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Thank you for your letter, Mr. Johnson. It is well written and well thought out. Your thoughts are right on the mark and thank goodness most of America agrees with you.

dd,
i agree with you that the lte is presented well and i also agree with his thoughts.....however mr. johnson, prepare for the few here that will tell you that it is not our responsibilty to give hand outs (and i could just about put names to those who will respond in that manner).
"Inasmuch as ye did [it] not to one of the least of these, ye did [it] not to me"..... "And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done [it] unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done [it] unto me."
great quotes from an awesome person.

Buz, I can agree with both you and DD on this with the exception to those that the letter writer mentioned in his first sentence. Actually that sentence tore the remainder of his letter down to nothing. If people will not take responsibility for themselves then they should not demand that others do it for them. Even that awsome person that you and I both love and follow did not expect that. Everything this person spoke required an action. Not taking responsibility is certainly actionless.
I will always do what I can do help those who are willing to help themselves and those who are not able to help themselves I will do even more.

Thoughtful enough letter, but it avoid a crucial question: how minimal is a "minimum level of well-being"? Make welfare too attractive, and everyone will want to be on it. That's the problem in Europe. In America, the deterioration of the black family can be attributed in part to a welfare system that provide more incentives to single black mothers than to married black mothers.

As Bill Clinton's welfare reform has shown, there are many people on welfare who do just fine if forced out of the system.

For those incapable of taking care of themselves, there is of course a moral imperative for the U.S. government to provide assistance. Jesus said so, right?

mrP.
i see your point and can't disagree. another great man said this..... "For you know that you ought to follow our example. We were never lazy when we were with you. We never accepted food from anyone without paying for it. We worked hard day and night so that we would not be a burden to any of you. It wasn't that we didn't have the right to ask you to feed us, but we wanted to give you an example to follow. Even while we were with you, we gave you this rule: "Whoever does not work should not eat."....so mrP. i believe you expressed it perfectly well my brother. grace & peace

B44,
" there is of course a moral imperative for the U.S. government to provide assistance. Jesus said so, right? ".......... i'm not so certain that it is the governments responsibility as it is individuals whose compassion lead them to help. i believe that many find the problem is the "governments" role in welfare. i don't disagree that the welfare system is part of the problem. i further believe that many of those welfare receipients have an "entitlement" mentality and imo therin lies the bigger problem (albeit that mentality has been fed by the system).

"I will always do what I can do help those who are willing to help themselves and those who are not able to help themselves I will do even more. "

Agreed. Those are the people who are entitled. But those who are unwilling and those who are able have NO claim to entitlment.

Take a drive down Eugene Street or Florida Street between Eugene and Randleman Road. Look around. If you can't see what kind of depravity and worthlessness that our current Welfare system has created, then you are blind.

Help those who need help themselves. Require work from all who are able.

The welfare system as it is today especially is nothing more than a form of slavery. It is made in order to keep a part of the population in slavery and indebted to that groups that insures that the support system will continue.
After a few generations it was simple to keep people in bondage for they knew nothing else. The system must be perpetuated inorder to keep those in power who will support the system. A vicious circle. As long as people accept the victim status they will remain in bondage to those who claim to lead them out of the wilderness. Instead they wander in the wilderness until they die rather than pass over into the land of milk and honey. Why, because they believe the report of others that giants inhabit the land thus making it impossible to possess the life that they dream about.

And sadly, in the USA, the Church passed its responsibility to the government. Therefore, only adding further insult to the injury that is now our welfare system.

Until the Church takes its rightful place in society, we will not see any improvement in this situation.

I am NOT advocating a "Christian" nation or enacting "Christian" laws to take care of this. I am saying that the Church SHOULD take BACK its responsibility from the government. Then and only then will we hopefully see any improvement.

Shalom

Darryl,
So true. Religion should get out of politics and get into the building of the kingdom.

Darryl,

What you are advocating takes money and resources. If the church (as a whole) received half of the tithe from attenders and 'believers', they'd have a much easier time with that ministry.