"Always judge your neighbors fairly, neither favoring the poor nor showing deference to the rich."
LEVITICUS 19:15
And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not completely reap the corners of your field when you reap, neither shall you gather any gleaning of your harvest: you shall leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God.
LEVITICUS 23:22
I THINK THESE SPEAK TO THE IMPORTANCE FACT THAT THERE SHOULD ALWAYS BE A HIGH MORAL QUALITY TO THE HELP THAT WE GIVE THE LESS FORTUNATE AND THAT THE AID WE GIVE MUST NEVER BECOME A REWARD FOR LAZINESS OR AN OPPORTUNITY FOR INCREASING DEPENDENCE.
THE AID WE GIVE SHOULD BE TEMPORARY - UNTIL THE PERSONS CAN STAND ON THEIR OWN.
THE POOR DESERVE HELP AND BUT NOT HANDOUTS; THEY NEED TO MAKE AN EFFORT PROVIDE FOR THEMSELVES.
NOR SHOULD THEY GET SPECIAL TREATMENT BEFORE THE LAW.
A LOT OF WHAT IS BAD ABOUT OUR CURRENT WELFARE STATE IS THAT IT HAS ENGENDERED AN ENTITLEMENT ATTITUDE AND A CULTURE OF DEPENDENCE.
THESE ARE NOT GOOD OR MORAL.
THE BIBLE SAW THAT, THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO.
2 Thessalonians 3:6-10
ReplyDeleteNow we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. For you yourselves know whow you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.
That about says it all.