Yahzi
30th August 2003, 01:56 PM
In counter-point to my series of posts about bad behaviour, here's an interesting item:
"The poor in Alabama are generally in a form of bondage to poverty," he said. "In a wealthy society, government has the wherewithal to do a lot to free them from that bondage and raise revenues, and with those revenues engage in programs to try to provide a foundation for people to break the bonds of poverty. The most important question on social issues that a Christian can ask is, 'What is best for the poor?' I'm satisfied that question is at the heart of God."
http://www.prospect.org/webfeatures/2003/08/wilkinson-f-08-28.html
Now mind you, I'm not praising them for pushing for relief for the poor. I think the Bible is a terrible basis for government, even when it happens to lead to conclusions I like. No, what I am praising them for is intellectual conscience - for having the courage to tell their own people that the Bible does not say what they want it to say.
If we could just get everyone to approach the Bible this way, then I think we could make some real progress.
"The poor in Alabama are generally in a form of bondage to poverty," he said. "In a wealthy society, government has the wherewithal to do a lot to free them from that bondage and raise revenues, and with those revenues engage in programs to try to provide a foundation for people to break the bonds of poverty. The most important question on social issues that a Christian can ask is, 'What is best for the poor?' I'm satisfied that question is at the heart of God."
http://www.prospect.org/webfeatures/2003/08/wilkinson-f-08-28.html
Now mind you, I'm not praising them for pushing for relief for the poor. I think the Bible is a terrible basis for government, even when it happens to lead to conclusions I like. No, what I am praising them for is intellectual conscience - for having the courage to tell their own people that the Bible does not say what they want it to say.
If we could just get everyone to approach the Bible this way, then I think we could make some real progress.