Liberals, I'm Curious. How much money is enough? What's the max?

Are there any long term or multi-generational unemployed people in the First World? If so, there's your answer.

Pish tosh. Unless you're barking mad and crawling on the ceiling, you can pull your weight.

 

Jesus only had enough because he was able to rely on God to provide for his needs. Liberals on the other hand are going to need a lot more money than that.

 

Or even relatively minor ones.

Sometimes that can interfere with being able to make it. Especially since to hold down a job you have to be reliable, so even one bad day a week could be a disqualifier.

I know someone with Parkinson's who sometimes has "off" days where it's really hard to do things. Or sometimes people with severe bipolar issues can't function at work sometimes and have to call in sick.
Being OK 90% of the time isn't enough.

 

I agree to some extent, I think a minimal state is necessary. I also think we sometimes take it too far, and that there is a balance to be struck.

I also think it's unfair that the tax system is so heavily progressive, I would cut spending on the military, entitlements and foreign aid, and have a more equal distribution of the tax burden across the lower and middle classes, not just the rich.

More than anything I just want many independent sovereign nations. Then I don't much care what policy you push as I can simply move somewhere that more closely fits my views. I am fine with liberals, communists, libertarians, anarchists, fascists, whatever - just don't be an imperialist ******* and we can get along.

I think the most dangerous tendency in politics is the inclination to cram everyone into a one-size-fits-all policy, with large regional/international governments and policy dictated from the top down. Local autonomy is the most important issue to me. Local communities should be able to govern themselves. The United States, China, Germany, Britain, even Australia - all these nations are too large in my view.

 

Very interesting ideas. Never imagined the world in that way.
I wonder... what would be the pros and cons of that kind of society, (or societies)?

 

Really?
Perhaps you would care to share this wealth of information
that you are referring to.
After all, I am just a liberal heathen looking for handouts.
I don't comprehend these "deeper meanings" of scripture
like you "Christians" do.

 

I’ve given a pretty good overview in previous posts. There’s nothing complicated or mysterious. You just read the book with an open mind. You’ve been able to quote texts in argument of other issues so I’m assuming you are able to do this.

I think this religious debate in threads about economics and politics is distracting from the OP and that isn’t really fair. In that spirit, I’m more than happy to continue if it’s important enough for you to start a thread in the religion section and direct me to it. Also, this goes for anyone, I’m open to PM for any of these kinds of discussions.

 

Lol. So far you've given nothing but BS as usual.

Okay then why don't you PM all this Biblical advice?

 

You are welcome to present facts, logic, or opinion to dispute anything I’ve said. Or reply with more of this. I’m sure the rest of the forum would prefer something more substantial from you but we’ve been down this road before so I’m pretty ambivalent at this point.

I will reply to anyone who PMs me. With honest discussion, not advice.

 

Very difficult to have conversation when 557 can't remember his own posts.
(or chooses not to).

This is your statement...

I'm asking you to present this "The Bible is full of advice on using money/possessions for positive influence on other’s lives." that you claim exists in some "deeper meaning" somewhere.
If you don't wish to post it here, then PM it as you suggested.

I think it's relevant to this OP because many of the same people
who are worried about their tax money being unjustifiably given to poor
folks for various reasons, are also claiming to be "Christian" as are you.
You have claimed to know of a "deeper meaning" and "in context" explanation
of the Biblical quote that was posted here by someone else.
I am simply asking you to share that knowledge here or in PM.

 

The Bible gives advice. I can only offer my understanding of it. Unless you want to come to my office, then I can give advice. I bill flat rate $200/hr.

If you think it’s relevant I’ll try again. I’m not going to repeat myself though. My explanation of my understanding of the original text in question is in this thread.

Are you looking for further texts on the subject or my understanding of them as a whole?

 

the unemployment compensation tax should be a general tax based on need; if business wants to lower their tax burden they can hire more people, especially in right to work States.

 

Lol. I am not now, nor will I ever ask you for advice.
I promise.

You have stated that...

Where in the Bible is this advice located other than in your imagination?
You just blurt out the idea that the Bible gives some instructions about....
"using money/possessions for positive influence on other’s lives."
But you give no references for this information.
Where in the Bible did you find all this advice that you speak of?

 

Well, they need high cost real estate in expensive cities, to start with. It's a human right. Then there's the phones ... and the Beats. Not to mention $5 coffees.

 

Parkinsons isn't a mental illness.

And the 90% folk can do something other than work in a conventional setting. They could volunteer to stay at home and do all the domestic chores so that everyone else in the household can go out and earn money. They could operate a small home-based business on their own terms. They could grow vegetables for the family. They could accept low pay in exchange for philanthropic work. They could become a live in caretaker with light duties in exchange for room and board. Etc etc. There are many ways to pull your weight, besides the conventional.

 

If you’re after texts I’ll get you a sample. It’s been a busy afternoon and I don’t have the text references memorized. I’m not lying.

 

It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.

 

Why?

 

Ok, I haven’t counted personally but it’s said by those that have there are over 2000 scriptural references on how believers ought to handle money/possessions.

I’m going to just “blurt out” a few I picked that are most relevant to the subject at hand. I’m pretty sure if you look them up you’ll find they exist outside my imagination. Lol. I do still appreciate your sense of humor. That trait seems to be in short supply when these “religion” things come up.

Luke 10:25-37
Proverbs 6:6-11
Ecclesiastes 5:10
1 Timothy 6:17-19
Deuteronomy 15:7
Proverbs 3:9
1 Timothy 6:6-12
2 Corinthians 9:7
1 Corinthians 13:3
Proverbs 22:9
Proverbs 14:31
Luke 12:15
Ephesians 5:5
1 Peter 5:2
Luke 6:35
Proverbs 13:22
Proverbs 13:4
Matthew 25:14-30
Deuteronomy 8:18

 

a divine Commune of Heaven requires social morals for free.

 

Okay. Lets examine your first example of how "believers ought to handle money/possessions".

Jesus is telling a story about how a traveler is robbed, beaten and left for dead on the side of the road. A priest ("religious person"), walking by saw the beaten traveler, and walked to the other side of the road. Likewise, a Levite (Levites served as assistants to the "religious people"), saw the beaten man and passed by on the other side of the road. Then a Samaritan ( Samaritans were hated by the "religious people") saw the beaten man, bandaged him up and took the poor man to safety.

So in your mind, this story is all about how to handle your money?

It seems to me, that in this day and age, as in the time of Jesus,
it is the so called "believers" who turn their backs on the down and out.
I think that's what this story is really about.

 

I don’t like to fish but you can’t say I don’t know how to bait a hook!

The only part of your premise that has any validity is that the Samaritans and Jews did not get along. The rest is false premise because Samaritans were believers. In fact possibly more “true” believers than the Jewish leaders. Essentially you are saying Baptist are good but Lutherans are bad.

But the story does call out hypocrisy. In that we agree.

Yes, the story deals with money. From beginning to end. And how believers are to think about and handle it.

Care to back up your claim believers turn their back on the down and out?

 

Exactly. That is the whole point of these passages. That the "religious people" or "church people"
like yourself, don't actually follow their god's teachings. They only follow the rules made up by their particular denomination. They don't actually follow the teachings of their god Jesus, they just quote
them and then claim that they have some "deeper meaning" and are not meant to be taken literally.

I've never said anyone is bad. I'm saying you're unconscious.

Yes and that's all that it's about. Look up some commentary on that passage. It has nothing to do with money unless you are a televangelist looking for a handout. R U a televangelist?

 

Solving simple poverty works for me; the Poor have no economic basis to Care how much the rich make if they are not in poverty because of it.

 

Can you give me some evidence that I don’t follow these teachings? And that other Christians don’t? Have you anything to back up your claim? Or is it just personal animosity?

Unconscious?

Whatever commentary you use is very shallow.
A story about robbery, putting oneself in danger of robbery to help others, and paying out of ones own pocket for medical care and living for a stranger is not only about hypocrisy. You really should open your mind to positive things. You seem very angry and vindictive towards people who want to help others with their own money not the money of others. Why is that?