Posted on 10/12/2006 7:00:04 AM PDT by ZGuy
A group of self-described "progressive" Christian evangelicals calling themselves "Red Letter Christians," and led by the left-oriented Sojourners magazine and left-oriented religious pundits like Jim Wallis and Tony Campolo, has recently emerged in the body politic. These self-proclaimed "progressives" have been making a lot of noise recently complaining about the ties that other Christian evangelicals have long held with the conservative movement in the United States, including the conservative movement in the Republican Party.
One policy under attack by these "progressives" is the conservative effort to "cut programs to the poor." They say that such a policy goes against Jesus Christ's commands in chapter 24 of the book of Matthew to feed those who are hungry.
These "Red Letter Christians" are making a lot of noise, but they are just a bunch of clanging cymbals – and the love that they claim to spout has no truth in it whatsoever.
What these misguided religious zealots conveniently fail to note is that nowhere in the New Testament or the other books of the Bible do Jesus Christ, His apostles, God the Father, the Holy Spirit, Moses or the Hebrew prophets command the government to take money from its citizens and transfer it to poor people. In fact, the Bible says just the opposite.
God presents us with three general ways in the Bible to take care of the poor and needy: 1) through the family; 2) through the church; and 3) through individual charity. The applicable passages for these three ways are Deuteronomy 14:28, 29, Numbers 18:24, Matthew 6:1-4 and 1 Timothy 5:3-16.
Now, the first two ways are pretty clear. People's first obligation is to the needy, poor, widowed and orphaned in their own families. Only after they do this do they have any obligation to help the needy, poor, widowed and orphaned through their local church organization. God established the pattern for this kind of church giving in Numbers 18:24 and Deuteronomy 14:28, 29. As David Chilton points out in his great book "Productive Christians in an Age of Guilt Manipulators," the bulk of Christian giving to the local church should be geared toward financing professional theologians, experts in biblical law and church discipline, teachers of God's word and leaders skilled in worship. It was only every third year that all the giving was set aside to help the needy, poor, widowed and orphaned. Even then, the money was not given just to anyone who showed up. Those able to work but don't do not qualify for help. Also, those who have families to take care of them don't qualify, nor do widows under age 60 qualify, according to the Apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 5:3-16.
Jesus Christ, who is God in the flesh, talks about the third way in Matthew 6. He tells His listeners that they should give individual charity. He also says they should give such charity secretly: "Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing."
In other words, Jesus is not a socialist. Nor is he a liberal. In fact, in none of the Bible passages just cited, nor in any others I know of, does Jesus, God or even Moses cite the government as the means by which the poor, needy, widowed and orphaned are housed, clothed and fed.
Thus, a simple, straightforward reading of the Bible, God's Word, including the "Red Letter" words of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, clearly shows that the American welfare state is anti-Christian and unbiblical. Any Christian who advocates such a government welfare system (including clergymen or women) should be harshly rebuked. Furthermore, any members of any political party, including Republicans, Democrats, Reform Party members, Libertarians or whatever, who advocate such a socialist system yet claim to be Christian should be reprimanded by their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and by all church leaders.
If any such party members refuse to repent and change their ways, then their names should be posted at their church and throughout the whole land so that all Christians in the United States can know not to vote for these people or place them in positions of authority and leadership. Of course, all Christians should encourage families to take care of their own. And they should also encourage their churches to give at least one-third of their gross income to help the poor, needy, widowed and orphaned.
On that note, it is interesting to recall that the 10th Commandment in Exodus 20:17 actually protects private property by commanding people not to covet their neighbor's house or belongings. That commands applies to the average citizen as well as the elected official, the judge and all other government officials.
Furthermore, the Bible condemns laziness and praises hard work. Proverbs 10:4 says, "Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth." Proverbs 14:23 says, "All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty."
Finally, it is interesting to note that, in Mark 7:20-23, not only does Jesus Christ declare that all sex outside of heterosexual marriage, including homosexuality, pre-marital sex and adultery, is evil, he also declares that both greed and envy are evil. Thus, Jesus Christ condemns both the greed of the rich man as well as the greed of the poor man, and the envy of the poor man as well as the envy of the rich man.
Thus, God condemns the politics of envy of the left, and he extols the virtues of hard work and capitalism, not just the value of charity!
Liberals and socialists like the "Red Letter Christians," Sen. Hillary Clinton, Sen. Ted Kennedy and former Vice President Al Gore are violating the commands of Jesus Christ, who is God in the Flesh. They are also violating the commands that God gives all of us in the Hebrew Scriptures as well. If they truly want to follow the words of Jesus in the New Testament, they should stop their opposition to the real Christian movement in America and join it. One of the first things they should do immediately is help cut government programs for the poor.
Christians must stop the ungodly, immoral rape of American citizens with the totalitarian, socialist welfare state! They must establish a proper and godly system of family, church and private charity. Not just Christians, but all true Americans should follow God's clear guidance in this matter. God will reward us mightily for our obedience in these matters.
If Christ were a socialist he would have never, ever, called Matthew away from being a tax collector.
These "progressive" "Red Letter Christians" are just some of Hillary's hordes in waiting.
LOL -- what a glaringly stupid example of false "even-handedness" by spreading criticism across the board no matter how little it applies to some of the people grafted on to the list (for the purpose of making the actually guilty seem a bit less so).
The personal, targetted giving which Jesus advocates is the caring, personal type which is effective.
Because the former is forced and mandatory, it eats up funds which would be used for the latter.
Thus, millions of people go uncared for. A travesty.
"feed those who are hungry"
True. Go out and feed your neighbor. Where's the government enter into this?
This is the part that makes liberals nervous, as it requires direct action from them and from THEIR pocketbook.
I saw a great quote about the liberal approach to charity (and I paraphrase), "charity begins at someone else's wallet."
I've been saying for a long time that entitlement programs are not charity, and Christians should not support them. Charity is YOU giving YOUR MONEY/TIME to someone or some non-governmental organization.
Thank you for posting this.
"...clearly shows that the American welfare state is anti-Christian and unbiblical"
Say it again!
That's not entirely true. Lev. 19:9-10 indicates some sort of societal obligation to ensure that the poor and needy are housed, clothed, and fed. Likewise, Deu. 14:28-29 indicates some sort of social welfare program instituted under force of divine law.
I seem to recall prophecy having something to do with a Monarchy.
The parable of the good samaritan is an example. Jesus did not call for a law mandating that the country had to take in people who were assaulted by robbers.
He told the story of one man who decided to help another.
The evil force the drives socialism is envy. It's all about taking from others that are viewed as having more money, a big SUV, a nicer house. It is not charity at all, which is the reason leftists are not interested in giving away their own money.
Evil people who envy others accomplishments are the same that flew airplanes into the Twin Towers, killed the Jews in WW2, and nailed Jesus to the cross.
How does being told by God to leave a little in the fields to be gleaned by widows and orphans, and being told by God to take a little to the community storehouse for the Levites, orphans and widows translate into a governmental obligation to provide welfare?
God demands that we as individuals help the needy in our midst. There is nowhere in the Bible a requirement for the government to take, under penalty of fines and/or imprisonment, money from one individual and give it to another. In all cases giving to others is a matter of individual conscience--God sets the standard of giving, but nowhere does He give to government the right to define or enforce that standard. In all cases, complying with God's will is an individual responsibility.
Jesus makes it clear that we are judged individually for our actions. If I "give" to others under duress, I have helped no one's soul, including my own.
At the same time Jesus never said "Feed the poor at the point of a gun", yet that's what SOcialists demand of government ~ taxes are, after all, collected at the point of a gun.
As a result it is better now for us to have the freedom that capitalism provides to decide for our selves what we need and what we should supply to others.
It's not a perfect system. But only one man, Jesus Christ, will do that perfectly as King.
... the guy preached from the gospels of Marx and Engels calling it "biblical economics" ... I was one who walked out.
Some do; too many do not. Spend some time with the homeless (and there are far too many!), and tell me that this is true.
Taxes are not "stealing."
Whenever I do my taxes, my charitable giving for my income bracket is far higher than the national average (according to TurboTax).
Socialism has only killed 100 million people...
So Here's Tony to talk about giving it one more chance!
On that note, it is interesting to recall that the 10th Commandment in Exodus 20:17 actually protects private property by commanding people not to covet their neighbor's house or belongings. That commands applies to the average citizen as well as the elected official, the judge and all other government officials.
I had to walk out once from a church I was visiting. It was so bad that I actually stopped by the bathroom and felt compelled to wash my hands before leaving.
Huh? Matthew represents someone who was very much disliked by the Jews. I don't think it has anything to do with being for or against socialism. I don't think you can read Jesus' intent on socialism from his calling of Matthew.
There is more to "church" than an individual relationship with Christ, although yuo wouldn't know it based on some teachings.
However, there are plenty here who believe we shouldn't help even the neediest, poorest, mentally retarded person in this country. I don' t think that's bibilical, either. We don't live in bibilical times. We adapt to our times.
A lot of churches are; the task is beyond their abilities, however. A compassionate society has obligations to see to it that the poor are taken care of.
Unfortunately, too many Christians seem to assume Social Darwinism is part of Christianity, not realizing that their faith has been manipulated by corporate interests.
Regards, Ivan
Amen. Socialism goes aganist Christianty. It is in no way compatiable. Theological Socialism is a false theology. Jesus did not say "Give the Ceasar what is Gods and to God let the State do his work"
also
Man does not live by bread alone.... Welfare is heresey if someone used Gods words to support it. People need the Word along with their daily bread.
"nowhere in the New Testament or the other books of the Bible do Jesus Christ, His apostles, God the Father, the Holy Spirit, Moses or the Hebrew prophets command the government to take money from its citizens and transfer it to poor people."
It DOES say, "Thou shalt not STEAL". Which is exactly what income taxes do.
Besides, what good does it do YOUR soul to have your mugger give your money to someone else?
Give of YOUR OWN money to exactly who you want; THAT is charity.
My niece does telemarketing for charities. She said NJ is the most rude with cussing going on.
The homeless chose to be so. It is a lifestyle. Many are drug addicts and alcoholics who want NO help. And with the ACLU in the 1980's making it almost impossible to force someone to be admitted to a mental institute there is not much to be done. Give the money and they will spend it on drugs or booze or be beat to death by each other stealing.
"the 10th Commandment in Exodus 20:17 actually protects private property by commanding people not to covet their neighbor's house or belongings."
Just to reiterate for the sex-crazed: it does NOT say "...not covet thy neighbor's wife."
This author and I line up PRECICELY on this issue.
One of us is redundant.
Could somebody please communicate this to the USCCB?
(United States Conference of Catholic Bishops)
The poster said GENERALLY. Also pointed out there are TRULY Poor, as opposed to allegedly poor.
If you want real poverty, go to the Ozarks. These welfare queens in the cities are a joke. And why are the vagrants (I won't use that PC term) that way? Some are truly troubled. Others are just the extreme of the welfare kings - extremely lazy. Some just like living that way.
You're correct, but let's understand why "tax collectors" were reviled.
Because they were regarded as con-men and liars and cheaters. It wasn't simply because they came to get taxes. They were believed to be crooks who told people they owed more taxes than they really did so they could skim off the top.
(Applause)
Exactly what I and another poster have tried to say.
bttt
"...There are plenty here who believe we shouln't help even the neediest..."
I've read all responses so far and I haven't seen one FReeper advocate letting the needy die in the street. Most FReepers, myself included, simply promote a different method than government coercion to help the needy among us.
Jesus wasn't political, although he made no rule that we couldn't be!
"To lay with one hand the power of the government on the property of the citizen, and with the other bestow it on favored individuals is nonetheless robbery because it is done under the form of law and is called taxation."
United States Supreme Court
Loan Association v.Topeka (1874)
Tax collection involves the use of force ~ if you don't pay at somepoint someone will coerce you at the point of a gun to do something about it.
Nope. Jesus was a communist.
Explain, please, how separation of church and state fit into this.
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