luke 19:8 Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the
Lord, "Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and
if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I
restore fourfold." |
Restitution |
The duties required in the eighth commandment are, giving and
lending freely, according to our abilities, and the necessities of
others; Luke 6:30, 38; 1 John 3:17; Eph. 4:28; Gal. 6:10
| Luke 6:30,38 "Give to everyone who asks of
you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them
back. {38} "Give, and it will be given to you: good
measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be
put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it
will be measured back to you." |
If Jesus says we are not to demand a return of
that which was taken from us, is it OK to hire a mafia
"enforcer" who will demand our goods back? ("I'll
make him an offer he can't refuse.") Can we
"vote" for someone to do this for us? |
| 1 John 3:17 But whoever has this world's goods,
and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him,
how does the love of God abide in him? |
If you see someone in need, but do not give him
any help, is "I already paid my taxes" an acceptable
justification? |
| Ephesians 4:28 Let him who stole steal no longer,
but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good,
that he may have something to give him who has need. |
Politicians do not produce anything of value. They
take from others and redistribute it (after taking their cut).
Should they get real jobs so that they can give their own money? |
| Galatians 6:10 Therefore, as we have opportunity,
let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the
household of faith. |
Is "the State" a good way for us to do
good, or is it a way to get others to do good for us? |
The duties required in the eighth commandment are, moderation
of our judgments, wills, and affections concerning worldly goods;
1 Tim. 6:6-9; Gal. 6:14
| 1 Timothy 6:6-9 Now godliness with contentment is
great gain. {7} For we brought nothing into this world, and it
is certain we can carry nothing out. {8} And having food and
clothing, with these we shall be content. {9} But those who
desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into
many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction
and perdition. |
Will a godly, contented person vote for any
politician? What can the State possibly do for a godly,
contented person? |
| Galatians 6:14 But God forbid that I should boast
except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world
has been crucified to me, and I to the world. |
|
The duties required in the eighth commandment are, a
provident care and study to get, these things which are
necessary and convenient for the sustentation of our nature, and
suitable to our condition; 1 Tim. 5:8
The duties required in the eighth commandment are, a provident care
and study to keep, use, and dispose these things which are
necessary and convenient for the sustentation of our nature, and
suitable to our condition; Prov. 27:23-27; Eccl. 2:24; Eccl.
3:12-13; 1 Tim. 6:17-18; Isa. 38:1; Matt. 11:8
| Proverbs 27:23-27 Be diligent to know the state of
your flocks, And attend to your herds; {24} For riches are not
forever, Nor does a crown endure to all generations. {25} When
the hay is removed, and the tender grass shows itself, And the
herbs of the mountains are gathered in, {26} The lambs will
provide your clothing, And the goats the price of a field; {27}
You shall have enough goats' milk for your food, For the food of
your household, And the nourishment of your maidservants. |
When we "delegate" more and more of our
responsibilities to the State, does this make us more
responsible? |
| Ecclesiastes 2:24 Nothing is better for a man than
that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy
good in his labor. This also, I saw, was from the hand of God. |
|
| Ecclesiastes 3:12-13 I know that nothing is better
for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, {13}
and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good
of all his labor; it is the gift of God. |
Does the State encourage us to labor and to enjoy
the fruits of our labor, or does it encourage us to enjoy the
fruits of other people's labor? |
| 1 Timothy 6:17-18 Command those who are rich in
this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain
riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to
enjoy. {18} Let them do good, that they be rich in good works,
ready to give, willing to share, |
Do we create a State because we are willing to
share, or because we want other people to share? |
| Isaiah 38:1 In those days Hezekiah was sick and
near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him
and said to him, "Thus says the LORD: 'Set your house in
order, for you shall die and not live.'" |
The State promises us security from womb to tomb.
Does this not make humanists
of us all, putting our focus on the State as organized humanity,
rather than God? |
| Matthew 11:8 "But what did you go out to see?
A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft
clothing are in kings' houses. |
Note the contrast between a genuine prophet of God
(John the Baptist) and politicians, who are among the wealthiest
in society. |
The duties required in the eighth commandment are, a lawful
calling, 1 Cor. 7:20; Gen. 2:15; Gen. 3:19
| 1 Corinthians 7:20 Let each one remain in the same
calling in which he was called. |
|
| Genesis 2:15 Then the LORD God took the man and
put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. |
|
| Genesis 3:19 In the sweat of your face you shall
eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were
taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return." |
Do those who aspire to political power aim for a
lawful calling? |
The duties required in the eighth commandment are, a lawful calling, and
diligence in it; Eph. 4:28; Prov. 10:4
| Ephesians 4:28 Let him who stole steal no longer,
but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good,
that he may have something to give him who has need. |
Does the State encourage diligence? |
| Proverbs 10:4 He who has a slack hand becomes
poor, But the hand of the diligent makes rich. |
Can the State make us rich? Can the State bring
prosperity? |
The duties required in the eighth commandment are, frugality;
John 6:12; Prov. 21:20
| John 6:12 So when they were filled, He said to His
disciples, "Gather up the fragments that remain, so that
nothing is lost." |
Is the State frugal? |
| Proverbs 21:20 There is desirable treasure, And
oil in the dwelling of the wise, But a foolish man squanders it. |
Does the State encourage frugality? |
The duties required in the eighth commandment are, avoiding
unnecessary lawsuits, 1 Cor. 6:1-9
| 1 Corinthians 6:1-9 Dare any of you, having a
matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and
not before the saints? {2} Do you not know that the saints will
judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you
unworthy to judge the smallest matters? {3} Do you not know that
we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to
this life? {4} If then you have judgments concerning things
pertaining to this life, do you appoint those who are least
esteemed by the church to judge? {5} I say this to your shame.
Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one,
who will be able to judge between his brethren? {6} But brother
goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers! {7} Now
therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to
law against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why
do you not rather let yourselves be cheated? {8} No, you
yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your
brethren! {9} Do you not know that the unrighteous will not
inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither
fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor
sodomites, |
Justice:
The Overlooked Monopoly
The Costs of Lawsuit
abuse (off-site)
Defending
Civil Society (off-site)
A
"Liberal" Justice System (off-site)
Wacky
labels highlight litigious society (off-site)
|
The duties required in the eighth commandment are, suretiship,
or other like engagements; Prov. 6:1-6; Prov. 11:15
| Proverbs 6:1-6 My son, if you become surety for
your friend, If you have shaken hands in pledge for a stranger,
{2} You are snared by the words of your mouth; You are taken by
the words of your mouth. {3} So do this, my son, and deliver
yourself; For you have come into the hand of your friend: Go and
humble yourself; Plead with your friend. {4} Give no sleep to
your eyes, Nor slumber to your eyelids. {5} Deliver yourself
like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, And like a bird from
the hand of the fowler. {6} Go to the ant, you sluggard!
Consider her ways and be wise, |
The Larger Catechism is saying that becoming
surety for someone is a violation of God's Commandment,
"Thou shalt not steal." How is this so? Have we become
sureties for communist dictatorships by allowing our government
to give them no-interest or low-interest loans? Is the Social
Security system a massive system of suretyship? What about the
thousands of students who have government loans, which you will
repay if they fail to do so? |
| Proverbs 11:15 He who is surety for a stranger
will suffer, But one who hates being surety is secure. |
|
The duties required in the eighth commandment are, an
endeavor, by all just and lawful means, to procure, preserve, and
further the wealth and outward estate of others, as well as our own.
Lev. 25:35; Deut. 22:1-4; Exod. 23:4-5; Gen. 47:14, 20; Phil. 2:4; Matt.
22:39
| Leviticus 25:35 'If one of your brethren becomes
poor, and falls into poverty among you, then you shall help him,
like a stranger or a sojourner, that he may live with you. |
Does this verse say that if we see some in need,
that we can "vote" for a politician to levy
a tax on someone we don't like to make him
help the needy? |
| Deuteronomy 22:1-4 "You shall not see your
brother's ox or his sheep going astray, and hide yourself from
them; you shall certainly bring them back to your brother. {2}
"And if your brother is not near you, or if you do not know
him, then you shall bring it to your own house, and it shall
remain with you until your brother seeks it; then you shall
restore it to him. {3} "You shall do the same with his
donkey, and so shall you do with his garment; with any lost
thing of your brother's, which he has lost and you have found,
you shall do likewise; you must not hide yourself. {4} "You
shall not see your brother's donkey or his ox fall down along
the road, and hide yourself from them; you shall surely help him
lift them up again. |
The Bible requires personalism.
We must act. |
| Exodus 23:4-5 "If you meet your enemy's ox or
his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him
again. {5} "If you see the donkey of one who hates you
lying under its burden, and you would refrain from helping it,
you shall surely help him with it. |
|
| Genesis 47:14,20 And Joseph gathered up all the
money that was found in the land of Egypt and in the land of
Canaan, for the grain which they bought; and Joseph brought the
money into Pharaoh's house. {20} Then Joseph bought all the land
of Egypt for Pharaoh; for every man of the Egyptians sold his
field, because the famine was severe upon them. So the land
became Pharaoh's. |
We are commanded to "save for a rainy
day."
Joseph received a direct vision from God, as a part of God's
miraculous and supernatural destruction of Pharaoh's Empire. Do
ordinary politicians have this kind of direct contact with God?
Should we "vote" for them to take money from others to
save up for our rainy day?
|
| Philippians 2:4 Let each of you look out not only
for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. |
Can we "delegate" this duty to
politicians and bureaucrats? |
| Matthew 22:39 "And the second is like it:
'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' |
|
Q. 142.
What are the sins forbidden in the eighth commandment?
A. The sins forbidden in the eighth commandment, besides the
neglect of the duties required, James 2:15-16; 1 John
3:17 are,
| James 2:15-16 If a brother or sister is naked and
destitute of daily food, {16} and one of you says to them,
"Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do
not give them the things which are needed for the body, what
does it profit? |
Can we instead say, "I voted for
compassionate politicians?" |
| 1 John 3:17 But whoever has this world's goods,
and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him,
how does the love of God abide in him? |
Can we say instead, "That's why I pay
taxes?" |
The sins forbidden in the eighth commandment are, theft,
Eph. 4:28
| Ephesians 4:28 Let him who stole steal no longer,
but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good,
that he may have something to give him who has need. |
Taxation is theft. |
The sins forbidden in the eighth commandment are, robbery,
Ps. 62:10
| Psalms 62:10 Do not trust in oppression, Nor
vainly hope in robbery; If riches increase, Do not set your
heart on them. |
Politicians
are robbers. |
The sins forbidden in the eighth commandment are, man-stealing,
1 Tim 1:10
| 1 Timothy 1:10 for fornicators, for sodomites, for
kidnappers, for
liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is
contrary to sound doctrine, |
If I discover that you are using herbs which have
not been approved by the FDA, and I lock you up in my basement
with a couple of sociopathic psychos, and will not release you
until you "post bail," how am I different from (a) the
State's prison system (b) kidnappers? |
The sins forbidden in the eighth commandment are, and
receiving any thing that is stolen; Prov. 29:24; Ps. 50:18
| Proverbs 29:24 Whoever is a partner with a thief
hates his own life; He swears to tell the truth, but reveals
nothing. |
|
| Psalms 50:18 When you saw a thief, you consented
with him, And have been a partaker with adulterers. |
|
The sins forbidden in the eighth commandment are, fraudulent
dealing, 1 Thess. 4:6
| 1 Thessalonians 4:6 that no one should take
advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the
Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and
testified. |
|
The sins forbidden in the eighth commandment are, false
weights and measures, Prov. 11:1; Prov. 20:10
| Proverbs 11:1 Dishonest scales are an abomination
to the LORD, But a just weight is His delight. |
|
| Proverbs 20:10 Diverse weights and diverse
measures, They are both alike, an abomination to the LORD. |
|
| |
Study
False Weights and Measures |
The sins forbidden in the eighth commandment are, removing
landmarks, Deut. 19:14; Prov. 23:10
| Deuteronomy 19:14 "You shall not remove your
neighbor's landmark, which the men of old have set, in your
inheritance which you will inherit in the land that the LORD
your God is giving you to possess. |
See R.J. Rushdoony, "Landmark and Land"
under the Eighth Commandment in Institutes of Biblical Law,
pp. 448-493. |
| Proverbs 23:10 Do not remove the ancient landmark,
Nor enter the fields of the fatherless; |
See also "Social Inheritance: Landmarks"
in ibid., pp. 328-332. The State establishes itself by
destroying landmarks and confiscating property. A State cannot
exist without violating these commandments. If all the citizens
of a jurisdiction agree voluntarily to pool their property, you
have voluntary communism (Acts 2:44-45), but not "the
State." By definition, the State is permitted to use force
to confiscate property from the uncooperative. To continue
confiscating property without too great resistance, the State
must also destroy moral standards and social landmarks. |
The sins forbidden in the eighth commandment are, injustice
and unfaithfulness in contracts between man and man, Amos 8:5;
Ps. 37:21
| Amos 8:5 Saying: "When will the New Moon be
past, That we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, That we may trade
wheat? Making the ephah small and the shekel large, Falsifying
the scales by deceit, |
|
| Psalms 37:21 The wicked borrows and
does not repay, But the righteous shows mercy and gives. |
The modern debt-state can never repay its debts.
Many people consider themselves "progressive,"
"compassionate," and "righteous" because
they "vote" for a system which steals from people
today and promises "security" for people tomorrow.
- Senator William Proxmire:
"...there are 37 million people, is that right, that
get Social Security benefits?"
- Social Security Commissioner
James Cardwell: "Today between 32 and 34
million."
- Proxmire: "I am a
little high; 32 to 34 million people.
Almost all of them, or many of them, are voters. In my
state, I figure there are 600,000 voters that receive Social
Security. Can you imagine a senator or congressman under
those circumstances saying, 'We are going to repudiate that
high a proportion of the electorate?' No.
"Furthermore, we have the
capacity under the Constitution, the Congress does, to coin
money, as well as to regulate the value thereof. And
therefore we have the power to provide that money. And
we are going to do it. It
may not be worth anything when the recipient gets it,
but he is going to get his benefits paid."
- Cardwell: "I tend to
agree."
-
- (The Social Security System,
Hearings Before the Joint Economic Committee, Congress of
the United States, 94th Cong., 2nd Session, May 26 and 27,
1976, pp. 27-28. Washington: Government Printing Office,
1977.)
|
The sins forbidden in the eighth commandment are, injustice
and unfaithfulness in matters of trust; Luke 16:10-12
| Luke 16:10-12 "He who is faithful in what is
least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is
least is unjust also in much. {11} "Therefore if you have
not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to
your trust the true riches? {12} "And if you have not been
faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is
your own? |
Not only has the government been entrusted with a
little, but the government owns virtually half the nation, and
takes nearly half our income every year. Has it proven itself to
be faithful to its promised stewardship? |
The sins forbidden in the eighth commandment are, oppression,
Ezek. 22:29; Lev. 25:17
| Ezekiel 22:29 "The people of the land have
used oppressions, committed robbery, and mistreated the poor and
needy; and they wrongfully oppress the stranger. |
Not only does the government steal
from the poor, even when it claims to help the poor, it
ends up intensifying their plight. |
| Leviticus 25:17 'Therefore
you shall not oppress one another, but you shall . . . |
. . . how does this verse end?
- "redistribute wealth from the rich to the poor."
- "force employers to pay laborers more than they're
worth."
- "give money to single mothers only if the father
leaves the house."
No. Here is the opposite of "oppress one another":
but you shall fear
your God; for I am the LORD your God.
The modern State, however, says it must never ever endorse
the fear of God, for that might "offend" atheists. The
State will not promote
the true religion,
Christianity. As a result, the nation moves continually toward
greater oppression.
|
The sins forbidden in the eighth commandment are, extortion,
Matt. 23:25; Ezek. 22:12
| Matthew 23:25 "Woe to you, scribes and
Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup
and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and
self-indulgence. |
| extort |
| [ik-'stôrt]
Latin extortus, past participle of extorquere
to remove by twisting, obtain by force, from ex-
out + torquere to twist
: to obtain (as money) from a person
by force, intimidation, or undue or unlawful use of
authority or power
|
Legal Dictionary at FindLaw.com
|
| Ezekiel 22:12 "In you they take bribes to
shed blood; you take usury and increase; you have made profit
from your neighbors by extortion, and have forgotten Me,"
says the Lord GOD. |
What is the IRS but institutionalized
extortion?
Regulatory
extortion
|
The sins forbidden in the eighth commandment are, usury,
Ps. 15:5
| Psalms 15:5 He who does not put out his money at
usury, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who
does these things shall never be moved. |
If you are late paying your taxes, you must pay
interest (usury)
and penalties. If the IRS is late refunding over-payment, do you
think they will pay you interest for the use of your money? |
The sins forbidden in the eighth commandment are, bribery,
Job 15:34
| Job 15:34 For the company of hypocrites will be
barren, And fire will consume the tents of bribery. |
Despite the protestations of leftists, socialism
creates a Bribery
Culture. It is not against Biblical Law to bribe someone in
order to obtain a just result. It is only prohibited to accept
a bribe from an unjust source (seeking an unjust result). Power
Corrupts. Bribing corrupt governments is a way of life
in many nations today. "Indeed, the tax codes of eight
European countries, as well as New Zealand and Australia, make
foreign bribes a deductible business expense." (Lew
Rockwell) The State is institutionalized corruption. |
The sins forbidden in the eighth commandment are, vexatious
lawsuits, 1 Cor. 6:6-8; Prov. 3:29-30
| 1 Corinthians 6:6-8 But brother goes to law
against brother, and that before unbelievers! {7} Now
therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to
law against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why
do you not rather let yourselves be cheated? {8} No, you
yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your
brethren! |
Behind every judge is an armed marshal. Lawsuits
begin where persuasion ends. The Bible says that if persuasion
fails you, it is better to be cheated than ask the marshal to
point his gun at your neighbor. |
| Proverbs 3:29-30 Do not devise evil against your
neighbor, For he dwells by you for safety's sake. {30} Do not
strive with a man without cause, If he has done you no harm. |
How much worse to employ the armed marshal against
someone who has done you no wrong (something that happens
hundreds of times a day in post-Christian America). |
The sins forbidden in the eighth commandment are, unjust
inclosures and depopulations; Isa. 5:8; Micah 2:2
| Isaiah 5:8 Woe to those who join house to house;
They add field to field, Till there is no place Where they may
dwell alone in the midst of the land! |
It seems like every other week the State has added
another "National Park" to its holdings. The federal
government owns most of the western United States. |
| Micah 2:2 They covet fields and take them by
violence, Also houses, and seize them. So they oppress a man and
his house, A man and his inheritance. |
The fate of the family farm is by now common
knowledge. Estates are sold to pay inheritance
taxes. The government seizes
land daily. |
The sins forbidden in the eighth commandment are, ingrossing
commodities to enhance the price; Prov. 11:26
| Proverbs 11:26 The people will curse him who
withholds grain, But blessing will be on the head of him who
sells it. |
Government agriculture policy consists mainly in
"ingrossing commodities to enhance the price." When
was the last time your pastor preached on this sin? Milk
- Cranberries
- militia
wackos - ADM |
The sins forbidden in the eighth commandment are, unlawful
callings, Acts 19:19, 24-25
| Acts 19:19,24-25 Also, many of those who had
practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in
the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it
totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. {24} For a certain man
named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of
Diana, brought no small profit to the craftsmen. {25} He called
them together with the workers of similar occupation, and said:
"Men, you know that we have our prosperity by this trade. |
Ask 100 people on a busy city street in socialist
Amerika what they "do for a living." Then ask 100 of America's
Founding Fathers what they think about the morality of those
vocations. |
The sins forbidden in the eighth commandment are, all other
unjust or sinful ways of taking or withholding from our neighbour what
belongs to him, or of enriching ourselves; Job 20:19; James
5:4; Prov. 21:6
| Job 20:19 For he has oppressed and forsaken the
poor, He has violently seized a house which he did not build. |
|
| James 5:4 Indeed the wages of the laborers who
mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and
the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of
Sabaoth. |
|
| Proverbs 21:6 Getting treasures by a lying tongue
Is the fleeting fantasy of those who seek death. |
|
The sins forbidden in the eighth commandment are, covetousness;
Luke 12:15
| Luke 12:15 And He said to them, "Take heed
and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in
the abundance of the things he possesses." |
|
The sins forbidden in the eighth commandment are, inordinate
prizing and affecting worldly goods; 1 Tim. 6:5; Col. 3:2; Prov.
23:5; Ps. 62:10
| 1 Timothy 6:5 useless wranglings of men of corrupt
minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is
a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself. |
|
| Colossians 3:2 Set your mind on things above, not
on things on the earth. |
|
| Proverbs 23:5 Will you set your eyes on that which
is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; They fly
away like an eagle toward heaven. |
|
| Psalm 62:10 Do not trust in oppression, Nor vainly
hope in robbery; If riches increase, Do not set your heart on
them. |
|
The sins forbidden in the eighth commandment are, distrustful
and distracting cares and studies in getting, keeping, and using them;
Matt. 6:25, 31, 34; Eccl. 5:12
| Matthew 6:25,31,34 "Therefore I say to you,
do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will
drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life
more than food and the body more than clothing? {31}
"Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or
'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' {34}
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will
worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own
trouble. |
|
| Ecclesiastes 5:12 The sleep of a laboring man is
sweet, Whether he eats little or much; But the abundance of the
rich will not permit him to sleep. |
|
The sins forbidden in the eighth commandment are, envying at
the prosperity of others; Ps. 73:3; Ps. 37:1, 7
| Psalms 73:3 For I was envious of the boastful,
When I saw the prosperity of the wicked. |
|
| Psalms 37:1,7 Do not fret because of evildoers,
Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. {7} Rest in the LORD,
and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who
prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked
schemes to pass. |
|
The sins forbidden in the eighth commandment are, as likewise
idleness, 2 Thess. 3:11; Prov. 18:9
| 2 Thessalonians 3:11 For we hear that there are
some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at
all, but are busybodies. |
Government policies reward
lack of employment. |
| Proverbs 18:9 He who is slothful in his work Is a
brother to him who is a great destroyer. |
|
The sins forbidden in the eighth commandment are, prodigality,
wasteful
gaming; and all other ways whereby we do unduly prejudice our own
outward estate, Prov. 21:17; Prov. 23:20-21; Prov. 28:19
| Proverbs 21:17 He who loves pleasure will be a
poor man; He who loves wine and oil will not be rich. |
"Oil" here is not a reference to a
commodity that has enriched many of our contemporary
politicians. |
| Proverbs 23:20-21 Do not mix with winebibbers, Or
with gluttonous eaters of meat; {21} For the drunkard and the
glutton will come to poverty, And drowsiness will clothe a man
with rags. |
|
| Proverbs 28:19 He who tills his land will have
plenty of bread, But he who follows frivolity will have poverty
enough! |
Politicians oscillate between prohibiting gaming
(gambling) through threats of force and violence, or using
gambling to raise funds for their pet projects and to reward
special interests ("lottery"). |
The sins forbidden in the eighth commandment are, defrauding
ourselves of the due use and comfort of that estate which God hath given
us. Eccl. 4:8; Eccl. 6:2; 1 Tim. 5:8
| Ecclesiastes 4:8 There is one alone, without
companion: He has neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end
to all his labors, Nor is his eye satisfied with riches. But he
never asks, "For whom do I toil and deprive myself of
good?" This also is vanity and a grave misfortune. |
Most politicians do not have a problem with this
part of the Catechism. It is "do-gooding" liberals who
idolize poverty. |
| Ecclesiastes 6:2 A man to whom God has given
riches and wealth and honor, so that he lacks nothing for
himself of all he desires; yet God does not give him power to
eat of it, but a foreigner consumes it. This is vanity, and it
is an evil affliction. |
God has given man dominion over a planet with
abundant wealth. A Godly pursuit of wealth through service and
dominion leads
to the City of God. |
| 1 Timothy 5:8 But if anyone does not provide for
his own, and especially for those of his household, he has
denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. |
|
Note: some anarcho-capitalists believe in self-defense. Others of a
more pacifistic stripe are comfortable with a literal application of the
Sermon on the Mount: “resist not evil.” Both parties would condemn
taxation as the initiation of force against another, regardless of how
they would personally respond to the initiation of such force against
themselves.
Notice how these first two prohibitions come together in our current
system of welfare. The "dominion-oriented" approach is seen in
the parable of the Good Samaritan. He sees someone in need, and reaches
into his own pocket. He may not have been rich. He may have helped the
needy at great sacrifice. He did not rob the next passerby to support
the victim of the first robbery. When a modern "liberal" sees
a needy person, he does not take personal
responsibility and act at great sacrifice. He robs the next passerby
(taxation), pockets half the money he takes
for himself, and hires someone to give the rest to the needy. The
personal dimension of charity is lost both for the giver and the
recipient. One act of violence is compounded by another.
next: Campaign Finance, Corruption and the Oath
of Office
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