Jesus: “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor…”
- Was Jesus a wealth-redistributing socialist as the Democrats are charged with being?
- Are we willing to do that?
- While this is spoken to an individual, can we really argue against social programs that help the poor? I’ve hated on those programs in the past, but I’m re-thinking things…
- Do Republicans have it right in that it should be left up to private donors to decide how to redistribute their own wealth or do Democrats have it right that the government needs to help out the unfortunate more?
Jesus: “…whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’
- The call seems clear. Help those that are less fortunate.
- While we cannot just count on government to do this, is it wrong for “Caesar” to be a part of the solution? I don’t know. I do know that it is wrong to count on government to be the entire solution.
- Could government’s involvement serve de-motivate individuals and churches (both in respect to giving to others and to helping themselves)?
I don’t have any conclusions…just ramblings…and trying to be an open book. Sometimes thinking out loud helps me and the others around me. I don’t know if anyone else wrestles with these things or if it is more black and white than I am making it out to be–I just look and see LOTS of gray.
Here’s the irony of it all: before I was really walking with the Lord I was much more inclined to vote Republican exclusively. I was of the opinion that what’s mine is mine–don’t take it from me. Let others help themselves. Don’t penalize my success, etc. It is not an attitude I am proud of. However, now that I am trying to look at the election through a more spiritual lens, I feel myself less compelled to vote for the party most consider to be “God’s Party.” Crazy. As I said, there is a lot of gray out there for me.
These are just some of the things I’ve been pondering as I think about how to vote this election year. If you’ve got answers for me, I’m all ears…
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Socialism usurps the responsibilities of family and church. “Love thy neighbor” is a command to individuals not a tyrannical state.
Mountcomp, if thats really how all Christians felt then they wouldn’t make such a stink about laws regarding things like abortion. It breaks down at some point when trying to relate Church and State.
Personally as a Christian, I think the seperation of church and state is ultimately a good thing, but also still have to balance how the values that Christ lived and taught pertain to voting.
I agree that by and large democratic policies that promote helping the down and out in society (a form of grace and compassion really) strikes more of a chord with me.