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By singing the song “Rich Men North of Richmond” Oliver Anthony became an overnight sensation. His words struck a chord with many who see the problem of American government intrusion and lack of accountability all around them. Here is part of those sanitized lyrics:
These rich men north of Richmond / Lord, knows they all just wanna have total control / Wanna know what you think, wanna know what you do / And they don't think you know but I know that you do / 'Cause your dollar is worthless and it's taxed to no end / 'Cause of rich men north of Richmond.
Oliver Anthony stands in a long line of common folk who wince under the weight of, among other things, taxes. Proverbs 29:4 speaks to the problem,
"By justice a king gives stability to the land but a man who takes bribes overthrows it.”
The word for “bribes” – which are condemned throughout Scripture – points to excessive taxation for selfish purposes. Samuel gave the warning to Israel when it wanted a king like all the other nations: kings require more and more taxes. Kings were known to levy taxes to increase the view of their power and credibility before other nations. By the time of Rehoboam, taxes became so bad that the nation of Israel split in two.*
Our summer series, “What will you replace it with when it’s gone?” speaks to people being able to keep their hard-earned wages to support their families and communities. The age-old problem of the financially powerful versus the financially powerless is seen everywhere in all cultures. When people lose economic freedom, living under unbearable taxation, the only question left to ask is, “How will folks respond when it’s gone?”
For the Comenius Institute, this is Dr. Mark Eckel, Executive Director of the Center for Biblical Integration at Liberty University, personally seeking truth wherever it’s found. [First published at MarkEckel.com]
NOTES * 1 Samuel 8:11-18; 1 Kings 12:1-19
Discussion (4)
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Thanks as always, Dr. Eckel!
Even when I'm silently lurking, like plenty of other people reading your post.
Though they may not be reading this comment, because they aren't members of Ricochet.com.
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I’m staring down the barrel of a fixed 403B fund (the academic equivalent of 401K) and wondering if I’ll be in the same position as my mother who got a substantial lump sum settlement on the death of my father — in 1968.
By five years, the value had greatly diminished and by 1980 it looked like pocket change.
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If you have a paid-for home, it's not so difficult to stay afloat. The people who rent are going to be in very bad situations.
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No inflation.
The government produces actual "public goods" only.
khanacademy.org
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We are too stupid and corrupt for Social Security and Medicare.
Government Is How We Steal From Each Other™
The Ludwig von Mises Institute Is Right About Everything™