Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Look some more nim. Try to remember the last time you saw or heard of a band of marauding Lutherans or Episcopalians. Those Quakers are a boisterous bunch, eh?
Of all the denominations present, who does the most emotional blackmailing or persistently blurs the lines of God and country for the sake of persuasion?
I was by no means saying the denominations and parties I listed are the only ones. I was just giving those as examples. I don't think it needs to be said that there are tons of churches and sects to choose from, all which take different political stances, and as the end of my post emphasized, each individual is different and has their own specific political opinions and religious beliefs. The intent of my post was mainly to say that there are Christians all over the political spectrum.
Exactly, he encourages private charity, he does not encourage government seizure and theft. This is why Republicans and Conservatives all give generously. Not only in money either, Conservatives give more blood and volunteer more often than their stingy left wing counterparts. Conservatives even give more to secular charities per capita than Liberals.
On the other hand, Liberals hate private charities with a passion, they believe the government should seize money and property then redistribute it based on who they judge to be deserving.
The statistics mean what? I have never in my life used the tax deduction of charity. Not ever, for any purpose. Those expecting applause or personal gain from an act of charity are hypocrites.
Matthew 6:2 "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Conservatives missed a few passages it would seem.
Proverbs 16:18-19
Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.
John 5:44
How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?
Romans 12:16
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
Phillipians 2:1-11
If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus...
Peter 5:2-6
Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.
Jesus, while He was on earth, did not belong to any political party. He wasn't concerned with politics or changing man's governmental system. He was neither a liberal nor a conservative, though He had views that would be considered both. But He was a revolutionary, looking to establish a new Kingdom on earth.
One thing that was central to Christ's ministry was helping the poor, feeding the hungry and healing the sick. It was pointing the lost toward God without condemnation, casting out demons and showing compassion to the sinners. It was constantly giving of Himself, even to the point of dying on the cross.
As a Christ follower, I try to exemplify these values in all areas of my life, including in my political views. However, I won't tell you how to vote -- that's between you and God.
It's interesting that the only group Jesus DID condemn and revile was the established religious leaders of the day for how they had perverted the Word of God for their own lust's and riches, for being pious hyopcrites and for leading people astray.
This is a phenomenon I've never really understood is why those that are heavily christian, are also heavily republicans. If you really think about it besides abortion views, Jesus was a liberal. Not a leftest republican or democrat, but a full-blown green party tree hugging flaming liberal.
The teachings are about living frugally, to help the poor, to only live with what you need and give your unneeded wealth away. To open your doors to the needy and that greed is evil. Even how Jesus is depicted in looking, long hair, beard, sandals, pretty much exactly like hippies of the 60's.
It just seems to make sense that if you are a true follower of the bible, you would be a hardcore liberal, not a conservative.
Most Conservative "Christians" in my experience are anything BUT Christian. Sure, they were baptised Christian, but that's about it. Do they live out Christian principles anymore than anyone else. NOPE!
Biblical approved families units only. Widows with children, wives abandoned with children, unwed mothers, and single women choosing to adopt are not welcome. They fail to worship men.
Quote:
Originally Posted by maskedman
The only people who seem to give there unneeded wealth away are rich people like Bill Gates.
Would he have given credit to all who contributed to the PC and refrained from proprietary monopolizing OS, he would have been wealthier beyond money. He grievously harmed untold small businesses when he socialized the losses (defective products/ hobbled warranty) through writ. Hero? There are plenty who'd dispute that, but a pie in the face did seem to shame him into the creation of his namesake foundation.
That's absurd, what liberal has ever said they hate private charities? Many liberals give to charity and volunteer much time to charity, liberals often work in public service and other lower paying jobs so maybe they don't have as much money to give, but I know many who give a lot in time, calling them stingy is childish and ridiculous.
It was a clever rouse IMO. Of all the things rivals could engage in oneupsmanship about, charitable giving contests seems to have a win-win built into it, don't you think? (Sneaky them chinese )
The statistics mean what? I have never in my life used the tax deduction of charity. Not ever, for any purpose. Those expecting applause or personal gain from an act of charity are hypocrites.
Matthew 6:2 "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Conservatives missed a few passages it would seem.
Proverbs 16:18-19
Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.
John 5:44
How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?
Romans 12:16
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
Phillipians 2:1-11
If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus...
Peter 5:2-6
Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.
You failing to use a tax advantage available to you has nothing to do with God.
It is not prideful to take a tax deduction for charity donations you have done. It's not announcing it to anyone except the IRS. And it's not like they even look at your tax returns unless you get audited anyway.
It's also not conceited or selfish. It also does not mean you are not seeking praise from God. Obviously making a charitable donation means you are associating with people of a "lower position" to a certain extent. Taking a tax deduction does not mean you have contempt for poor people.
Making a charitable donation IS looking after the interests of others. It IS serving God if you are doing what He has asked of you.
FAIL
Quote:
Originally Posted by harborlady
Biblical approved families units only. Widows with children, wives abandoned with children, unwed mothers, and single women choosing to adopt are not welcome. They fail to worship men.
Um, do you not remember that Jesus commanded us to take care of widows and orphans?
You failing to use a tax advantage available to you has nothing to do with God.
It is not prideful to take a tax deduction for charity donations you have done. It's not announcing it to anyone except the IRS. And it's not like they even look at your tax returns unless you get audited anyway.
It's also not conceited or selfish. It also does not mean you are not seeking praise from God. Obviously making a charitable donation means you are associating with people of a "lower position" to a certain extent. Taking a tax deduction does not mean you have contempt for poor people.
Making a charitable donation IS looking after the interests of others. It IS serving God if you are doing what He has asked of you.
FAIL
No, Harborlady did not fail. The point is that the idea that conservatives give more to charity is a statistic that some might figure by tax deductions. No one really knows if conservatives actually give more, or if they just took more deductions (or lied) or bragged more in a survey. Statistics don't really mean much. I don't see how bragging that conservatives give more money to charity is behavior Christ would approve of, it's prideful, and a cheap (no pun intended) way to insult others, which is another thing that doesn't seem very Christian to me. I don't feel the need to tell anyone how much time or money I give to charity, I am liberal in many ways, and I believe deeply in charity for it's own sake not to impress people.
Giving money isn't really associating with people in a "lower position" I believe Jesus actually spent time with people, he didn't give money, he actually spoke to them and helped them with his own hands. Giving money can be a way of bragging about how Christian you are while not actually experiencing, or understanding people who are struggling.
Last edited by detshen; 12-24-2010 at 11:34 AM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
