You wrote:
“Why can’t you see that “charity” must be something given freely from the heart for it to ever, EVER matter to God?”
I don’t see what I’m talking about as in conflict with that. I have no problem giving to (even taxes!) to keep children from starving to death, for instance.
“A government taking from someone to give to another is not holy and it gives no one “points in Heaven,” nor is it righteous.”
Feeding the hungry, clothing the naked and so on is a good act even if done by governments in the name of their people. It would be best if this were done by individuals, but some tasks are so massive that that is almost impossible.
“You need to read The Pilgrim’s Progess, Vlad, to understand that the only thing helped Christians survive on this continent was not Communism, but individual responsibility for taking care of one’s own plot of land.”
No, Actually I don’t need to read Pilgrim’s Progress. 1) What you Protestants did here - and yes, they were all Protestants - that you call communism was doomed to failure and I already know that. But then again, I know the
Jesuit Reductiones were economically successful and offered the natives a far better life than what the Spanish slavers did. The Catholics succeeded where the Protestants failed. I wonder why?
“They first tried Communism, but it allowed everyone to sit on their laurels to let others do the work. When they subdivided their land to the individual families, they had plenty.”
Yes, they did. Then again in the Jesuit Reductiones they had pleny and apparently it was more “communist” then the earliest Protestant colonies.
“You seem to think the environmental thing is not quite serious. However, remember, if your Pope said it, that must mean it is Christian, righteous, good, and right, correct?”
Should not Christians practice good stewardship? Is is good, right and correct to practice good stewardship of the earth?
“That is basically how you’ve defended the other items in the list.”
Again, is it good to practice good stewardship? Yes or no?
“Get real.”
Coming from you that’s hilarious.
Get real and answer this question: Is it good to practice good stewardship? Yes or no?
In the eyes of God, it is only good to practice stewardship if you are an individual, not a country.