I have heard many Christians say that failing to pay taxes is stealing. Its interesting because most Christians I know have a big issue when I say taxation is theft.
Seems like a logical fallacy to me but can't express which one.
On the Biblical side though I do think we are commanded to pay taxes. Even of it is theft. But I see no command to lie about what it is. The issue I see and how I would teach someone is that lying is a sin. So if you falsely declare your earnings that is the wrong. Not the failure to pay an unjust tax.
The way of Jesus is hard. We are to forgive those that trespass against us. We are to love our enemies. So paying taxes is a good witness of someone following Jesus. Cheering it on and claiming it is moral is not.
I really canβt fathom that Christians are supposed to interpret that as meaning βWith absolutely no exceptions, you are required to go out of your way to pay anyone whatever amount of money they want, provided only that it is called a tax.β
That exchange was a clever one when you understand that the Jewish leaders asking Jesus this question we using Caesar's money even though they were not supposed to do so according to their own rules. He likely embarrassed them by calling them out. Asking who's image was on the coins.
They thought they would trap Jesus by making him pick a side. The Romans or His people. He flipped it on them.