Side Bars – Who We Are – The Name – Christian, not Conservative – A 19th Century Christian Theologian’s Comments on Secular Conservatism – The Bible, Taxation and Whiskey – Crime and Restitution – Judges versus Computers – Get a Political Tax Credit

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The Bible, Taxation and Whiskey

"And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants...And you shall cry out in that day because of your king which you shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day." (I Sam. 8:15-18)

Five of this year’s Measures (86, 88, 91, 93 and 8) are attempts to reduce taxation, and we support them all. Since the federal income tax was initiated in 1913, the percentage of our income that goes to all combined taxes (federal and state) has gone from roughly 10 percent (which it was for decades) to around 45 to 50 percent. Oregon alone now spends about 18 percent of all personal income made in the state. Some of this increase seems justified by the increase in population density, and resultant increased administration costs of urban areas. But most of this increase is because civil government now performs many functions once delegated to families, local communities, churches, and voluntary associations.

The Bible is the standard by which all men’s actions must be properly evaluated and governed. This standard tells us that civil government’s job is to restrain certain sins by punishing evildoers (Rom. 13:4) and to praise the righteous (2 Pet. 2:14). Some taxation is necessary for the various layers of civil government to do these jobs. But the Bible describes a government that takes more than 10% of the people's income in taxation as oppressive and tyrannical (see above quote). A man once said that giving money and power to politicians is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys. Its time to put these boys on the wagon.

Three things will happen as taxes are lowered. First, the State will no longer be able to afford to do many of the tasks it is doing today. Second, the population will have more money to do the tasks it should not have given over to the State. These tasks include most education, health care and welfare. Since the State isn’t called by God to provide these services, it does these tasks poorly. Since God has called the family, the church, and voluntary associations and organizations to do these tasks, they will be done better, and more efficiently. Third, the State will once more be focused on its God-given tasks, and do them better!

This voters' guide produced by Parents Education Association, PAC.