There are over 2000 scriptures in the Bible that deal with the poor. Jesus even said that "I am come to bring good news to the poor."

 

Shouldn't eliminating poverty and economic injustice created by our system be THE #1 issue in the voting minds of Christians?

Shouldn't eliminating poverty and economic injustice created by our system be THE #1 issue in the voting minds of Christians?

No. You're assuming first that economic injustice was created by some system under the control of the government, and second that communism, or wealth redistribution, is the job of the government.

 

I would argue that

Is it not to share your food with the hungry

and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—

when you see the naked, to clothe him,

and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

 

Then your light will break forth like the dawn,

and your healing will quickly appear;

then your righteousness [a] will go before you,

and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.

There are over 2000 scriptures in the Bible that deal with the poor. Jesus even said that "I am come to bring good news to the poor."

 

Shouldn't eliminating poverty and economic injustice created by our system be THE #1 issue in the voting minds of Christians?

I person who is hungry can still come to Christ and spend life in eternity with him. A person that is dead cannot do that.

 

I do agree that this should be a huge aim of the church. I do not think that Jesus came to make sure that governments do the job of the church. I believe he came to set up the church to do this and not government.

 

My view is that the church has neglected their role in this and let government try and solve the problems that only the church can solve.

 

I define the church as NOT a building or group of buildings or denominations. But those followers who go out in their communities and try to make positive changes and help people's lives through their daily actions in the name of Jesus Christ.

 

Absolutely it is my responsibility to help the poor and unfortunate in the communities I live.

I person who is hungry can still come to Christ and spend life in eternity with him. A person that is dead cannot do that.

 

I do agree that this should be a huge aim of the church. I do not think that Jesus came to make sure that governments do the job of the church. I believe he came to set up the church to do this and not government.

 

My view is that the church has neglected their role in this and let government try and solve the problems that only the church can solve.

 

I define the church as NOT a building or group of buildings or denominations. But those followers who go out in their communities and try to make positive changes and help people's lives through their daily actions in the name of Jesus Christ.

 

Absolutely it is my responsibility to help the poor and unfortunate in the communities I live.

 

Holy Cow, such contradictions from other posts - then why vote values at all. The church should stop abortions too - why leave that to the government.

I person who is hungry can still come to Christ and spend life in eternity with him. A person that is dead cannot do that.

 

I do agree that this should be a huge aim of the church. I do not think that Jesus came to make sure that governments do the job of the church. I believe he came to set up the church to do this and not government.

 

My view is that the church has neglected their role in this and let government try and solve the problems that only the church can solve.

 

I define the church as NOT a building or group of buildings or denominations. But those followers who go out in their communities and try to make positive changes and help people's lives through their daily actions in the name of Jesus Christ.

 

Absolutely it is my responsibility to help the poor and unfortunate in the communities I live.

 

Maslow will tell you that a person who is hungry cannot come to know JC b/c that would require some self-actualization and a truly hungry person cannot meet that aspiration.

 

So all fetuses destroyed during abortions are in Hell? WOW What an awesome God who is full of love and forgiveness?? (SARCASM that was hard for me to write)

 

How do you know that a dead person cannot come to know Jesus? Does the scripture say that somewhere?

Holy Cow, such contradictions from other posts - then why vote values at all. The church should stop abortions too - why leave that to the government.

The church does not have the legal power to do so.

 

But churches do provide information to those considering abortions that tries to have them make informed decisions. They fund counseling that works to help the women after the procedure is done with the effects psychologically with their decision. They support legislature programs and candidates who say they will work to overturn the legal decisions. They support and promote adoption programs that are an alternative to abortion.

 

That is off the top of my completely uninformed head.

Maslow will tell you that a person who is hungry cannot come to know JC b/c that would require some self-actualization and a truly hungry person cannot meet that aspiration.

 

So all fetuses destroyed during abortions are in Hell? WOW What an awesome God who is full of love and forgiveness?? (SARCASM that was hard for me to write)

 

How do you know that a dead person cannot come to know Jesus? Does the scripture say that somewhere?

I would hope not and hope that God has a plan to save the aborted souls.

 

I believe Scripture indicates that once you die, your eternal judgement is set. What Scriptures give you the indication that is not true? What you have implied intrigues me and I look forward to reading and studying the Scriptures.

 

And on your first point, the reason that the Church needs to be a leader in this regard. What Scriptures indicate to you that Jesus wanted to set up a government to handle everything instead of the church. He told Peter that His church would be built with Peter as the foundation. He never told Peter that his government would be built upon Peter.

What scripture did Maslow write?

What scripture did Maslow write?

I'd be willing to bet that Maslow wasn't a big JC fan.

I person who is hungry can still come to Christ and spend life in eternity with him. A person that is dead cannot do that.

 

I do agree that this should be a huge aim of the church. I do not think that Jesus came to make sure that governments do the job of the church. I believe he came to set up the church to do this and not government.

 

My view is that the church has neglected their role in this and let government try and solve the problems that only the church can solve.

 

I define the church as NOT a building or group of buildings or denominations. But those followers who go out in their communities and try to make positive changes and help people's lives through their daily actions in the name of Jesus Christ.

 

Absolutely it is my responsibility to help the poor and unfortunate in the communities I live.

 

Let's go a step further since "Salvation" is the primary aim. Let's keep abortion. Afterall, the odds of someone being that unwanted, raised in such an environment as that will probably produce a child that grows up to not believe in Jesus Christ. Then they would be sent to hell. So it is better that they not grow up and become held accountable and more souls will make it into heaven.

 

Sorry LBC but that first statement flies all over me. If Salvation is the only main aim, then that's like the old preacher I actually heard at a graveside of a child say the very words above that now she is in heaven and had she not died so young she may have rejected Christ and the cross.

Fair point Hatz and I will have to give that some thought. Obviously, we don't want to kill all children to secure their salvation. That's nuts.

 

But surely God does not think abortion is right either.

 

I do think hunger is not in God's plan either but I see that as an issue that Church's can do a much better job in helping with than the government. And think that God expects the church should be the one aiming to solve society's woes instead of government.

Jesus is actually quoting Isaiah 61:1 where he was applying these verses to himself. The Good News is for everyone including the "Poor". This came from his mouth in Luke 4:18. he also mentions other types of people that also will recieve the Gospel.

Fair point Hatz and I will have to give that some thought. Obviously, we don't want to kill all children to secure their salvation. That's nuts.

 

But surely God does not think abortion is right either.

 

I do think hunger is not in God's plan either but I see that as an issue that Church's can do a much better job in helping with than the government. And think that God expects the church should be the one aiming to solve society's woes instead of government.

 

This is what I don't understand . . . you want the government tofix the abortion problem, but you don't want it to fix the hunger problem.

 

There is scripture that refers to JC and the unrelenting hound.

 

if you were the parent of an unloving child, when would you give up on the child and ultimately turn your back on them. i would say never. So God, who loves us much more than we can love our children, will never relent and will constantly be striving to win our affection.

Other than through keeping the issue in peoples mind religious organizations are powerless as to the abortion issue. They can only hope to elect enough people who share their views to be able to change the laws.

 

The church however, can do plenty to help the hungry. Its not a hypocritical stance as you would suggest.

Other than through keeping the issue in peoples mind religious organizations are powerless as to the abortion issue. They can only hope to elect enough people who share their views to be able to change the laws.

 

The church however, can do plenty to help the hungry. Its not a hypocritical stance as you would suggest.

 

It is hypocritical if you feel free to use the government to cure some social ills, but suggest that you cannot use it to cure others.

 

I think the government can do a lot to cure the ills of the 46 million children without health care, so I will cast my votes for the politicians that want to help the children who are here. I will also cast votes for those who work to reduce the conditions that lead to abotion - better quality pre-natal care for poor women, work against systemic poverty, etc...