Posted on 12/12/2013 7:04:25 AM PST by Moseley
It is fascinating that the recent debate over poverty, starring Rush Limbaugh and Pope Francis (maybe, translations subject to disagreement) reveals one central dispute: (a) compulsory "charity" by government force, on the left, versus (b) the freedom of each individual to voluntarily donate to charity and make one's own decisions about his or her life, on the right. Forget what either Rush or Francis said. The raging debates that followed are most revealing.
Liberals have consistently abused Christian teaching to attack free enterprise and spread socialism. These are not just Catholics, of course. In fact, most -- or all -- of them are not really Christians at all, but rather only leftists hoping to fool enough Christians to tip the balance politically.
How can anyone give anything to the poor without earning money first? Without capitalism, free enterprise, and markets, charity suffers. Capitalism is the engine that makes giving to the poor possible. In other words, liberals who wrap themselves in Christianity concoct a false choice, insisting that charity and capitalism are polar opposites.
Initially, should it matter what Jesus thinks about whether the United States should pursue liberal or conservative politics? If citizens want their government to set up safety nets, can't societies provide government charity for purely pragmatic, non-religious reasons?
Well, it depends, of course.
If discussing Christianity favors a liberal philosophy, then it counts. If Christianity contradicts liberals, then it doesn't count. And how dare you mention it? Jesus should be involved in American politics only if that helps advance a governmental agenda of bigger government, ever-expanding regulation, borrowing $17 trillion of national debt, and redistribution of wealth.
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
But in public debate, it just happened to be Pope Francis who sparked a firestorm in November with an "Apostolic Exhortation" titled Evangelii Gaudium, which translates into "The Joy of the Gospel" or "The Joy of Evangelism." The Vatican generated further controversy through its translation into English. Rush Limbaugh lit the fuse by sharply disagreeing with it.
Of course, the first Pope, Peter, was a capitalist. Peter and Andrew ran a fishing business. Peter had investment capital -- boats, which were expensive, and large nets. They had to catch a lot of fish just to pay back their investment. Peter's and Andrew's house was large and in wealthy Capernaum. The Bible suggests that it was Peter's house where a very large group stayed all together, even though Jesus could slip out unnoticed to pray.
Jesus Christ was a carpenter -- a capitalist, in actual practice. Jesus's father, Joseph, had a carpentry business. As the firstborn, Jesus would have learned his father's trade. Wood was harder to come by for construction back then. It was often a luxury imported from Lebanon. So Jesus had to master great skill and own valuable tools to run his small but high-end business.
Read more: http://www.americanthinker.com/2013/12/charity_by_force_jesus_vs_marx.html#ixzz2nH0CGxXu Follow us: @AmericanThinker on Twitter | AmericanThinker on Facebook
Also, let us get one thing straight: at least Catholic Pope Francis is trying. Bravo. That’s much more than can be said for a lot of Protestant pop-culture celebrities.
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Hey, Obama’s trying too! Doesn’t mean what he’s doing is good.
...one cheap shot deserves another.
Great post.
I’ve lived briefly in Latin America and my husband’s family has a lot of time there. There is not the tradition of the middle class. The so-called democracies are hardly that. The oppression of the Indians by the conquistadors is still well remembered. I remember being caught in the middle of a celebration in Cusco where there were mobs of the local Indian population wearing masks of the conquistadors. They were all drunk and/or stoned and many were shooting off guns. I realized that being of European origin was not something that was going to get me any points. Mr. Mercat and I ducked into a church and hung out there for about an hour until the mob moved on or disbursed. There is very little in the way of a social safety net. That’s one of the reasons so many come here illegally. It’s why liberation theology took hold down there. Francis fought liberation theology. That’s not who he is.
Did the Pope really say “unfettered” capitalism or is that what the media says he said?
Amen. High time this was discussed!
the socialist’s seemingly unknowingly depricate Jesus and capital with thier false premise
Isn’t a pity that the pope does not consult the Bible?
For ye have the poor with you ALWAYS, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.
Mark 14:7
Capitalism is not the issue. The lack of willing spirit to help those who are truly poor ( not the bums playing the system) is. Why doesn’t the Catholic Church selloff some its vast wealth and give it to the poor? And while they are at it, Excommunicate Nancy Pelosi and her Capitalist husband?
And he implied that the state has no control. In fact, the state has an unprecedented amount of control presently. The Pope is either disingenuous or not real smart.
"While the earnings of a minority are growing exponentially, so too is the gap separating the majority from the prosperity enjoyed by those happy few. This imbalance is the result of ideologies which defend the absolute autonomy of the marketplace and financial speculation. Consequently, they reject the right of states, charged with vigilance for the common good, to exercise any form of control.
No, He did not suggest the rich man would be in Heaven but that the rich man could be in Heaven.
Social Justice: “We’re telling you to do what we say Jesus said and having the government make sure you do it.”
This is all rather straightforward: charity at gunpoint isn’t charity. It is theft. End of conversation.
I’m with Ayn Rand on this one.
“He bashed the “absolute tyranny of the marketplace” which is the same as “unfettered capitalism.”
Could he not be implying that capitalism, without moral guidance, can lead to tyranny of a market place.
That capitalistic operations are still operated by individuals making choices on how their companies or corporations influence not only their bottom line, but on society as a whole.
Capitalism without a moral compass will lead to tyranny. Crony capitalism?
It's a real eye-opener.
“Why doesn’t the Catholic Church selloff some its vast wealth and give it to the poor?”..............
OK, I must ask you a question. Who do you recommend purchase the Pieta, or the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican Library, etc.?
The above statement is so silly. Yes, there are some things that the church could use which are less audacious. Still, the RC Church is the holder of many of the world’s most sacred and valuable art - which means it has the responsibility to not only safeguard it, but to also allow the public to view it. That is an enormous task. Just who do you think would do a better job of safeguarding St. Basilica and its contents?
Only if government is involved. Without government involvement, no capitalist or business or "corporation" can use force to make you do anything you don't want to do.
"Since the origins of modern capitalism around 1780, more than two-thirds of the world’s population has moved out of poverty. In China and India alone, more than 500 million have been raised out of poverty just in the last forty years. In almost every nation the average age of mortality has risen dramatically, causing populations to expand accordingly. Health in almost every dimension has been improved, and literacy has been carried to remote places it never reached before.Whatever the motives of individuals, the system has improved the plight of the poor as none ever has before. The contemporary left systematically refuses to face these undeniable facts."
-- Robert Novak, from the thread Economic Heresies of the Left (Novak on Caritas in Veritate)
Pope Francis speaks much like Jesus would if he were waking the earth today.
It is a scandal that some folks have such enormous wealth while others have nothing. BUT — and that is a big caveat, The sinfulness of this disparity is when those with wealth do not share it, or try to help others. Greed is a sin! So is sloth.
IMHO, the best solution to the world’s troubles is a Christian way of life which includes charity and hard work. It includes the willingness to earn our own living and to help others become independent too.
By-the-way, Pope Francis has stated clearly that personal charity and good works is the best solution to alleviate poverty in neighborhoods, and that big government is NOT the solution.
I think TIME Mag did not realize that PF is actually anti-big government and for more Christian charity.
“Only if government is involved. Without government involvement, no capitalist or business or “corporation” can use force to make you do anything you don’t want to do.”
Not to be too critical, but there is no place on earth where there isn’t some form of government, it is an unavoidable characteristic of human nature.
Since it is something that has to be dealt with, morals will end up being the determining factor in how a government effects its citizens.
History is replete with examples of governments not restrained or guided by morals.
Pope Francis is expressing his concern that Christian values have taken a back seat to strictly economic influences.
There are no red words in the Bible that say,
“Thou shalt force people to give up their wealth at the point of a weapon and kill 200 million people to coerce them to obey the government”
In fact, God was upset that the people demanded to have a king in the old testament.
Anyone who says that God endorses Big Government is a liar.
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