If you're a Mormon, why aren't you a Democrat?
Democrats want to give your tax dollars to lazy poor people. So does God. But, you say, those lazy poor people get what they deserve, just look at them.
But you deserve damnation, and yet God will pull you out of the arms of the devil, He will call you out of the grave, and He will give you all that He has. But you do not deserve it. Your works, without the Atonement of Christ, are worthy of death and hell, and nothing more. You are no better than –nay, you are that same lazy beggar whom you despise.
But, you say, we need to use our tax dollars on National Defense. Terrorists want to destroy America and kill us all. Yes they do. But we should not fear them. God will protect us if we place our faith in Him. If we do not, he will leave us to our own devices. He will let us try to protect ourselves with our missiles, tanks, and ruthless interrogations, and if we choose to live by the sword we will likely get to meet Him sooner, and have to explain to Him why we acted so faithlessly.
We have to pay taxes, they are as unavoidable as death. But we can either use that money to kill people, or we can use it to help people. Beggars and terrorists are children of God. What we do to them, we do to Him.
We are all beggars. We are all poor. We are nothing but dust. But if we are one, we are His, and He is ours, worlds without end.
But you deserve damnation, and yet God will pull you out of the arms of the devil, He will call you out of the grave, and He will give you all that He has. But you do not deserve it. Your works, without the Atonement of Christ, are worthy of death and hell, and nothing more. You are no better than –nay, you are that same lazy beggar whom you despise.But, you say, we need to use our tax dollars on National Defense. Terrorists want to destroy America and kill us all. Yes they do. But we should not fear them. God will protect us if we place our faith in Him. If we do not, he will leave us to our own devices. He will let us try to protect ourselves with our missiles, tanks, and ruthless interrogations, and if we choose to live by the sword we will likely get to meet Him sooner, and have to explain to Him why we acted so faithlessly.
We have to pay taxes, they are as unavoidable as death. But we can either use that money to kill people, or we can use it to help people. Beggars and terrorists are children of God. What we do to them, we do to Him.
We are all beggars. We are all poor. We are nothing but dust. But if we are one, we are His, and He is ours, worlds without end.
I love it. So glad our own wedding photos didn't quite fit the bill for what you were looking for.
ReplyDeleteThis is cool, I just have two things to say. This is Emily C, by the way.
ReplyDeleteYes, God wants us to help the poor. But I'm not convinced that the government redistributing our income is the best way to help poor people-- throwing money at them doesn't help. Furthermore, we should help the poor because we are motivated by love, not by an IRS guy.
Second, God will protect us if we place our faith in Him, this is true. I don't know exactly how He can do this, but I think sometimes it means He will reveal to us how we should protect ourselves. I wouldn't necessarily say, however, that this is often the case in today's world.
So it is through complete dedication and reliance upon Him, because we love Him and know we are less than even the dust, that we can live Christian lives.
Finding the line between individual liberty, or free will and requirement/law is something I've been thinking about a lot lately. I keep deciding free will is better, so I'm a conservative.
I like the ideas presented in this blog. What disturbs me is the conservative argument in the blog above; especially the words:
ReplyDelete"I'm not convinced that the government redistributing our income is the best way to help poor people"
This is a flawed logic and great way to justify selfishness. You see, the argument is this: We can use tax dollars to kill (which we are) or we can use them to better society (which we sometimes do). Here's the flaw: The money is redistributed to everyone, not just poor people. When we use tax dollars to build a new clean road it benefits all. Homeless people can walk on the new clean street, rich people can drive on it, and so on.
It is a common conservative argument to say, "we can't spend this money to help or we'll become enablers. And then we aren't really helping."
My question to that is, "so what can we do to help?"
The conservative reply, "We're not sure. We'll get back to you on that one. In the meantime me and my own will be making a lot of money."
Another flaw is making this a free-will versus force argument. I'm a social democrat, meaning I believe in social programs and democracy (not a member of the democratic party). Those beliefs are very much rooted in "free will." I think freedom and laws go together.
Are you saying the government making laws for us to pay taxes are anti-free will? Your taxes pay for schools and roads you may never use. Is that wrong?
God gives us laws so we can be free from bondage. Social programs like the Post Office and the Police are not the "other" plan presented by Satan. They are benefits to all society.
I think the argument is that we could have more benefits. And yes, it should be done willingly and out of love. It should be democratically decided. If the voice of the people calls for these programs then they should be enacted. If the voice of the people opposes social programs then God help us all.
Chris, you've made my day with this post. The fact that the republican party has been hijacked by Christian funadamentalists is something that has chafed me for years. They have turned economic policy into a religious debate. Most of my Mormon (read: republican) friends and family believe that people are poor because they are lazy, evil, stupid, etc. and that the success we have is ordained from God, rather than luck or family or hard work. If we truly live in a democracy (with or without God's influence), we should be able to chose where our money goes, like roads, teachers, gay-bombs, and the likes. I believe it should go to people who need food or clothing or substance abuse treatment, not to war. I'm not saying the money might not be misused, but I'd rather have it misused trying to help than paying a blackwater contractor.
ReplyDelete