Humorous? Introduction

When I first typed the headline, I made a modern-day Freudian-typo. Instead of typing "Patriotism and Taxes", my fingers slipped and I typed, "Patriotism and Tazxes," looking and sounding close to "Tazes."

It seems to me, many people associate taxes with a feeling of being tazed.

Recently there has been talk of "Patriotism" and "Taxes", two words that are very common during elections.

However, using both words in the same sentence can cause a lot of scrutiny by many people!

So I Scrutinized

It seems to me that:

• Money, cash, is not edible.
• Money, cash, is not a good building or clothing material.
• Our current currency is not backed up by gold reserves or similar stuffs.
• Most people do not sustain themselves 100% in every way needed (grow own food, construct own clothing, and shelter, etc.. other "for granted" things.)
• Our current currency is backed up by nothing but trust.
• Money, cash, IS NOT about trusting God. And in fact, shows a distrust of God, showing us to want to keep track of individuals' wealth ourselves, instead of letting God manage wealth.
• Money, cash, IS about trusting other humans and the government.
• If people, or any government, refuse to honor or take the money in exchange for something else, by definition, those entities consider it worthless. If more than a few, or a majority, hold that opinion, it means there is trouble.
• Our society and government have engaged in much delegation, outsourcing, compartmentalization, and dependancy between the constituent parts within themselves and in each other.
• Our government relies on money as a lowest common denominator as a means for trade: paying others and being paid. Similar jargon.
• People with more money have more to loose if money "fails" (to be accepted at its current value).
• People with less money have less to loose if money "fails" (to be accepted at its current value).
• Paying taxes is one way of supporting the government.
• People give money voluntarily to entities they like and want to support: sports teams, cars, shoes, food, brand names, companies, politicians, etc...

Conclusion

Paying taxes is one way of showing patriotism.

Warning! Don't Jump to Conclusions. Isolate the Variables.

Generally, it seems the main argument against the notion that it's Patriotic to pay Taxes, is that the money is being mis-spent, wasted, given to undeserving people or projects, etc...

While I think it's important to analyze those cases, it is very important to realize those are separate issues.

One thing I think most, if not all, citizens agree on, is there are problems that need addressing and fixing. However, one must realize that problems don't always crop up at the cause. Many problems arise in another time and place, some not giving many hints about the root issues.

The fact remains that in the design stage, before implementation (and subsequent malfunctions), it is patriotic to pay taxes.

Bonus!

It's patriotic to pick up trash you didn't litter.

It's patriotic to stop fights you didn't start.

With a Dash of Salt

It's patriotic to remind the government, and the people running it, to root out corruption; because even if you fail to root it out, they fail to root it out, or even exacerbate it, there is job security in the "after life." :-)

God has described a reward plan whereby people who have wanted good governance, get it, people who want to rule in God's will, do. [Dozens, hundreds, many, many places throughout The Bible.]

People who have had authority and used it well, are rewarded positively [Matthew 25:14-30, Luke 19:11-27]; their good yeast and God's good ingredients will yield much. [Luke 13:20-21]

People who have mis-used their powers, have it taken away; their yeast yields yuck. But, perhaps there's still time, repent. Worship God, more Thoughts About God.