A priest I know says there is no grace for helping the poor through forced redistribution. Hence it also makes sense that those who would force this redistribution of other people’s money are no champions of the poor either. If they would encourage rather than mandate it, well that would be a different story.
Government presumes to take Christ’s place. Government presumes to remove the individual responsibility to help the poor and reassigns it to itself. In fact, if you haven’t noticed, there is a move afoot to eliminate religion from any place in government, so it can convieniently step in and take its place as the moral authority. It is a false god. The ends do not justify the means.
I have to disagree with you. The Church may not build in your back yard, but they are still building and expanding. With that said, also keep in mind that some laws prevent the Church from carrying out certain ministries. For example, in the UK, they made laws to force adoption agencies to allow same-sex parents adoption. Which is in violation to Church teachings and values. So, the Church will have to cut funding for that agency that has been around for over 100 years.
Most liberals to day are the product of our Public High Schools and Universities, where the teachers and professors are very left wing in their social and political beliefs.
I cannot speak to the UK, but in the US, where I live the Church has built very little. In fact just the opposite. 1800+ Catholic schools closed in the last 10 years. The mission field abandoned in predominately Catholic countries, south of the equator, by the US church. Again, it is only my observation, the Church in the US has abandoned preaching the Gospel for lobbying the government. Not only that in our diocesan newspaper time and again editorials attacking the rich, attacking Republicans ???, attacking the military. I find the latter odd since Jesus during his public ministry never attacked the military as He, our savior, understood the difference between the eternal and the temporal, this world and the next. Our US Bishops, again in my opinion, look to government to do what the Church once did on its own. I suspect that is easier than actually telling us pew warmers that little bit about camel going through the eye of the needle.
I am sorry you feel that way. The problem with schools closing is enrollment in most cases. You can read about it in this New York Times Article. I have no problem with the Church talking about people of any class. If a public figure, either democrat or republican, is not immune from Bishops point out their errors or what they see as errors. Like being Catholic and supporting abortion in this article.I cannot speak to the UK, but in the US, where I live the Church has built very little. In fact just the opposite. 1800+ Catholic schools closed in the last 10 years. The mission field abandoned in predominately Catholic countries, south of the equator, by the US church. Again, it is only my observation, the Church in the US has abandoned preaching the Gospel for lobbying the government. Not only that in our diocesan newspaper time and again editorials attacking the rich, attacking Republicans ???, attacking the military. I find the latter odd since Jesus during his public ministry never attacked the military as He, our savior, understood the difference between the eternal and the temporal, this world and the next. Our US Bishops, again in my opinion, look to government to do what the Church once did on its own. I suspect that is easier than actually telling us pew warmers that little bit about camel going through the eye of the needle.
I don’t follow. The government has a right to tax its people correct? Christ scolded political-religious leaders for not caring for the poor, correct? How does using tax dollars paid by the wealthy to care for the poor contradict the teachings of Christ?
While one might argue Jesus scolded religious leaders of His day show me in scripture where he scolded government. In fact He told all to render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and render unto God what is God’s. Our Bishops would do well to understand the difference. As they are the religious leaders of our day. This idea that Jesus preached government social-welfare spending is ludicrous and repugnant. You may look to a community organizer, I look to a savior. In my opinion when our Bishops, Priests,and other religious look to government to care for the poor it is because they are afraid to tell the members of Christ’s Church, you and I, what our obligation, not the government’s obligation is to the poor. Your statement about taxing the “wealthy” to care for the poor is totally illogical. Why? The less the government taxes anyone the more they can fulfill their Christian obligation to the poor. Let’s face it, I do not know where you live, but I will presume you live in North America, Western Europe or perhaps Middle or Eastern Europe. You my friend would be “wealthy” to most people living in Asia or south of the equator. Please stop changing our Savior, who came to redeem sinners, into a street organizer in 1st century Israel. His life is our example to the poor, not some presupposition about “Jesus would want our government to do this or that.” He came to welcome in a new Kingdom, not of this world.
While one might argue Jesus scolded religious leaders of His day show me in scripture where he scolded government. In fact He told all to render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and render unto God what is God’s. Our Bishops would do well to understand the difference. As they are the religious leaders of our day. This idea that Jesus preached government social-welfare spending is ludicrous and repugnant. You may look to a community organizer, I look to a savior. In my opinion when our Bishops, Priests,and other religious look to government to care for the poor it is because they are afraid to tell the members of Christ’s Church, you and I, what our obligation, not the government’s obligation is to the poor. Your statement about taxing the “wealthy” to care for the poor is totally illogical. Why? The less the government taxes anyone the more they can fulfill their Christian obligation to the poor. Let’s face it, I do not know where you live, but I will presume you live in North America, Western Europe or perhaps Middle or Eastern Europe. You my friend would be “wealthy” to most people living in Asia or south of the equator. Please stop changing our Savior, who came to redeem sinners, into a street organizer in 1st century Israel. His life is our example to the poor, not some presupposition about “Jesus would want our government to do this or that.” He came to welcome in a new Kingdom, not of this world.
Excellent, excellent point. Sums it up very nicely:thumbsup:Because the Church sends mixed messages, that is why. What do I mean by that, before the 1960s, as an institution the Church built Cathedrals, Hospitals, Orphanages, Universities, etc. But, that was then, now it builds nothing and our Bishops spend a good deal of their time lobbying western governments to increase Social Spending. All this under the banner of “social justice.” So in the eyes of many Jesus becomes community organizer who’s main function during his earthly ministry was to see that the rich were forced to give to the poor. Sounds like Socialism and/or Communism to me. Of course our Savior understood that the Gospel message would turn hearts, result in charity, and the Church could welcome in the Kingdom. That part of His story seems to have been lost to much of our leadership.
The “right” of the government to tax is not an open-ended “right” with no limits.