Js, seriously, I can't have this conversation with you, if you're going to continue to insist that Christ would support the taking from 1 to give to another. Taxing is forcibly taking from someone, and using their $$ for someone else. All with the "best intentions" of course That is very UN Christ like. Yes, we are to help our fellow man, and we should. But it's a CHOICE. The requirement of helping our fellow man, at risk of penalty, is in no way, consistent with any doctrince, or more markedly, any EXAMPLE that Christ performed. Christ helped his fellow man and performed miracles because he chose to, NOT because he had to. Are you grasping the difference, yet??
As I prompted one of our devoted Atheists, I defy you to present us some examples of Christ TAKING from someone to give to another, in the pursuit of taking care of our fellow man. Please, show us
Sirs, why are you making this conditional upon your definition of taxation? Why are you limiting how man can help ease the suffering of his fellow man?
Of course Christ never spoke of modern welfare economics or free-market theories. He never drew a Laffer Cruve in the sands of Judea. I expect that He would want His people to form a society that did their best to follow His intentions. You'll note that Christ often speaks of helping the poor. The
only parable with a named character and a vision of the afterlife is about a man who never took care of a beggar at his own door. Do you remember what he asked of Abraham and what Abraham said in reply?
Christ never said for His people to come together and invade other nations. He never said to gather men together and deprive them of sensory inputs then attach electrodes to their genitalia to shock them. He never said to support racism (in fact he has an entire parable against it) and he never said to build walls to block out one's neighbors (quite the opposite actually).
He did say this (Matthew 25):
31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne,
32 and all the
nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate
them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
33 He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34 Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me,
36 naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.'
37 Then the righteous will answer him and say, 'Lord, when did
we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?
38 When did
we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?
39 When did
we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?'
40 And the king will say to
them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.'
41 Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
43 a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.'
44 Then
they will answer and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?'
45 He will answer
them, 'Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.'
46 And
these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." [/quote]
Notice the words in bold (highlighted by me, of course). Are those singular, or plural? Do you notice that they are not addressing singular individuals, but "nations?" What does this mean to you?