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.
You listed Old Testament scriptures. That applied to the Jewish State that God had ordained his people to live by.
We no longer live under that law. I encourage you to look at dozens of New Testament examples that now pertain to us.
Let’s get this straight: coercion is never charity. For the government to coerce money out of people’s pockets to give to the poor is not charity. Christians give more to the poor than all the hypocritical progressives put together, as they should. But we should not stand back and let them say we are “against the poor” because we don’t agree with redistribution of wealth. “He who does not work, neither shall he eat”, Thessalonians 3:10. This is simply common sense. I know that the native people who lived where I do did not tolerate those who did not work.
The real problem is that the federal govt uses the give-aways as a enticement or tool to trap and oppress them. It is not the giving, but the oppression and lack of justice and REAL compassion
Where does the donation go farther?
Through church or Salvation Army or through 7 layers of gubmint union bureacracy?
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.
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Well, yeah. Maybe.
But the MAIN reason is taxation and the Government basically taking that which belonged to God.
I wish to God that I could get a dollar for dollar write off on my IRS taxes on each dollar contributed to a worthy charity instead of the FedGov wasting and squandering my tax dollars on fraud and multi-million dollar vacations for the Kenyan and his spawn.
The New Testament speaks very little about government or rulers. When it does, it admonishes us to pay our taxes, duties, etc. It calls government "God's minister". And it tells us not to "despise government".
2Pe 2:10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
Rom 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Rom 13:2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. Rom 13:3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: Rom 13:4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Rom 13:5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. Rom 13:6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Rom 13:7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
That doesn't mean that when a ruler does evil we can't dispose him, like King George. but it does mean that government is to be God's minster for good. And that would presumably include not letting people starve.
Yes—Government Welfare systems destroys religions and charities. Socialism/welfare “rots the soul” and people are conditioned into thinking it is governments “job” to take care of the poor/hungry, PLUS the fact that taxes and regulations destroys the wealth and extra time of people-—they can’t afford the time or the money which they need for themselves and family.
It destroys the Christian idea of subsidiarity and the Natural Family. Makes workers/producers into slaves of the elites who decide who gets money/food/lives.
Did I say that it removed all opportunities and all means? No. However, if one is taxed $1,000, then yes, that $1,000 is not available to be used. Only the government gets to spend the same money multiple times.
Exactly. You look at the "fruits" of the government "helping" the poor, and it's such a disaster...billions having been spent, fathers being replaced by a welfare check, etc., etc.--it's hard to believe that God would approve of that.
I am not an absolutist on every secular issue - the legitimate role of government, but I can meet and agree with the FRC more than half way - that (a) charity should NOT be a primary function of government and (b) the first place, the largest place, the most common place for charity should not be to place it in the hands of government.
To suggest that the FIRST place, the most important place, the common place that citizens should VOTE to demand that charity come from, is government, cannot be a Christian suggestion that comes from Christ Jesus. To suggest that it is is akin to suggesting you could have heard Jesus preach to his followers to go and demand Ceasars sword so as to use Ceasars power (secular government) with which to go take from their fellow citizens what they thought they had a right to take - for “charity”.
From a Messiah who when offered the keys to the kingdoms of the earth - world secular power - and answered that offer by saying His kingdom is not of this earth, one cannot imagine that Messiah asking YOU to make ANY mission of Christian living, including Christian charity, a primary function of secular authority.
Governments do not take authority and responsibility of anything that they do not - to every extent they are allowed - take mastership over.
Many Christians have been taught an intellectial illusion. They will say, that when they vote for higher taxes to pay for some program the politicians are selling, they do so because “they think THEY should give more money for that purpose. The illusion ignores that in fact they are NOT voting that its right that THEY GIVE (taxes are not voluntary contributions), they ARE voting to TAKE FROM others. Next, they are given another illusion, that being a democracy makes it all different. In fact, at it’s basic sense a Democracy is no more than 51 out of 100 people telling the other 49 what to do - again, a matter of “we will take” NOT “I will give”. Nothing “Christian” in that.
Maybe it’s time all Christians re-register as “Amish” and obtain the opt-opt rights the Supreme Court has given to the Amish on many things. If things like electricity are an issue, maybe soomeone coild call themself “reformed” Amish (LOL).
So then there IS room for each of individual, church and government to do their part.
In case you missed it, i posted earlier on this thread a list of scriptures telling kings and rulers to consider and help the poor and needy.
We no longer live under that law.
We do live under part of that law. Chritians are not free to do as they please. In fact, being made free from the bondage of sin allows us to adhere more closely to the moral principles of God/Christ/Spirit.
The problem is the dilemma denominational theology and church errors have led their sheeple into: the "social gospel"; effected both at home and in the external missions. It basically removes the necessity of the "prodigal son" to repent of his/her materialism and misplaced lusts, and return to the Father.
Just my opinion --
Government as a charity of benevolence is terror and a lie.
I’d like to see evidence of one child in the past 50 years in America that died of starvation due to lack of government food aid programs.
Since Statists claim it happens a lot, there ought to be lots of proof.
How the liberals treat the poordiffersgreatly from how Christianity treats the poor. Destruction of families, poor housing, no work, abortion, drugs, enslavement generation after generation. That’s the social justice of the communists. That’s what we have.
That is Not Christian in any form or reason!
Perkins thinks that his reading of the Bible should be the law of America. Our laws are not made that way. Helping the poor is decided by law. Opponents of government involvement stress that it perpetuates reliance on government. But there are still ‘widows and orphans’ and ill who need help.
Opponents should find a way to distinguish the two groups. Those that can work should be provided work if not available in private industry. But that too will cause objections because the government will be paying them. But if private industry exports potential jobs to the rest of the world where are the jobs? The government is then going to pay them for working or not working. Perkins, this is what you should be working on, not looking in the Bible to justify not aiding the poor. Eliminate the poor.
I agree we need to fix programs that provides disincentives to work or that destroy families. And we need to prosecute fraud.
But I don’t accept that just because some programs need fixing as an excuse to shirk governmental duties towards the poor.
I agree we need to fix programs that provides disincentives to work or that destroy families. And we need to prosecute fraud.
But I don’t accept that just because some programs need fixing as an excuse to shirk governmental duties towards the poor.
I agree with you.
The reason private industry exported the jobs, is that we lowered and almost eliminated the import tariffs that had served this country well it’s first 190 years.
The export of American jobs will continue as long as those tariffs remain low and the world has excess labor willing to work for subsistence wages.
Government policies caused the current unemployment problem. And fixing government policies can fix the current unemployment problem.
I agree with you.
The reason private industry exported the jobs, is that we lowered and almost eliminated the import tariffs that had served this country well it’s first 190 years.
The export of American jobs will continue as long as those tariffs remain low and the world has excess labor willing to work for subsistence wages.
Government policies caused the current unemployment problem. And fixing government policies can fix the current unemployment problem.
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