Christians

I maybe make one or two politically minded posts a year.  Since this is an election year, maybe it would stretch to three or four, but usually I stay away from that.  This is one of them.  (Consider yourselves warned.  The four of you that read this).

Because this blog is also my families journal and scrapbook, sometimes I feel the need to explain a few things that would be painfully obvious to those reading this online.  So, Facebook is a social networking site.  An online forum where you have 'friends' and make comments about life or what you're having for dinner and people can comment on your original statements.  Sometimes they comment A LOT.

I saw (for the first time) a quote from Stephen Colbert, a satirical comedian who has a pseudo news show on cable.

"If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition and then admit that we just don't want to do it". 

I couldn't agree more with this statement.  There is a large percentage of LDS members (I'll refrain from saying majority) that feel close to the Republican party.  I'm not really sure why.  If you were going to generalize, in my opinion, I suppose the Republicans would like to have an image of a budget conscious group, all for family values (a little vague), and less government oversight.  As a whole, the group is against abortion, and seems to be against special rights or allowances for homosexuals.  They like their guns, and seem to favor breaks for large corporations, as a method to keep the economy on the right track (trickle down theory, anyone?).  Sorry for any of you that consider yourself a republican that might like to add or take away from my description, it's just my opinion and I don't claim to have a complete description.

We (Justin and I) find ourselves on the other side of the fence for the most part.  We may differ a bit in our views (and Justin, you're MORE than welcome to write your own post -for posterity's sake), but for the most part we're on the same page.  The only issue that I think we don't see exactly eye to eye on is the 'gay' issue.  And then, it's only a slight difference of opinion.

I've thought a lot over the last 10 years or so as to why I find myself on the other side so often.  I think it comes down to a few core beliefs.  One, is definitely access to affordable health care.  In a society like ours I do not believe affordable health care is a luxury.  Period.  I'm not as sure on the solution, either a national health care system, or changes to insurance company (Eeeek -government oversight and regulation) policies, or letting people buy into a federal or state sponsored health insurance plan if your employer doesn't offer one, but I think it's a priority.

Another big issue is addressed in that quote by Stephen Colbert.  We are a so-called Christian nation.  I just don't understand my fellow neighbors and church members that are so against the social programs that provide support and benefits to those that are less fortunate.  This is another one of those issues that goes right to my core and turns me into a bleeding heart democrat.  I don't even think it warrants the arguments by so many about misuse, inefficient bureaucratic departments, and perpetuation poverty.

Either we help the poor and needy, or we don't.  We're either content to take care of ourselves, our family, and to hell with everyone else who isn't as lucky as we are, or, we're willing to take care of ALL our brothers and sisters.

After posting that quote to my facebook status I couldn't believe the response! All 32 comments (which is a LOT in my book).

Here are some of my favorite responses against the comment (I'll leave the names off)
-Let's just make it optional and let me choose how to 'help'.  And how would you choose to help?  Give more to United Way, volunteer at the food bank or homeless shelter, open your home to less fortunate children who do not have parents who can or will provide them with a safe environment and basic living essentials?  Are you doing that now?  


-...Jesus didn't spend his life working to feed people who sat around enjoying his labors.  He taught men how to fish.  When the government also does that I will support the left sides ideas more. We know very little about the physical labors of Jesus.  He did heal a blind man -who probably was not able to work to support himself.  Did Christ expect repayment or that man to start working before he gave him service?  How many people did Jesus teach and provide gospel truths to that walked away and did not put to good use what He had given them?  He didn't ask what that end result would be, he offered and gave without strings attached.  

-I'm a christian/republican/conservative and I pay a lot in fast offerings to help those in need and watched my sister's kids for 3 years for free so she and her husband could work full time to make ends meet.  That is great.  That is how it is supposed to work.  Family first.  What if she didn't have a sister willing to do that?  And, how much to you pay in fast offerings?  Enough to put food on the table of a family for a month?  A week?  Two days?  We feel like we give generously, but it wouldn't stretch very far at the grocery store.  


-I'm not so sure that government programs aren't perpetuating poverty. I think if welfare entitlements were removed, that charities would receive more help and volunteers would be more involved...everyone would benefit, both the giver and the receiver.
Again, what are YOU doing right now?  How many charities do you support?  (other than fast offerings -which is great and a commandment -but will not reach every one even in Utah that is in need of a helping hand from time to time) 


-Christ is a capitalist, you get what you reap.
Yikes!  Claiming Christ was a capitalist???? Is that in scripture?  


Around 3 am (sick kids) I added fuel to the fire I suppose and added this little comment:
Next time you see a mom with handicapped children receiving help to buy feeding tube supplies, a kid in foster care who gets a whopping $800 in their hands and is told to start their own life and find an apartment and a job with health benefits, or , heaven forbid, someone using government subsidized loans to attend college to obtain an education, be sure to tell them they're breaking the system and don't deserve those programs. While you're at it, you might as well take away school lunch programs and early intervention tools for those ungrateful and wasteful children, the largest group affected by poverty. 

It's not all whinos and drug addicts using government programs. 

How many FAMILIES could your charitable donations feed for one month? Not many with our personal funds, I'm afraid. And I haven't clocked many hours at the homeless shelter this month either, I'm sad to say. 

You can't have it both ways. Social programs are used by all of us, we don't like to admit it, but I would guess we all have at some time or another. 

And since it's 3 am and I have a sick kid I'll end my rant by saying, we are not all born equal. I don't care who you are and how hard working you claim to be. Someone helped you get there. For most of us it was family, and that's good. That's how it's supposed to work. But too many don't have a fair chance from early on, and if you're Christian, charitable, guilty, or just not a jerk, you can admit it's okay to give some people a break. They don't all deserve it, you're right. And some of them make bad choices over and over again. But I must be missing the scripture that said Jesus only helped those who could help themselves or would put to good use the service or teachings he provided. 


At the end of the day, there is no way that private charities and families can care for everyone in need.  Sure there is abuse and inefficiencies in the system.  Sure people need to make better decisions and work harder, make better plans, get an education, have less children -but in a country where there are those that have so much, it's inhumane to allow the poor -and particularly the children- to suffer.  Suffer.  Not just go without cable and cell phones.  There are people with NO food in the cupboards.  That die prematurely because they didn't have access to preventative medical care.  Do you have food in your cupboards?  Because the food bank could use some of it.  Do your kids go to their yearly well child check ups?  Because their are families that can't afford the $600 for yearly vaccinations.  (Even those WITH insurance too often end of paying for these).

I make jokes that the church still allows me to keep my temple recommend despite that fact that I'm a democrat.  I'm beginning to feel like the tables are turning.

 Mosiah 4: 21 And now, if God, who has created you, on whom you are dependent for your lives and for all that ye have and are, doth grant unto you whatsoever ye ask that is right, in faith, believing that ye shall receive, O then, how ye ought to ^aimpart of the substance that ye have one to another.

 22 And if ye ^ajudge the man who putteth up his petition to you for your substance that he perish not, and condemn him, how much more just will be your ^bcondemnation for withholding your substance, which doth not belong to you but to God, to whom also your life ^cbelongeth; and yet ye put up no petition, nor repent of the thing which thou hast done.

 23 I say unto you, wo be unto that man, for his substance shall perish with him; and now, I say these things unto those who are^arich as pertaining to the things of this world.