From: Robert Schneider (rjschn39@bellsouth.net)
Date: Sun Oct 13 2002 - 21:07:36 EDT
Don, You didn't say what you think Jesus meant.
Bob
----- Original Message -----
From: "Don Perrett-VP GPA" <donperrett@genesisproclaimed.org>
To: "ASA Discussion" <asa@calvin.edu>; "Robert Schneider"
<rjschn39@bellsouth.net>
Sent: Sunday, October 13, 2002 6:05 AM
Subject: RE: Traditional Xtianity teaches
> Helping others is not always the issue with some conservatives. It is
"HOW"
> to help. According to the GAO the government spends about 53% to
administer
> the AFDC/TANF program. Similar programs ran by NPO, such as Red Cross,
> Salvation Army, Churches, etc spend an average of 12% to run their
programs.
> Is it cost beneficial to through money at the government in an attempt to
> help the poor? Sounds worse than MAFIA rates. The money wasted by the
> government on these programs is far too much. The dilemma is that the
"left"
> doesn't want to loose the government jobs/control and the "right" doesn't
> want to spend the money. If the amount of money spent were actually going
to
> the people perhaps the problem would be so great. Someone would need to go
> into detail to fix the governmental processes. The "right" doesn't care,
> they just want the money to go elsewhere, right. Well then perhaps the
> "left" should get up and make the organizational/structural changes needed
> to make the programs more effective. Then the "right" would not be able to
> cut programs that everyone knows "works". Why don't they? Because if they
> did, the number of government jobs(not poor by the way) would be decreased
> and therefore they would lose votes. Like biting off ones foot, huh? Point
> is: Neither party truly cares. The power they have is all that matters.
> Money and power. There are no race/religion/gender/etc problems. The
> conflict, as has always been the case, is rich vs poor. Those who have and
> those who want. And although no one should have to suffer in poverty and
> starvation, let's not forget "Thou shalt not covet". I am definitely in
the
> lower middle class(nearly poor, was as a child though) and yet I do not
want
> income tax(national sales tax would hurt me since I get EIC) nor do I want
> government help, though I qualify. I am me and that is all that counts.
Why
> should I question the lot which GOD has given me?
>
> Don Perrett
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu [mailto:asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu]On
> Behalf Of Robert Schneider
> Sent: Wednesday, October 09, 2002 6:10 AM
> To: asa@calvin.edu; Jan de Koning
> Subject: Re: Traditional Xtianity teaches
>
>
> When Jesus said to his disciples, "The poor you will always have with
you,"
> I think he meant, "so always take care of them and do whatever you can to
> allieviate their condition," and not, as so many have read it in order to
> justify their doing nothing or opposing government efforts to relieve
> poverty, "well, too bad." Matt. 25:31ff is my "intertextual take" on what
> Jesus meant.
>
> Bob Schneider
>
>
>
>
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