King Benjamin was considered by many to be a faithful leader who served the people and encouraged the best conduct in the citizens of the kingdom. So how did King Benjamin and his people look to taxes as well as other groups that became under the rule of wicked king Noah?
In Mosiah 2:14 King Benjamin clearly states his desire as king to "serve (his people), that (the people) should not be laden with taxes, and that there should nothing come upon (the people) which was grievous to be borne." One of King Benjamin's characteristics as a righteous king was that he was not in his office for himself. His service was comprised of selfless acts done to keep a tax burden off the people. The opposite could be then implied of an unrighteous leader. That higher taxes don't serve the people but serve the desires of the leader and their government.
In fact later on in Mosiah 7:15 the people of Limhi, who were in bondage to a Lamanite king, felt their bondage through the payment of taxes. Their feelings of bondage were such that the people of Limhi stated that they would rather be slaves to Nephites than to pay burdensome taxes to the wicked king. To what degree did they consider their tax to be burdensome? In Mosiah 11:3, now under King Noah's rule it is stated that these people were "laid a tax of one fifth part of all they possessed, a fifth part of their gold and of their silver, and a fifth part of their ziff, and of their copper, and of their brass and their iron; and a fifth part of their fatlings, and also a fifth part of all their grain."
1/5 = 20% The bondage these individuals felt was a twenty % tax on everything. To compare that today, the IRS tax rates for 2009 were anywhere between 10-35 percent depending on income. Those that makes less money are at 10 %, and those at 35% make the most. So in modern day, it is not the poor who are being oppressed through taxes. This figure does not include state income taxes or other local taxes as well as property taxes or taxes on the sale of goods which is determined by state, county, and city body politics. The average effective or net tax rate of most middle class Americans is somewhere around 36 % with all things being calculated together. This means that on average we as a people are almost double the tax rate of the people of Limhi who felt in deep bondage, worse so than being slaves to another nation.
Depending on your interpretation of Pre-US history, the Boston Tea Party was due in part to a 3% tax or 3 pence per pound (if we are speaking to British pounds and not the weight measurement) for imported tea. The amount was not considered to be as significant as the idea of being taxed without representation but the amount had merit in their minds as well. Additionally paying a tax to the East India Tea Company rather than to a government increased hostility because there was nothing to be accounted for the tax; no services rendered and it was of no value or there was no return to the people in the tax. The money went away and was lost. In a way the same principles apply to the people of Limhi. Taxes were high as well the taxes represented no voice of the people and provided no services that were returned to the people.
So what has changed overtime to where we are at today? Is a 36 percent tax represent what we as a people want? Are we getting what we pay for? Is there taxations and representation, or are our taxes being paid to feed a political government who is wasting away and supporting laziness, idolatry, and whoredomes? "By the taxes which king Noah (or any government) had put upon (the) people; thus did (or are) the people labor(ing) exceedingly to support iniquity"? (Mosiah 11:6) Does a national health care system support the drug over doses and gender reassignment surgeries of its citizens as well as the welfare condition of the unemployed and unmotivated? Absolutely it does. Do our dollars go to government services or do they go to corporations and special interest groups who return favors for the politicians who pay them?
On one hand we have King Benjamin demonstrating proper governance to not burden the people through taxes and in serving the people's needs. On the other we see King Noah repressing the people through high taxation that supports iniquity and the desires of the king. Apply this today and see where history is repeating itself. The conditions in King Noah's time were described as follows, "Now the eyes of the people were blinded; therefore they hardened their hearts against the words of Abinidi, and they sought from that time forward to take him. And king Noah hardened his heart against the word of the Lord, and he did not repent of his evil doings." (Mosiah 11:29)
The words of the gospel and its prophets are clear. To care for one another's needs are admirable but are not to be borne through taxes and in the universal support of individual government sponsored iniquities. The desire to impose higher taxes on all to serve the needs of the few is WICKED; not just a bad idea but represent the characteristics of wicked leadership. Such a stance is in direct opposition to the righteous example of King Benjamin.
Many people today describe our society similarly to the people of King Noah's day in that they are blinded by their hardened hearts and their rejection of the Lord's council (ie, homosexual marriage issues, principles on charitable health care, etc.) I for one am grateful that we have the Book of Mormon to stand as a witness to more than the divinity of Jesus Christ, but stands as a reference to so much more in helping us to live life to its highest degree. We must stand aside from the philosophies of men mingled with scripture and keep it ALL in scripture. Proper governance cannot be determined in any other way.
I think you are seeing what you want to see. We shouldn't use the Book of Mormon to make politcal comments about taxes. Instead, the Book of Mormon should be used to help us understand our relationship with Christ through the atonement.
ReplyDeleteWhen we start to become a Holier Than Thou with morals on gay marriage, we need to remember that inter-racial marriage was thought to be evil. Mormons up through the 1970s were using the Book of Mormon to show why God would not want a black man and white women to marry. Thank goodness we have overcome that ignorance today.
Javelin, i disagree that the Book of Mormon is only to "be used to help us understand our relationship with Christ through the atonement." I do feel that that is the most important purpose, but the Lord has never been a one dimensional God. The scriptures can be used in every aspect in life. As an example of how to be a friend, a spouse and yes even a righteous leader. I mean in the D&C the Lord even gets specific as to the cleanliness of our homes.
ReplyDeleteWhy wouldn't he want his faithful saints to search out the best in the scriptures, even the best governments, and work with all their might to live in a country governed solely for the good of its people. And before you say it i mean the actual eternal good of the people, not an easy choice less and mandated life. I feel that we must WORK to obtain eternal life. That Christ would never take away our agency by forcing us to do only as he says.
Using the scriptures to prove our political views are righteous will only get us off-centered with the message of Christ. We can learn how to be a better parent, friend, leader with the scriptures, but not to know which apple juice at Wal-Mart is the best for our family.
ReplyDeleteThe issue with taxes becomes political when we start saying what percent of taxes is righteous and what percent is evil.
Boy.I smell Holier than thou all over the place.
ReplyDeleteI missed the revelation on when NOT to use the Scriptures in our daily lives. Can I get a scriptural citation for that?
Liken the what unto who, now?
Don't worry too much about people using the scriptures in their daily conversation. It's rare for Mormons to quote the scriptures from the top of their head. I actually enjoy hearing one use the scriptures without looking it up because it tells me how sincere they are in what they say.
ReplyDeleteWow! Where do you find these apostates James? Putting Homosexuality equivalent to Race is unbelieveable. Here's the secret to life Javelin. Life is about self-mastery. Race has nothing to do with self mastery, sexuality does. Everyone may be born with certain inclinations, if you want to go down that road of argument for homosexuals. I happen to have been born with an obscene amount if heterosexuality. Does that mean that I should indulge in every sexual appetite or inclination that I have just because I was born this way? What about child molesters, so if someone was born or even just has an inclination to molest children, does that mean that society merely inhibits that person from their right to indulge their appetite? Where does it end? Again, life is about self mastery, and homosexuality damns a person from progressing on their road to self control, it is an indulgence of an appetite for certain people. You cannot say it is natural, other than that it may be the appetite of the natural man.
ReplyDeleteGW,
ReplyDeleteYou missed the point. Why did the church believe that marriage between two different races was bad? Just because it's not a big issue today does not mean that it was a big issue yesterday.
Your whole point with gays is a bad one. Two gay men or two gay women can live a very happy, productive life together. Just like a black man with a white women.
Why should gay people not live happy lives together? It's silly to say God is offended by gay relationships when it's very clear that God is not bothered by inter-ratial ones.
BTW, apostate means leaving the church and everything it stands for. I haven't left or sat down.
Javelin,
ReplyDeleteSeems like you like to apply the scriptures when it suits your purpose but not when it goes against your political views. Typical double standard for a liberal.
At any rate are you trying to say that eventually the church will come around to your political views and see the issue of gays being married the way you see it?
Javelin
ReplyDeleteWhy do you defend taxes? It seems that you like giving your money away to the government. Is that why you work? Is that why you have a job? Is to support your government and its leaders?
Scriptures aside, this country was founded on the idea that the government is for the people not the people for the government. So it would seem to me that the best way for me to get what I want, is for me to get it.
To get back to the original post, King Benjamin set a righteous example and king Noah set an unrighteous one. Which do you think best describes our current government and leaders. Read the accounts again if you need a reference.
Like Laman and Lemuel up against Nephi, the scriptures are filled with good and bad examples of certain principles right next to each other so as for us to be able to see them clearly.
I have read up on these two leaders and have come to the conclusion that the king Benjamin, the righteous example, is no where near what our leaders our currently living by on both "sides of the isle". My post was not an attack to attack liberals or anyone party. My comment was on the principle of righteous and selfless leadership. The way that leaders like king Benjamin did this was not to not place burdensome taxes on the people. This is not holier than anyone including THOU. This is to endorse a principle of righteousness. Perhaps your reading into this post too far.
MG,
ReplyDeleteIt's silly to try and use the scriptures to fit our political views. Instead, the scriptures help us understand how we can apply the atonement.
The church came around and changed its position on cremation. Changed its position that a mean mom does not make her son gay. Changed its position on black males holding the priesthood.
I don't worry about the church changing to fit my political views. I'm more interested in the spirit helping me change my views to be one with God.
James,
ReplyDeleteTaxes are a part of life. The arguement should not be about taxes in itself but how to make the best use of it. You did allude somewhat to that. I would not support a tax on candy to make it harder for fat people to eat sweets. I do support using taxes to help build our community.
We don't live in a community that King Benjamin had. It's bigger by population and geography. Heck, he didn't have to worry about putting the internet in public schools.
His community is the ideal, but it's not our reality. The fact that you and I are living as close to the Lord's atonement as we can, but still have very different views on society shows how difficult it is to live King Benjamin's community.
Javelin,
ReplyDeleteRe: We don't live in a community that King Benjamin had. It's bigger by population and geography.
How do you know how big his community was? And I sense a tinge of "the Book of Mormon doesn't apply to our day" kind of talk.
King Benajamin and our day share one common thing; we are humans subject to the temptations of the flesh. If history, including scriptural history was not relevant to our day then why do we study the garden of Eden, why do we have the Book of Mormon?
I have to say your limitations on the scriptures is disheartening. If there was not to be things in the scriptures about how to run a society then why do we have Section 134 of the Doctrine and Covenants or the 12th article of faith? Why is there even something called the United Order or the Law of Consecration? The Lord has given instructions to his people throughout all time on how societies are to best be run. D&C 130:2 speaks of a society that will exist in the eternities. If God is a God of order then there will need to be instruction on how that order is to best be preserved. Therefore your assumption that the scriptures hold no relevance to how societies of the earth are to be ran is missing the boat entirely.
The family proclamation to the world is in part a declaration to governments on how the basic unit of society is to be supported. Church doctrine on society is EVERYWHERE.
The United Order is the perfect example of the idea that society is a celestial society or ZION when individuals chose to part with their substance to one another. There is no mention of a tax upon the people in a consecrated and celestial society. These are the highest ideals, ideals we should embrace.
Javelin:
ReplyDeleteRe: The church came around and changed its position on cremation. Changed its position that a mean mom does not make her son gay. Changed its position on black males holding the priesthood.
What official document are you referring to where the church ever had a position on cremation in the first place let alone changed it? Or any of your statements for that matter. The church's position even on blacks was not that blacks were inferior or were unable to attain the residence in the celestial kingdom. The priesthood is not a right for any man, never has been. Man does not determine who has the priesthood, God does.
Bruce R. McConkie or any of the individual micro social cultures of the church don't determine doctrine. The first presidency does. Even if individuals believed that a mean mom made their son gay I GUARANTEE that no official tenet or doctrine of the church taught that. So please don't confuse the revelations of a living church with modern reevaluation to a bunch of ignorant people in Utah that need to worry more about the plan of salvation than they do about determining why someone is gay.
James,
ReplyDeleteI sense that you are very troubled in your mind. Your arguements have many blinders connected to them that it's very hard for you to see past yourself.
The holy ghost is the source of all truth. The leaders of our church have the right to revelation for the church, but we as individuals have the right for revelation for us.
The Book of Mormon does apply to our day. There are so many things we can take from it to help us in our everyday life. I would suggest you not build your whole testimony on what the Brethren say or don't say. Take that leap of faith and rely on the holy ghost.