“I see in scripture a mandate to individuals, churches, AND governments to help the poor and needy.”
The scriptural references regarding individuals and churches are so abundant that there’s no need to provide any citations.
Care to give any chapter-and-verse citation to support your assertion regarding the mandate for governments to help the poor and needy? Seriously, I want to know what you think.
Because I think that the state has nothing — absolutely nothing — to offer in this area, and I find no scriptural justification for coercive wealth redistribution.
When the state interferes in this regard, it not only harms the poor but also deprives the well-off of the joy of helping others. It impoverishes us all.
I already have see post 45.
The claim that the state aiding the poor denies the individual the opportunity to do so is utter nonsense. Neither does the church aiding the poor deny the individual the opportunity to do so either. There is no shortage of needs for individuals and churches to meet, due to the state’s involvement.