Letter to the Editor: Republican leadership adopts progressive compassion
A lot has been written about Christian values recently and it appears Republican leadership is prepared to move forward by embracing some progressive Christian principles.
When Jesus was asked “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” He replied and I paraphrase, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.”
That second one takes a lot of work. “To love your neighbor as yourself” requires us to know our neighbors, to hear their stories, to walk in their shoes, to care about their lives…to be compassionate about someone else.
We have two years to go before the next presidential election and the Republican leadership is ready to be rebranded as “compassionate.” Governors Mike Pence and John Kasich are expanding Medicaid using the Affordable Care Act. Senator Marco Rubio is quoted saying, “stop trying to balance the budget on the backs of the poor.“ Paul Ryan is no longer recommending cuts on funding to safety-net programs in his budget and, along with Rand Paul, he is proposing criminal sentencing reform.
Apart from being compassionate, each idea has long been liberal and progressive.
How can we maintain this momentum?
In the parable of the Good Samaritan, a man is robbed, beaten, and left for dead. Two men walk past him before a man, recognized as an enemy, helps him. “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” was the question posed.
But it is Martin Luther King, Jr’s. observation that made the story more relatable to me:
...the first question that the priest asked — the first question that the Levite asked was, “If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?” But then the Good Samaritan came by. And he reversed the question: “If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?”
Compassion happens when one stops asking “What will happen to me?” and begins asking “What will happen to him, to her, to them?”
We govern better when recognize those we govern are our neighbors.
Each of the ideological changes above, I can potentially support. Hopefully, this helps Republicans understand why I support the liberals who held those ideas first and why I vote Democratic.
Joseph Huddleston Jasper, Ind.Links:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/05/15/another-conservative-governor-finds-a-way-to-expand-medicaid/ It looks as if Indiana is about to join the list of red states signing up for Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/some-republicans-push-compassionate-anti-poverty-agenda-ahead-of-2016-contest/2014/07/24/7874d0d4-1270-11e4-8936-26932bcfd6ed_ story.html?hpid=z1 The proposals, which focus on consolidating safety-net programs and overhauling criminal sentencing rules, would include no cuts to existing funding levels.
http://www.newrepublic.com/article/118539/marco-rubio-message-paul-ryan-dont-balance-budget-back-poor Senator Marco Rubio delivered a subtle message to Representative Paul Ryan and the rest of the Republican Party on Tuesday: Stop trying to balance the budget on the backs of the poor.
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2013/12/20/1220-Ohio-Supreme-Court-upholds-state-Medicaid-expansion.html The Ohio Supreme Court yesterday cleared the way for Gov. John Kasich’s expansion of Medicaid to an estimated 275,000 poor, uninsured Ohioans.
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkivebeentothemountaintop.htm Martin Luther King, Jr: Sermon on the Mount
https://www.biblegateway.com/ Mark 12:28-31 Greatest Commandment and Luke 10:25-37 The Good Samaritan Parable
The problem with this perspective is that it does not reflect God’s intention. The expectation is that individuals, whether acting alone or in collaboration, act out of their hearts with their own resources and their own efforts. God, after all, gave us freewill. Liberal/Progressive’s efforts on the hand, do it on someone else’s dime and from compelled compliance. I don’t believe this is what Jesus was asking us to do.
The problem with relying on charity to help those in need is that it does not scale. Evidence being that we still have homeless and hungry people, many of which are working poor.
Regardless, charity by its very definition is “someone else’s dime.” I think what you have issue with is it being compulsory.
I don’t believe it is written anywhere in the bible that taxes should not be used help those in need by giving them food and shelter. Maybe you can point out where in the bible this “does not reflect God’s intention.” If that is the case then we need to ask how much charity is the government providing in lost revenue to churches who pay no taxes.
And this is not just about the hungry and homeless but also those with special needs: children with down syndrome, etc. What was their lot in life before government intervention?
If a society chooses to use those taxes to care for its weak and hungry, I can’t imagine Jesus would object. I don’t understand why we object.
Afterall, it is written on the Statue of Liberty, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” Maybe if we aren’t willing to care for them we should change that.
Where in the Bible dose God approve of someone taking resources from some people for others against their will. Also, why change the admonition on the Statue, no one arriving in the late 19th and early 20th centuries expected or received aid.
Michael asked, “Where in the Bible dose God approve of someone taking resources from some people for others against their will.”
With Jericho, perhaps.
In all seriousness though, Michael, you are the one claiming this “does not reflect God’s intent”; therefore, you are the one that must provide evidence.
I never made any claims that the bible said to use “another’s resources” to feed the poor. I am not going to attempt to provide evidence for a claim I never made. I only commented that charity does not scale.
Finally, it is false to claim that no immigrants arriving in this land after the 19th century received federal aid. Mitt Romney’s grandfather qualified for such as a Mexican refugee. (http://youtu.be/_DgB3WASwXA?t=48s)
I said arriving in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This would be the period before the New Deal when care was not given nor expected. That was when the admonition was made.
How does individual charity as called for in Leviticus 23:12 translate into the state taking resources from some people against their will for the benefit of other people?
“In all seriousness though, Michael, you are the one claiming this “does not reflect God’s intent”; therefore, you are the one that must provide evidence.” No I don’t.
I am going to put a dividing line between each of my responses to each of your paragraphs to make this easier to read. Read them all before commenting.
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You said, “… arriving in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This would be the period before the New Deal when care was not given nor expected.”
The New Deal started in 1933.
George Romney and his parents arrived in the US in July 1912 and received federal assistance as refugees. It falls within your criteria.
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You said, “How does individual charity as called for in…”
Why do you call this charity? The word “charity” is nowhere used. It does not say, “you should…” or “it is suggested…” It says “do not reap to the very edges ..Leave them for the poor…” It is a command/law from God. It is compulsory.
Here is what you requested:
Where in the Bible (1) does God approve of someone taking resources (2) from some people (3) for others against (4) their will. (5)
Here is how this reply answers each part of your request:
1. Leviticus
2. Crops
3. “You”
4. the poor and foreign
5. God *telling* you to do something is NOT charity. It is compulsory.
I gave you exactly what you asked for…So, what do you do next? You move the goalpost and ask “How does [that] translate into the state taking resources…”
The disconnect with what you are asking for and how it can be answered is that the bible is not a manual on how to run a government… and you are trying to make it thus. I am not going to be able to answer how it translates to government, just like you will not be able to quote scripture claiming using taxes to feed the poor “does not reflect God’s intention.”
The bible was not intended for this. It is a spiritual guide for Christians.
But what is interesting to look at is how this contrasts with other issues that your tea party supports.
Here we have God telling you to leave a portion of your crop to the poor and you want to debate that this command is “charity” and need not be enforced with legislation, but….same-sex marriage must be made illegal.
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You said, “No I don’t” when I said you need to provide evidence for your claims.
Michael, I don’t make it a habit to debate with children. You made a claim. Support it.
Debate progresses when we can review the evidence and its merits.
I cite my claims and, evidently, even claims I don’t make.
If you cannot be bothered to do same, do not bother to respond.
Found this gem in the bible.
Leviticus 23:12
‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you. I am the Lord your God.’
Definitely, sounds a bit more compulsory than charity.
Well Mike why don’t you give up your SSI and medicare if your so independent
It’s “love your neighbor as yourself”, not “love inefficient government
programs that steal your money to ensure votes for so-called
compassionate politicians, while YOU actually do nothing for your
neighbor.” Instead, I believe that it is MY responsibility to love my neighbor
by using the resources God has given me in a responsible manner,
ensuring that I will be able to ‘love my neighbor’ for many years to
come. The government is such a bust as a charity that it can’t take
care of those who need help now, because of its inefficiencies. How
will it ever take care of future generations?
You said, “The government is such a bust as a charity that it can’t take care of those who need help now, because of its inefficiencies”
I don’t disagree that it could do better, but I think the fact that there is those that still need help is not evidence that using the gov’t to help them is wrong only that personal charity does not scale.