Answer

Federal Tax Legislation and Biblical Principles

The government has overstepped its biblical principles in various areas such as in taxation policies as reflected in the federal tax legislation. The scripture has set it clear that the Government, as an institution, has the right to tax its citizens. Looking at the classic passage presented in the New Testament on the government’s role, Apostle Paul relayed that “For because of this [government] you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom…” (Romans 13:6-7 King James Version). According to the gospel of Matthew, it is also evident that paying taxes to the state is a fundamental obligation as reflected by Jesus when he said that “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 19:21). The two passages are a representation of the biblical principle of taxation. This paper explores how the government has overstepped is biblical principles through the taxation policy legislation.

Analysis of the Taxation Policy

            There are several biblical principles that guide the case of taxation policies, hence governing the efforts of the government to tax the people. The first principle includes the fact that the state has the right to tax its people. However, the government has overstepped this jurisdiction from a biblical view. Notably, the private property principle relayed in the Bible is one of the fundamental aspects suggesting that the government has overstepped its mandate and further relied on unfairness when it comes to taxation. Through taxation, it is evident that the government is relying on a rule that involves taking money from individuals which first belonged to them (Schmalz, 2017). The funds being taxed does not belong to the government or the society. However, since it is a tenant rule within the American constitution, the property owners must be taxed for their personal property possessions and ownership. However, the state has overstepped their taxing abilities through unfair rules which advocates that those who earn more than the others are taxed a higher percentage (Schmalz, 2017). Arguably, earning more than the other is regarded as an opportunity provided for by the government’s proper actions for upholding equality on its taxation policy. Despite this effort, it is evident that the state takes more from those who earn higher, thus, going against the biblical principle of taxation as relayed in Proverbs 23:10.

            The government has also overstepped its biblical principle when it comes to the taxation policy by overlooking the proportionality principle. The Bible states that God values proportionality and justice. These are features which should govern the efforts of the government when it comes to taxation. Different biblical passages relay that God is not simply a proponent of flat tax income rate, but also an author of such consideration. For instance, in Deuteronomy 14:22-23, it is evident that the people were required to provide 10% of their income as tithe to the Lord. With this flat rate, everybody was granted with the chance of paying the same percentage suggesting proportionality and justice. However, this is not the case in America today. For example, currently, the people in America are required to pay a marginal tax rate starting from 10% to 35% based on the level of income generated. If a couple generates a joint income of $16,000 they will be taxed at the rate of 10% whereas those who earn more than $375,000 will be taxed at 35% (Drollinger, 2013). This suggests lack of proportionality and injustice on the issue of taxation that goes against the set biblical principle.

            The state has overstepped its biblical principles by using the taxation policy as a means of increasing its income at the expense of the people. Considering the case of the Laffer curve it is evident that above a specific tax rate value, the revenues generated by the government decline. With this information, President Ronald Regan was convinced that cutting the tax rates would result to a rise in the levels of governmental income. Therefore, in 1981, the president implemented this consideration involving a tax cut whereby the levels of governmental revenues were recorded as $ 956 billion (Drollinger, 2013). In 1988, as Regan’s presidency came to an end, the lower tax rates resulted to revenues estimated at $ 1.1 trillion (Drollinger, 2013). The progressive tax policy evident in America today requires that the top 1% pay about 40% in income taxes with the top 50% wage earners contributing 97%. Approximately half of the region’s population do not contribute to the federal income tax (Drollinger, 2013). The recorded disproportionality affects the capital of job creators in the US, thus diminishing the growth and economy of the job market. The progressive tax rates are unbiblical due to their disproportionate nature and also regarded as the primary cause of unemployment.

Conclusion

            The government has overstepped its biblical principle as reflected in its taxation policies reflected under the federal tax legislation. Through its progressive tax measures, the state has failed to observe the principle of justice and fairness, including that of proportionality, as recommended in the Bible.