To many of us authentic Christian Conservatives, the most incredulous component of the recent election was the droves and droves of confessed Christians who flocked to Obama because they proposed that he and the government were the best avenues to address issues such as poverty.
Now as is often necessary, I must include a caveat for those who's lives are directed by emotion and have steam coming out the ears: I didn't say "authentic Christian"; I said "authentic Christian Conservative". Apparently, there are many liberal Christians in existence that do not subscribe to conservatism. Actually, this author would contend that many of these Christians do live conservative lives; they just don't know it, but that is another post. To see more about this topic, read the following posts: "Is Anybody Out There?", "Non Sequitur" and "A Christian Vote - Nah, Let's Move On".
Poverty. It seems to be the new hip and en vogue cause for Christians.
While the Christian Church attempts to separate itself from those elements of humanity that affect other entities (i.e., businesses, families, organizations, etc.), these things are often exemplified in Christianity. The desire to be avant-gard and nouveau are especially apparent. C.S. Lewis would trace these things to pride, what he considered to be the root of all sin, but again, that is another post.
Poverty. It has existed since the ability to get goods and services to all who had need became an improbability. The reasons for this are numerous and will be explored in a soon and future post; however, one reason that poverty exists is because there are people who actually are unable to provide for themselves (i.e., the mentally handicapped, the elderly, etc.). The Old and New Testament contains numerous commands to help these people, including those that came directly from Jesus during his earthly ministry. The Scriptures also list numerous methods and specific instructions on how to care for these people. None of them include the government or politicians.
The last sentence of the previous paragraph is what I cannot balance. It is what spawned my thoughts as to why the Salvation Army had bell ringers out so early this year (of course, maybe the "early bells" are a product of my own paranoia). I couldn't help but wonder about those who want to impose a Christian cause, such as the fight against poverty, on others. How many of these individuals had actually consistently done anything to carry out Christ's commands prior to Obama's ascendance to the national stage.
To this writer, the answer to the above question would qualify motives and credibility. For those supporters for who the answer was "no, nothing", then then a legitimate response could come from Matthew 7:3-5:
Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
Once these actually do something to help "the needy", then maybe they can consider making others do it...
Now, another paradox for this author is why if Jesus and the apostles didn't use the government and politicians as a tool to combat "poverty", why so many Christians want to do so. If entities, such as the Salvation Army exist, an organization that devotes itself to helping the hungry and the homeless, an organization that attempts to address the immediate needs and then facilitate independence where possible, why didn't these people get involved in the Salvation Army. Why didn't they campaign for others to support the Salvation Army? The Salvation Army exists primarily to combat poverty. Why don't they leave the government to do the things it was intended to do by the Founding Fathers (i.e., field a military, build roads, etc.)?
My primary concern, when seeing the bell-ringer was this: what happens to the Salvation Army's fund-raising (and that of similar organizations) when so many people have decided that it is the government's role to help those in poverty? How many people will walk out of the grocery store, see the bell ringer, think the government does that now and I pay taxes so I'll keep on walking, and cease to drop extra change in the bucket?
Here is another "unintended consequence" of the Obama voters' "good intentions": The dirty little secret is that, possibly unbeknown to the "detesters", the "evil corporations" give billions of dollars to charity each year, money that they can use as tax write-offs. When Obama raises the capital gains tax, when he socks it to those making over 250K...no wait, 200K...no wait, 150K, how much will these "no-good profiteers" continue to give to organizations like the Salvation Army? How much will they have left?
My final questions: Why, in the name of all reason and sense, would people transfer such an important task, helping those in need, to the government from charitable organizations? How successful has the Salvation Army been in fighting poverty? How many people are alive today because of the assistance provided by the Salvation Army? How many causes has the government managed successfully? ...crickets chirping, crickets chirping... How many times has the government run something into the ground? How's Social Security doing? How's Amtrak doing? What kinds of profits does the Post Office report? How many balanced budgets have we had in the last 20 years? Man, that "bail-out" has done wonders for the stock market; hasn't it...
My Prayer
Dear Lord, please help the Salvation Army and those groups like it continue to help those in need.
The line has been cast. The bobber buoyantly moves with the water ripples...
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment