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<DIV id=idOWAReplyText86518 dir=ltr>
<DIV dir=ltr>Ms. Opyr,</DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr>Thanks so much for quoting the words of Christ at length. I
certainly enjoyed reading them. The part at the end troubled me, though. You
know very little about me and yet you presume to call me a goat simply because I
do not think that passage you quoted in any way refers to state sanctioned
redistribution of wealth. Christ certainly calls <EM>His people</EM> to care for
the poor and I will be the first to admit that they do not do it enough. As
well, I doubt you are willing to argue that the state should <EM>compel</EM>
each citizen to believe and live by the teachings of Christ. As for
your comparison of US taxation to that of France, Germany, and Canada, I
can only say that robbery is robbery and no kudos are due to the one who robs
<EM>less.</EM></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr>Merry Christmas</DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr>
<HR tabIndex=-1>
</DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> vision2020-bounces@moscow.com
on behalf of Joan Opyr<BR><B>Sent:</B> Thu 12/23/2004 7:14 PM<BR><B>To:</B>
Vision2020 Moscow<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Vision2020] Melynda a Marxist? I'm
shocked<BR></FONT><BR></DIV></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Arial Black, Geneva, Arial, Sans-serif" color=#000000
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3><FONT color=#000000>Ron Smith (whoever he
is) writes:</FONT></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000></FONT></FONT></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Times">"Matthew 25:40 says nothing about
a 'Robin Hood' style of stealing from the rich in order to give to the poor,
which is clearly what our government does."</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times"></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000></FONT></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Times">I wonder to what
government Mr. Smith refers? Does he live in </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times">France</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Times">, or
</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Times">Germany</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times">, or perhaps </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times">Canada</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times">?<SPAN> </SPAN>He must, because by "our," he
cannot possibly be referring to the </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times">United States of America</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times">, which neither "robs" the rich nor gives much in the
way of aid to the poor.<SPAN> </SPAN>The truly wealthy in this country are
taxed at the lowest marginal rate in the industrialized </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times">First World</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Times">,
and as for our largesse to the poor, well, let's just say that we're still a cut
above </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Times">China</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times"> and </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times">Russia</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times"> but that's no recommendation.<SPAN> (As a
testament to our national attractiveness, I'd rank it right up there with "She
don't sweat much for a fat girl.") </SPAN>We do not have universal health
care.<SPAN> </SPAN>We do not provide government grants for paid maternity
leave to new mothers.<SPAN> </SPAN>Social Security, disability, and SSI do
not provide an indexed living wage; at this point, they scarcely qualify as
subsistence.<SPAN> </SPAN></SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times"><SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></FONT> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=3><FONT
color=#000000><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Times"><SPAN></SPAN>When Bill Clinton
and Newt Gin-grinch ended welfare as we know it, they replaced it with a system
of block grants to the states which allows Scrooges like Idaho to place a
two-year lifetime limit on public assistance – public assistance which is no
great shakes to begin with.<SPAN> </SPAN>How many single parents with two
kids can actually survive on four-hundred odd per month?<SPAN> </SPAN>I
mean without breaking down and actually eating one of the little tots, a la
Jonathan Swift?</SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times"><FONT color=#000000 size=3></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times"><FONT size=3><FONT color=#000000>As for the rest
of Mr. Smith's point, let's end the speculation and head straight for the
source.<SPAN> </SPAN>Here's what Matthew 25:31 through 25:43 has to
say:</FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times"><FONT color=#000000 size=3></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times"><FONT size=3><FONT color=#000000>When the Son of Man
comes in his glory and all the angels with him, he will sit in state on his
throne, with all the nations gathered before him.<SPAN> </SPAN>He will
separate men into two groups, the sheep from the goats, and he will place the
sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left.<SPAN> </SPAN>Then the
king will say to those on his right hand, "You have my father’s blessing; come,
enter and possess the kingdom that has been ready for you since the world was
made.<SPAN> </SPAN>For when I was hungry, you gave me food; when thirsty,
you gave me drink; when I was a stranger you took me into your home, when naked
you clothed me; when I was ill you came to my help, when in prison you visited
me."<SPAN> </SPAN>Then the righteous will reply, "Lord, when was it that
we saw you hungry and fed you, or thirsty and gave you drink, a stranger and
took you home, or naked and clothed you?<SPAN> </SPAN>When did we see you
ill or in prison, and come to visit you?"<SPAN> </SPAN>And the king will
answer, "I tell you this: anything you did for one of my brothers here, however
humble, you did for me."<SPAN> </SPAN>Then he will say to those upon his
left hand, "The curse is upon you; go from my sight to the eternal fire that is
ready for the devil and his angels.<SPAN> </SPAN>For when I was hungry you
gave me nothing to eat, when thirsty nothing to drink; when I was a stranger,
you gave me no home, when naked you did not clothe me; when I was ill and in
prison you did not come to my help."</FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times"><FONT color=#000000 size=3></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times"><FONT size=3><FONT color=#000000>Now it seems pretty
clear to me that in Matthew 25, Jesus is spouting some terrifying socialist
clap-trap.<SPAN> </SPAN>He <B><U>is</U></B> indeed playing Robin
Hood.<SPAN> </SPAN>If we don’t take care of the least among us, then we
will have failed the big JC, and when he comes back, he'll be kicking ass and
taking names.<SPAN> </SPAN>Yours, Ron, will be Goat, as in "Billy
the."<SPAN> As John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John sang long, long ago,
"</SPAN>Better sheep up."</FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times"><FONT color=#000000 size=3></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times"><FONT size=3><FONT color=#000000>Baa to your
humbug,</FONT></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Times"><FONT color=#000000 size=3>Joan Opyr/Auntie
Establishment<SPAN> </SPAN><SPAN> </SPAN><SPAN> </SPAN>
</FONT></SPAN><SPAN
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