Holy See, highest taxed!!!

Hmmm...that's interesting, but:

"This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by an annual tax on Roman Catholic dioceses throughout the world" along with some other things from around the world, not actual taxation of its residents. So the population or Roman Catholic dioceses around the world pay the taxes, which is then figured per capita of the population of the Vatican, which is around one thousand. Definitely skews the math.
 
[quote name='dtcarson']Hmmm...that's interesting, but:

"This unique, noncommercial economy is supported financially by an annual tax on Roman Catholic dioceses throughout the world" along with some other things from around the world, not actual taxation of its residents. So the population or Roman Catholic dioceses around the world pay the taxes, which is then figured per capita of the population of the Vatican, which is around one thousand. Definitely skews the math.[/QUOTE]

yeah obviously the population, and status of the population in the worlds smallest country is a very large factor in its tax rate, but i felt that it was a good opener, to show off a cool website, to which can provide many an interesting fact, including that of the tax rate of the holy see, but did you also know that the vatican city, served as a bank for the nazis, or so is rumoured
 
[quote name='Ozzkev55'] but did you also know that the vatican city, served as a bank for the nazis, or so is rumoured[/QUOTE]

Why? They already had the Swiss for that.:D
 
[quote name='zionoverfire']Why? They already had the Swiss for that.:D[/QUOTE]
The bank of the vatican is quite immense, swiss are known for their private banks, but the vaticans main bank, is quite the vault for large country sized sums, i recomend the davinci code
 
[quote name='Ozzkev55']The bank of the vatican is quite immense, swiss are known for their private banks, but the vaticans main bank, is quite the vault for large country sized sums, i recomend the davinci code[/QUOTE]

If you start thinking a fiction book is fact you need to put some more thought into what that word means. Though the Nazi money thing does have some speculation to it.
 
[quote name='Duo_Maxwell']If you start thinking a fiction book is fact you need to put some more thought into what that word means. Though the Nazi money thing does have some speculation to it.[/QUOTE]

I think he was trying to point out that the Da Vinci Code tries to base a lot of its story off of fact. The author claims that all of the locales are real, the Priori of Scion is real as well as the Illuminati, etc etc.

However, there have been multiple books and TV specials (like on the History Channel) that have dealt with the factual claims the book makes. It seems that, while accurate, Dan Brown often exaggerates certain facts or misrepresents them.

The book was ok, and so was some of his other stuff, but his writing style is incredibly predictable.
 
[quote name='KingSpike']I think he was trying to point out that the Da Vinci Code tries to base a lot of its story off of fact. The author claims that all of the locales are real, the Priori of Scion is real as well as the Illuminati, etc etc.

However, there have been multiple books and TV specials (like on the History Channel) that have dealt with the factual claims the book makes. It seems that, while accurate, Dan Brown often exaggerates certain facts or misrepresents them.

The book was ok, and so was some of his other stuff, but his writing style is incredibly predictable.[/QUOTE]

Yeah I was being a bit harsh...You pretty much summed up my point, it's all exaggerations and half-truths really none of which is meant to be taken as fact. But you'd be suprised at the amount of people that think it actually was all real and factual. If you want to actually learn about a real-life topic like these there's other resources that you won't find in the fiction section and while it maybe a good read it's rediculous to reommend DaVinci Cade when trying to indictate actual facts.
 
Yeah, I see no problem with reading the book and becoming interested in the issues, but read up on the other books to get the facts straight. If the argument could be proved in a fictional book then it would have been proven by scholars a long time ago.
 
[quote name='KingSpike']Yeah, I see no problem with reading the book and becoming interested in the issues, but read up on the other books to get the facts straight. If the argument could be proved in a fictional book then it would have been proven by scholars a long time ago.[/QUOTE]

Ha, you could also be talking about the christian bible here.
 
[quote name='camoor']Ha, you could also be talking about the christian bible here.[/QUOTE]

Except the entire existence of God is hinged on faith, so the point is not proving the existence of God.

As for the rest of the Bible and everything that says in it, you have to take it with a grain of salt and use some common sense. That, and yeah you have to learn about the facts behind the writing.

I absolutely, ABSOLUTELY think that it is foolish for anyone to read the Bible and take it at purely face value. Read some commentaries, read some secondary sources. Sometimes it's pretty easy to figure out what's going on, and other times the current translation is misleading on its own. Quick example from my senior thesis:

Romans 1:27 says "and in the same way also the men, giving up natural intercourse with women, were consumed with passion for one another." (NRSV)

This has been used to condemn homosexuality. God "gave them up to degrading passions" (v 26). So clearly it means that homosexuality is immoral...right?

The phrase used to describe it is para physin. This means "against nature." But it is not nature as in the natural order of things, but rather what is expected. In 1 Corinthians men with long hair are considered "unnatural." It is just not expected. Same with women with short hair. Is this immoral? Well, if it is then God is immoral. Romans 11:24 talks about God cutting a branch of the "Jewish tree" and grafting on a Gentile branch. This is considered "unnatural" or "para physin." This is not seen as immoral. So why claim that the above actions are? Perhaps they are just "unexpected" which is certainly true. As far as I know no one really expects their child to be homosexual. That isn't a value judgment or anything.

This is just one example of many. It's great if you want to learn about the Bible (or any subject really). But keep your mind open, read sources that provide arguments on both sides of the argument.

Ok, I'm done =P
 
[quote name='KingSpike']As for the rest of the Bible and everything that says in it, you have to take it with a grain of salt and use some common sense. That, and yeah you have to learn about the facts behind the writing.

I absolutely, ABSOLUTELY think that it is foolish for anyone to read the Bible and take it at purely face value. Read some commentaries, read some secondary sources. Sometimes it's pretty easy to figure out what's going on, and other times the current translation is misleading on its own.[/QUOTE]

I agree - my point was that in America you are considered a fool for taking the "Davinci Code" or any other pulp fiction as literal fact, but somehow a fool who believes that prehistorical/historical events happened exactly as described in the christian bible can be elected President.
 
[quote name='Duo_Maxwell']If you start thinking a fiction book is fact you need to put some more thought into what that word means. Though the Nazi money thing does have some speculation to it.[/QUOTE]

i read the davinci code long after i researched the nazi holdings in the bank of the vatican. im merely recomending a good peice of literature, related to the topic. i accept the book as a work of fiction, and i made sure to research into the davinci, code and yes there is a great many fiction, to its astonishing facts
 
[quote name='Ozzkev55']i read the davinci code long after i researched the nazi holdings in the bank of the vatican. im merely recomending a good peice of literature, related to the topic. i accept the book as a work of fiction, and i made sure to research into the davinci, code and yes there is a great many fiction, to its astonishing facts[/QUOTE]

I feel compelled to recommend Umberto Eco's "Foucault's Pendulum". Why eat hamburger when you can have steak?
 
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