Do you remember Brad Trost? Neither did I, but he's in the news about God and taxes and the Conservative Party.
What also caught my attention were some comments....not that I ever read FB comments....
Rochelle Knox Paul in Romans 13:6-7 "That is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor."
Rochelle Knox Jesus in Mark 12:17 "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's." (In response to the question in verse 14 "Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?")
Leighton Tebay In the Jewish law a number of different taxes were charged. They are more commonly called tithes, but it was essentially the same thing. It was controversial in Jesus' time to pay tax to the occupying Roman state, but when the time came Jesus paid it. From this interaction we get the phrase "Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's." Later on the apostle Paul encouraged Christians in Rome to pay taxes because the government has a God given role in society.
I say all this to point out, if Brad Trost's God put him on earth to stop taxes, he is very much in conflict with the God described in Jewish and Christian tradition.
Rochelle Knox And technically the 10% tithe of the Old Testament was a tax because the Israelites lived in a Theocracy.
Dave McCormick I have no particular problem with Trost believing what he wants, but he'd be a fool to sincerely believe that ALL taxes should be done away with. After all, some of those taxes pay his salary, and his pension, and his travel and living expenses.... On the other hand, if he and his ilk had to live on what people "wanted to pay", we could all be happy. Sort of a believer's tithe, if you like. I could live with that, I think.
Everyone should be concerned with government waste, but I don't think that's what he's talking about. He's talking about dismantling the things that make our country a good place in which to live. Of course, I would hope he'd be against fake lakes at G20 meetings, expensive gazebos, an unlimited amount spent on F35 fighter jets.... Need I go on? The last bunch of "conservatives" we put up with for 10 years were NOT good fiscal managers.
My main concern with "conservatives" like these is that they'aren't builders. All they know how to do is tear down the things that make our society good, tolerant, civilized. If you don't believe me, then just look at where the USA is going. How's that working so far? They tend to dismantle all decent programs until they don't work and people get angry and frustrated, at which point they sell the infrastructure to their corporate buddies. If this isn't, in fact, reality, someone needs to prove to me that it isn't so.
I do have a problem with these "evangelicals" who deny evolution, climate change, medical science and science in general. If they want to live in the Dark Ages and believe that the earth is 6000 years old, I guess that's OK with me, but they should NEVER be in a position where they can control the advancement of knowledge for the rest of society.
So Trost can believe what he wants. Fortunately, I believe that the majority of Canadians have very little interest in religious zealots and his kind of negativity. That should keep him out of any position of real power forever.
So. Now you know who Brad Trost is. Seems Brad fits into this little cartoon quite well. Someone to watch, obviously.
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