Posted on 12/14/2011 4:46:45 AM PST by billflax
Many passages in Holy Scriptures implore rulers to treat the poor fairly.
It is only a slight exaggeration to suggest God measures nations largely by justice towards "the least of these." Is charity best dispensed publicly through a secular state or privately by churches? Does Washington really not do enough?
Let's not confuse justice with grace.
Despite the demagoguery trumpeted every election, America's rich pay almost all our taxes while the less fortunate are net recipients of government largesse. Washington's focus has shifted from defense and foreign affairs into social programs advancing egalitarianism. The federal government's primary endeavor reflects paying people not to produce.
Many assume these public initiatives represent biblical governance concerning the destitute but such passages were proclaimed under very different political and economic contexts. Americans take for granted that those without political connections can still acquire property, enjoy legal rights, access the ballot, testify in courts, and obtain medicine, police, fire and other protections.
However, throughout antiquity (and many places still), justice was seldom blind. Far more frequently the state pillaged the poor. Government didn't exist to protect all citizens equally, but to empower rulers as an instrument of plunder.
Might made right. Without defined constitutional parameters, justice generally reflects the whims of the powerful.
(Excerpt) Read more at realclearreligion.org ...
bump
When the rich man asked Jesus how he could get into heaven, Jesus said “Sell everything you have and follow me.”
What he did not say was “Establish a system of progressive taxation...”
There is no Christian charity in government giving.
As a simple test, who would God look favorably upon.
The person who is taxed (whether he wants to be taxed or not)?
The person who passed the law taking one person’s money and giving it to another?
The person who receives the money?
God looks at the heart of the giver and likes a cheerful giver. Christian charity is between God and the giver. The beneficiary may receive some benefit but it is all about God and his glory.
Politicians promoting taxation allegedly for the poor, are lying in an attempt to buy votes.
The objective is to expand the dependent class and the pol’s power base.
They will spend every nickel of increased taxes TWICE.
The “poor” won’t get 10 cents on the dollar taxed, as the definition of “poor” continues to expand.
Politicians promoting taxation allegedly for the poor, are lying in an attempt to buy votes.
Recall that the Old Testament instructs landowners to leave some of their produce in the fields at harvest so that the poor can survive by “gleaning” the fields.
Think about it — they could have been instructed to harvest the fields clean and then give some of it to the poor.... but that was not the instruction. The instruction required the poor to do the work of harvesting themselves.
That does not support the philosophy of wealth redistribution by a government.
As you are the author AND the poster, why not post the whole thing ????
Seems like a worthwhile subject.
Good article!
http://bibchr.blogspot.com/2011/12/bit-of-biblical-clarity-on-justice-vs_14.html
Thanks billflax.
Very good article. I wrote a piece awhile back about government atttempts at charity, and their moral bankruptcy. ( I also noticed your article concerning Libertarians and abortion - you present the position I have held for several years.
http://www.truthhasachance.com/2011/10/07/when-is-giving-wrong-3/
I’ve tried that in the paste and it gives an error message saying it has to be an excerpt 300 words or less.
This was a corollary article closing the loop on a prior piece from a couple weeks ago:
http://www.realclearreligion.org/articles/2011/11/23/religious_left_paves_poors_way_to_hell.html
Great admirer of J. Gresham Machen. His thoughts on ecumenicalism helped me define a touchy issue myself. In chapter 2 on Doctrine he spells it all out about what's essential and what's periphery issues.
God bless you!
Good work! Keep fighting the good fight.
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