runner,

Thanks for your post. It knocks right out of the argument the idea that Christianity should be all weepy welfare and no responsibility just like the lefist welfare state.

I agree with Toni. Plenty of talk the talk Christians and judges like the runner. But few real lead by example, authentic Christians.

Moreover, no matter which way you cut it ttbn, conservative idealogy and Christianity are mutually incompatible belief systems. And an abit I'd like to break because it is the most blatant hypocrisy ever, writ large!?

And why we see in so-called Christian countries small islands of OFTEN OBCENCE wealth surrounded on all sides by endemic, generational poverty. South America, the Philippines, and numerous other (I'm all right Jack) examples where more and more of our collective and finite wealth winds up in fewer and fewer hands.

And by definition, another Great Depression going somewhere to happen!

TALK JS CHEAP! Blah, blah, blah!

Not looking for a handout idealogy or failed socialism, but cooperative capitalism, and where everyone gets a fair slice of the economic pie, they help create! And has to start with affordable, carbon-free, reliable, dispatchable energy!

Name a single enterprise or service that does not have a price gouged energy component and then understand the cascade effect as those price gouged energy charges, magnify as they are passed on to the end consumer/homeowner!
Alan B.

runner, the Paul you are so fond of quoting was a self-confessed homosexual. I guess therefore, he was yet another of those heterosexuals that moved to the city and embraced homosexuality as you yourself may!

Given you believe such a sinister conversion is actually possible and as you claim, the devil's work for the devil's disciples?
You'll have a nice day now,y'hear.
Alan B.

'runner, the Paul you are so fond of quoting was a self-confessed homosexual'

no doubt suites your narrative Alan. Pity truth and facts don't support you.

Nice bit of homophobia chucked in there Allan.

Firstly, charity is not particularly Christian: all religions encourage it.

Now we do have a problem - when the state gives our money to the poor without asking for our consent, this deprives us to a large extent (we can still contribute from our remaining after-tax income, but it is harder) of the opportunity to do good and be charitable. Sadly, this robs us of the merit and blessings that we could obtain through acts of willing sacrifices for the sake of the poor and needy.

But this has a simple remedy: make taxes (or at least the charity component thereof) voluntary! The vast majority of people will then be so happy and proud to pay their taxes!

Government is already doing it, so that's fine: most of us are too busy to actively search for the poor and assess their needs and genuineness, so what a beautiful world we could be living in if we let government be our agents instead of our robbers!