American Caesar

The pagan Roman Empire had conquered the world and was ruling with an iron fist. Caesar was an arrogant autocrat who claimed divine authority. The Pharisees thought they had Jesus cornered with the question about paying the hateful Roman tax - a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" unanswerable conundrum. Jesus, recognizing their duplicity, told them to "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." (Matt. 22:15-22)

This passage has been invoked ad nauseum as an excuse to jettison all scruples over supporting human government, no matter how wicked and murderous. But is this a valid exegesis of the text? Ought this Gospel silence our conscience on the matter of tax funded abortion? Does Jesus really want us to docilely underwrite the abortion industry with our taxes?

I write as an American, and write now to fellow Americans. Who, precisely, is our 'Caesar'? What human authority do we live under in the United States? Is this not a Republic, established in lawful order by certain founding documents? Our Declaration of Independence, by which our founding Fathers created a new nation, contains these familiar words (emphasis added)...

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. - That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, - That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

This is the legally binding contract upon which our government is based. With no need to comment upon the Roman Empire or other governments past or present, the above clearly indicates that the government of the United States exists to secure basic human rights, the right to Life being primary. Moreover, the legitimate authority of this government derives "from the consent of the governed". This, my friends, is our 'Caesar'. This is the human authority to which we owe allegiance.

Notice also that government officials are themselves bound by the terms of this contract. To the extent that they abrogate those terms, they are breaking the law. When bureaucratic measures conflict with the proper ends, it becomes the vigilant citizens' right and duty to oppose them. That's what the contract demands.

Surely the tax funded slaughter of innocent humans is a breach of the contract. Can anyone honestly deny this?

Therefore, Americans must stop paying the abortion tax for two reasons: Out of fear of God and obedience to God's Law (render to God), and also out of a patriotic duty to our Republic (our 'Caesar'). We must indeed render to Caesar, and that means we must oppose tax despotism and insist upon a lawful form of governance, which secures basic human rights.