;o)
Posted on 03/30/2002 7:53:37 PM PST by malakhi
| Statesmen may plan and speculate for liberty, but it is religion and morality alone which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely stand. The only foundation of a free constitution is pure virtue. - John Adams |
Stop poking at it! ;-)
The bottom line is that, even if this entire existence is pre-determined, we are instructed to live as if our free will choices matter.
SD
Both state and local income or wage taxes are unavoidable. Local taxes are usually 1% (with half for gov't and half for schools). Poor working folks are not excepted.
And such pleasures as annual local per capita taxes, and the annual tax for the "privlege" of working in a community.
Unbelievable. They always find some way to extract their pound of flesh.
It's nuisance taxes, really. The first paycheck in January you have to extract $10 from everyone and send to to whatever community your business is in.
The per capitas amount to like $25 or something, but once a year you have to fill out the form and write a check. Senior citizens and children are exempt. For some reason the township I live in now doesn't have them.
SD
Texas doesn't have an income tax, right?
I know I have a good situation, but most around here pay about $2000 on a $100,000 house.
SD
Thank God, no! Every time some boneheaded lawmaker introduces a bill proposing one, the State Legislature votes it down.
Still a sellers market in Northern Virginia (hoping it remains so through the end of the year). Prices have stopped moving upwards at such a rapid rate, but we haven't seen any decline. BTW - Property taxes on our townhouse just went up to around $3,000. And, unlike Texas...we have an income tax. Federal income taxes are probably going to be our smallest bite next year (assuming Bush passes hi tax cut).
Of course, what do you pay for your car annually?
SD
We who live in Florida are blessed as far as our taxes go.
We have what they call the "Homestead Act" here, where you automatically get 25.000. knocked off the appraised value of your home when you buy.
I had a friend that paid $30.000. for a nice condo over 12 years ago. By the time they took the $25.000. off, he was left paying property tax on $5.000., which left him paying a hundred or so a year in taxes.
JH
I like the way you put it here better than the expression that "he died to atone for our sins". It shouldn't surprise you that I have to put these things in my own words, and the above is closer to my way of thinking than the "atonement" language. My main problem with the idea of someone else atoning for your sins is that Ezekiel explicitly says that this is impossible.
The soul that sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son; the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. (Ezekiel 18:20)
I don't see how you can escape the plain meaning of this passage.
Now, that being said, "saving the lost" has a different connotation that doesn't necessarily contradict Ezekiel. It can, for example, mean "showing the way". One of the teachings of mystical Judaism is that Creation is broken, and that part of our role is to cooperate with God in repairing the world and reconciling it to Him. It is in this sense that I can see Jesus's role -- revealing or making present God's love for us, and by doing so reconciling man to God.
Contrary to the gospel, I don't think that this is an exclusive way to God. I believe that people can be in relationship with God without even knowing about Jesus. "For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God."
That's another area (besides no state income tax) where we have it good in comparison with most other states. My cars cost me about $65 a year each for registrations.
The WWCG taught it was our place of safety for the 3 1/2 years before the return of Christ.
JH FYI
;o)
$36 here. Plus annual inspections, both mechanical and for "emissions."
(Of course, we have the crappiest roads in the free world, but that's due to misfeasance more than lack of funds.) SD
Moses, through the power of God, performed many miracles. The prophet Elisha, through the power of God, raised a boy from the dead. I don't see the ability to perform miracles (which are, again, always performed by God, not by man) as evidence of divinity.
Study the bible. Have some faith. You'll feel better:)
I do, of course, study the Bible. And I do have faith in God, which certainly separates me from the atheists.
Thanks Jim. I wonder what the Jordanians would have thought of a sudden influx of WWCGers?
Then a newsman pumped Henry Kissinger on it, and Henry drove me up a wall with his non-answer answer.
Biden seems to be hoping he can scare all the Muslim nations into uniting against us, while we’re sandwiched in between all of them. Have any of you heard this?
The guy is an idiot.
JH
JH
They thought God had it all worked out, but then His phone rang, and He forgot all about them and the plan. Lol
JH WWCGers...I love it :-)
Mark 9:17 And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit;
18 And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.
19 He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me.
20 And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.
21 And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.
22 And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.
23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.
26 And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.
27 But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.
28 And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?
29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
Maybe it will change from buyers market to sellers market here by virtue of the nice weather and the bloom soon to come.
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