4 Comments
Aug 8Liked by Dr. David Thor

Did you get an unexpected tax bill or something? None of this would be a problem if there were only one of us. I forget who said that HELL was other people. It took me awhile to get that but now I see that there's layer upon layer of meaning in that.

It was my understanding that N.T. Jesus said to render unto Caesar the things that were Caesar's even though some people didn't feel like they should have to give the Romans anything. Romans might have put those words in his mouth the same way God put the coin in the fish mouth when it came time to pay the temple taxes. I see what you mean about Jesus dragging his feet about the temple tax and it just goes to show that God will provide but those Romans will nail your arse to a cross. Rumor has it that Jesus had some connections, other than God, who took him down off the cross before he actually died. That could be why people kept seeing him around afterward but that wasn't a useful narrative if you just want people to pay the taxes without a fuss.

So to avoid paying taxes you can either be extremely rich or extremely poor or just be willing to go to some prison so that the taxpayers can foot the bill for your alternative lifestyle. Again, other people are Hell sometimes but it depends on who you ask. One person told me that when they were in prison they practically ran the joint. Another person said that they never wanted to go back because they didn't belong in there with those people. My personal favorite was the plan that a couple of my friends had for their retirement. They were going to rob a bank while driving electric wheelchairs so as to guarantee their capture. Then they would be sure to have three square meals a day and a cot to sleep on. When someone bothers with you, you're hard of hearing, can't see, can't think or need a nap and nod off.

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"Layers upon layers of meaning" in hell is good meaning. That Italian guy Dante wrote a whole book about all the layers of hell. It's like a giant lasagna I guess.

Yeah that French guy said like "l'enfer c'est l'autre" if memory serves, and maybe it would have only been that hell is the other, so someone was inspired if they got to hell being other people.

No unexpected tax bill. I've been laying low and Canada doesn't seem to notice me too much. They probably do wonder how I can get by on so little but no one's outright accused me of stealing peaches.

If I'd ever heard that about Joseph of Arimathea or wherever taking him down while he was still kicking, I've forgotten. Not a great start to a church of a billion, but you gotta start somewhere.

Good to hear about your friends planning to rob the bank to get three squares and a cot. If nothing else it can be the true event that inspires a movie.

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I better deal with this in the morning. Heh heh.

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With usura hath no man a house of good stone...

--Ezra pound

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