<<Once again, you stand in judgement giving the masses the pass of being responsible for their own actions.>>
That was an easy call. They're morons and the televangelists take advantage of them, and the government makes it easy for the evangelists because they get tax breaks as "religious" institutions. LMFAO. Religious? They're a business and everyone but their victims knows it.
<< IF I chose to hand over my money to the Church, it would not be because they bombarded me with their holier than thou barrage of do gooder religious rhetoric but that I thought my money could be put to a good cause.>>
Well, that's YOU. When was the last time you sent Brother Swaggart or Rev. Hagee a love-offering? Those stats don't reflect the giving habits of rational, sane Americans - - they represent the moronic actions of the dumbest and most vulnerable of the American people as they are fleeced mercilessly by phony religious con artists bilking them over public airwaves with government tax assists for being so "religious."
<<Personally I think that I am responsible for all of my actions, just like I think that you are responsible for yours. We all come into this world able to think our way through and long before we are sucked into the outside influences we have parents. Now before you run on with the falling through the cracks prattle let's just say that IF you are going to blame big daddy US government for not coddling those that cannot make it on their maybe you should blame the first government that failed them... their family. >>
Bullshit. I blame the government for failing their family AND for failing them.
<<BUT I digress, the point that I was really making is all programs whether they are Religious, big corporate moguls, or government start out gathering large funds that they allocate and adjudicate promising to help the needy and cure all social ills all the while driving the funds from the top down through a sift that is so tight very little makes it down to your so called needy. >>
Well, despite all the failings of the current government, "elected" as it is in a capitalist system under capitalist rules, it isn't clear to me that government revenues AREN'T distributed more generously than corporate revenues to the guys at the bottom of the pit. Corporate revenues are directed publically, lavishly and ostentatiously to the greater good of the corporate owners, as we know with private jets, private Caribbean and Greek islands, yachts, palaces, hookers and expense accounts. Ain't much left over for anyone. OTOH, if the politicians who oversee the collection of taxes for, say, education or health-care grants were to spend it on themselves as the corporate world does, there'd be a fucking revolution. It's nonsense to claim, as you do, that both government and business are equally bad in not allowing the money they take in to filter down. There is a huge difference between them, even when we are dealing with a government that depends on the corrupt corporate world for its lifeblood campaign financing.
<<I prefer to work hard and earn as much money as I can. I would love to be the greedy bastard that earned $250,000.00 a year. >>
Yeah, you and me both. So long as it didn't cost me time with my wife and family, or leisure time reading and listening to music and studying.
<< I promise you very little would go to the Church . . . >>
I hear ya, sister!
<< . . . or some stupid social program that encourages the receiver to wait around for their hand out, their social fix, or anything else that let’s them rationalize that their fate rests in my hands. >>
Hold on that's where I draw the line. If the government has a program to relieve poverty and suffering I am all for it and I'll pay more taxes gladly. I don't ask that it be guaranteed to work, either. Everything I do doesn't end successfully, so I don't ask that my government be infallible either. All I ask is that they do their best to evaluate the program before they execute, and determine to the best of their abilities that it has a reasonable chance of success.
<< All that said, I am a very generous and charitable person. I make contributions to causes that I can see the benefit of... my neighbors that hit a tough spot, a family in my neighborhood that can use a hand up. >>
I do what I can, but my own problems come first. That is the bottom line. Charity begins at home.
<< I shop in my neighborhood and I support small business were ever I can. >>
In theory, yeah. But if a big-ticket item is significantly cheaper at a big-box store, goodbye Mr. Neighbourhood Business. There's a balance of convenience and price and both are legitimate concerns. The only local businesses that I support unequivocally are restaurants and bookstores. I hate to see big-box bookstores drive out the little guy and I do what I can to stop it. And, given the choice, my wife and I always buy Ontario produce at the grocer's.
<<These are good causes, Michael. If I support my community it will thrive and the neighborhoods will benefit, the tax base will benefit, the Churches will benefit. These are all good things that I can truly feel a part of.>>
Can't argue with ya, cro. In theory, this is all to the good. Even the churches, provided that they are not agents of reaction.
