Note: some people believe that the Christmas story is false. I understand that. I offer the following with the assumption that the Bible records actual events. Those who believe otherwise consider this as potentially useful information for persuading a religious person that liberty is not incompatible with their religious beliefs. And those who are "offended" can be assured that I have many more important things to care about than someone who cannot practice tolerance or use a delete key. In other words, if someone is offended, I don't care.
So often, we hear the claim that Joseph and Mary were "homeless." Of course, this claim is usually made in support of a political (specifically, socialist) agenda. But now is as good a time as any to remind everyone of the truth. First, Joseph and Mary were NOT homeless when they were in Bethlehem. Their home was in Nazareth. Also, the Bible tells us that they were in a stable because "there was no room at the inn" NOT that "they could not pay for a room." They weren't any more homeless than you would be if you showed up without reservations in Spokane the day before Bloomsday, or Seattle the day before Seafair, or Boston the day before Boston Marathon. In those cases, it wouldn't matter how much money you had, the rooms would all be taken. So why was that insensitive brute Joseph dragging poor Mary miles away from the comforts of home when she was about to give birth? Why no reservations and why was the inn too crowded for walk-ins? Well, because Emperor Augustus had ordered a census. So there was no time to exchange letters setting up reservations and everyone and their brother was making a similar trip. In short, Joseph had no more choice than Mary. And what was the purpose of this census? Was it to register people to vote? Hardly. Emperors don't let people vote on anything. Perhaps to register for a draft? Unlikely again. The Romans and the Greeks before them had already had enough trouble with rebellious Jews. They weren't going to be teaching them any military skills. So, why a census? Well, to determine how much each territory should pay in taxes to the Emperor. And what was the Emperor going to do with that tax money? Well, the Bible doesn't talk about this, but we know this answer from other historical sources. Some of that tax money was going to be used to pay soldiers and keep them equipped. But some of it was also going to be used to purchase grain that would be shipped to Rome, hundreds (or even thousands?) of miles away to be given, that's right, GIVEN, to a class of Roman citizens that did not have to even work for it. They would show up at bread distribution centers on a daily basis for the ration that would be given to them simply on the basis of their existence and citizenship. (There was a name given this class of people which one fiction writer translated as "head count" or "bowl count" or something like that. Perhaps a list member knows?) So, one subtext (though not the main point) of the Christmas story is the pain and suffering that must be relieved by private charity, caused by compliance with a tax law which provided money to feed able-bodied people hundreds of miles away. Lowell C. Savage It's the freedom, stupid! Gun control: tyrants' tool, fools' folly. _______________________________________________ Libnw mailing list [email protected] List info and subscriber options: http://immosys.com/mailman/listinfo/libnw Archives: http://immosys.com/mailman//pipermail/libnw
