February 5, 2012
Super Bowl Sunday. Watching the commercials, interrupted by snip-its of football. Reminds me of  admitting I had bought a Playboy, back in the day, "I only buy it for the articles." Yeah, right. I did admit to a clerk in a convenience store once, "I only buy it for the pictures." I think there are so many watching the game for the commercials. It is half-time and an old blond woman is lip syncing some bad music that is hard to understand, much less appreciate (?). I think I would have enjoyed thirty minutes of Super Bowl's best commercials.

Just saying...

Well, it seems our president is invoking the scriptures to validate raising taxes on the wealthy. "To whom much is given, much is expected..." Is it only money that the scripture refers to? If so, then perhaps he is correct. But many theologians and lay people believe that the admonition applies not just to fiscal property, but the words refer to our talents and abilities also. If that is true, then how is the government to tax our ability to sing, to write, to care for a loved one, to care for the poor? I am sure someone will devise a plan. It will just increase the size of our 1040 forms, but that will be a boon for the paper industry, CPA's, and tax lawyers and courts. 

I now must ask: Is this invocation to validate increased taxes so that we might wipe out poverty? Like the War on Poverty declared by LBJ? I am not sure that is his intent, but if it is, we must needs look at another bit of scripture. Jesus told Judas not to rebuke the woman who anointed Him with a costly oil which Judas contended should have been sold and the proceeds used for the poor, as the "the poor will always be with us, but He would not. I understand this to mean that we cannot reach the perfection of wiping out poverty, but we will always have the opportunity to help those we find less fortunate.

Whether you believe in tithing or not, our giving (monetary, goods, services, or otherwise) is a measure of our belief and commitment to these scriptures. In that regard, I noted that when the tax returns of presidential candidates were released for the public our president had donated 1% of his approximately 7 million dollar income and another candidate had donated almost 15% of his 20-something million dollar income. It occurs to me that to talk the talk is easy, but walking the walk requires more than "lip service."

Just saying...