Posted on 10/16/2013 12:52:51 PM PDT by Responsibility2nd
There are numerous verses in the Bible commanding people to help the poor, but the Christian-based Family Research Council (FRC) claims that doesn't include the government helping the needy.
FRC head Tony Perkins recently told Christian radio host Janet Mefferd that while Christians should be active in politics and government, they cannot support the government helping poor people, noted RightWingWatch.org (audio below).
"I think as Christians we'll be held responsible for the policies adopted by this government because it’s us,” said Perkins.
"Is that saying the government has a responsibility to care for the poor? That’s not what scripture says. The scripture handed that responsibility to you and I as members of the faith, followers of Jesus Christ,” Perkins later added.
"[Jesus] never said to Rome, to the Romans that, 'You guys need to make sure that you're taking out of one person's pocket to give to another.' He said, 'No, you sell all that you have and give to the poor, you take that responsibility,'" stated Perkins.
However, there is not one verse in the Bible that forbids any government from helping the poor.
Perkins, who has not sold all of his possessions to give to the poor, is also incorrect about Jesus, who actually told people to pay their taxes ("taking out of one person's pocket to give to another") to Rome in the Book of Matthew 21:22:
They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.
Leave it to the government? That's evil and counter-productive.
I agree. I believe in helping the poor and I do so out of Christian Charity for the love of God. When the government does so it is to enslave the recipients. They create a dependent class that will move heaven and earth to keep their checks and freebies coming.
I agree with Mr. Perkins and so did Davy Crockett and other statesmen.
And shame on the Christians who have allowed the Government to usurp the rightful role of the community church(es).
Given that we're not a theocracy...so what?
Precisely, I totally agree. Scripture does not say, “Put the government in charge of helping poor people with your money they way THEY see fit.” It leaves it up to our Free Will. AND there is no middle-man exec running things on the taxpayers’ dime either.
because most of what the gov’t now does to help the poor, deeply hurts them.
It’s quite easy to feel generous in helping the poor and needy with OTHER people’s money. And that’s what Liberals get, and want, the “feeling” that they are morally superior by helping “the less fortunate” via the government at essentially NO personal cost to them.
There is no doubt that massive govt taxation and welfare is corrosive to Christian charity.
“For, indeed, although the socialists, stealing the very Gospel itself with a view to deceive more easily the unwary, have been accustomed to distort it so as to suit their own purposes, nevertheless so great is the difference between their depraved teachings and the most pure doctrine of Christ that none greater could exist: “for what participation bath justice with injustice or what fellowship hath light with darkness?”
—Pope Leo XIII, On Socialism
Collective salvation is a lie. If anything its the exact opposite of salvation.
True salvation comes from a real personal desire to do good and doing it on a personal basis.
I’m not opposed to having a reasonable safety net for those who are truly needy but those numbers should be very small and certainly not federally funded.
I agree, we should help the poor, as directed by our faith, but I can’t help thinking there is something wrong, and over-generalizing about his opening statement. So the Government should NEVER structure it’s self to help the poor? Why not say the sole or predominant source of funding or care providers should not be the Government for an extended period of time? The average American Christian Charity organization is probably far less monied today than twenty years ago. Fewer regular churchgoers, fewer public sponsorships due to political correctness (i.e. Boy Scouts) are only two reasons.
Jerimiah 22 links the authority to the rule to considering the cause of the poor and needy.
Proverbs 31 tells king Lemuel to plead the cause of the poor and needy.
Dan 4:27 tells the king to show mercy to the poor and ties it to a "lengthening of tranquility".
Proverbs 29:14 also states that a king's rulership is tied to how he treats the poor.
If "we the people" want to continue to rule. "We the people" better take those warnings seriously in how we execute government responsibility.
Even if government charity actually helped the poor, it removes both the means and opportunity for an individual to receive the blessing gained from performing the charitable work.
Ping for later
All very well and good. But I wonder what God thinks when Caesar DEMANDS and TAKES the things that are Gods? And does not allow us to render unto God.
He has brought down many evil and corrupt governments. I can only wonder how much longer God will tolerate the USA as they exploit the poor and persecute His children?
Davy Crockett didn't. That was a lie propragated 70 years after Crockett's death by the Whig party. Crockett never made the speech "Not mine to give" to congress or it would have been recorded in the Congressional annals. Crockett actually voted on several bills to provide help to individuals and his voting record was mixed on the matter. He considered each case individually.
Did it really? Was there nothing left?
Did it really? Was there nothing left?
Not sure Perkins is really saying what this article claims he said.
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