> Please explain to me why I have to pay for my parents’ (or *anyone’s*) poor life choices?
Because, in the case of your Parents, it is the right thing to do. Because it is an unselfish act of love (and in your case, forgiveness) that you can do for members of your family. Because it fulfills a wider obligation to look after the elderly, the weak, and the ill — and your parents may be all of those things one day — which is something that all good, honorable and decent people do, irrespective of their culture. That is what Jesus would want you to do. That is how Christians behave. It is a Biblical principle. It pleases God when we do these things, and angers Him when we do not.
It is none of those things if the government mandates it. It's just more slavery enforced with the barrel of a gun.
The Bible is pretty clear on the parents responsibility to the children as well.
My mother was a prostitute and my father has done time in the federal pen for attempted murder. I still have a scar on my throat from him trying to do me in. They left me with his foster parents - good people but sorry parents (sometimes when God says no - there’s a reason).
So, in the care and feeding responsibility scheme of things....they still need to do their part. I don’t even have an old birthday card to show for their “parenting.”
They can both rot. No one dime from me - ever.
Then this is between me, my parents and G-d. The government has no say in the matter.