The forced redistribution of wealth by the government is not compassionate in the least. It does not help the poor, and more importantly, it does not teach a nation how to be individuals of compassion.
Why is this? Well, we could crunch economic numbers, but the important thing is that it is the design of God that the Church, an eternal organism, be the avenue by which compassion is revealed to the world. It is not the government’s job, and the government cannot give or take care of the weak without self-serving and the accumulation of power unto itself.
The government is an institution, a bureacracy. IT HAS NO LIFE. In order to receive from the gubmint, you must meet a certain standard of criteria. And as anyone knows, some with actual needs won’t meet that criteria, go without, and others will meet that criteria who have no needs, yet receive from said gubmint.
I’ll bet you on another set of statistics. With the possible exception of the Great Depression (for some fairly unique reasons), everytime taxes are raised to deal with poverty, personal charitable giving goes down. On the flip side, every time taxes are cut, personal charitable giving goes up.
The provision of government is impersonal and teaches us it is someone else’s job to be compassionate. The forced redistribution of wealth also causes people to look at their “rights” and “entitlements”, birthing a very selfish people. The socialist agenda acutally causes the exact opposite of compassion: selfish people.
True compassion is about CHARACTER, not just redistribution of wealth. As Christians who say they believe in Jesus, this should be horrendous to us. Let’s look at what Jesus said and what He did not say:
He did NOT say: “Protest, petition, and demand from the governmnet and the wealthy that they provide for the poor and the weak among you … in fact, that the Romans should provide for your every need.”
He DID say: “Sell all YOU possess, YOU give it to the poor and follow me.”
Our comission from Christ is not to get rid of poverty directly but disciple one another to have the character of God that is compassionate about meeting needs out of relationship, teaching the need for individual giving out of love, not obligation. In fact, Paul states we are to give “not out of obligation” but as we “purpose” in our hearts, being a “cheerful giver.” That makes God happy. Forced redistribution of wealth is an obligatory donation that has nothing to do with what we’ve “purposed” in our hearts. I know of very few that pay taxes “cheerfully”. Even most Democrats find the loopholes to pay as little as they can and live in multi million dollar homes and send their kids to private schools.
Is it any wonder, therefore, that the basis of these philosophies, the forced redistribution of wealth, is from a man who denied God and mocked those that believe in Him? It produces the exact opposite of Kingdom principles in people.
The Church is the only Body on earth that can give with no selfish ambition, out of pure love, giving out of relationship and meeting real needs, teaching others to do the same without criteria and artificial standards.
I’m not “conservative” on this issue becasue I believe Christians should side with the Republican party or that the Democratic party is inherently bad. I’m against the government forcing the redistribution of wealth because:
1) It does more harm than good and creates a selfish people.
2) I WANT TO SEE THE CHURCH DO ITS JOB!
It’s not Obama’s job (or McCain’s or Palin’s) to give anyone hope. I guarantee disappointment if you go that route, even to the Republican party … It is the Church’s job to give hope to the world, the gospel, the good news, separate from any worldly system. And its time She took back Her place as the Bride of Her Bridegroom.
Peace.