It’s a topic I often talk about, legislated charity. That is my view of a number of these programs offered today. The same people that insist we are not a Christian nation insist we must extend Christian charity. Charity is just that, something freely given that is viewed as a positive thing. It doesn’t have to be money, it can also be just a kind word or encouragement. But it isn’t anything that should be legislated. To do so changes the intent of the action. It isn’t charity when it is a required action.
We all dislike paying out taxes. Taxes are a necessary thing to fund societies needs. We call that infrastructure. Whether those taxes are funding the building and maintenance of roads and highways or funding the police department they are necessary. Then we have to pay fees! Fees are payments made to cover the cost of a service. When coming out of our pocket they feel like the same thing. But they are different. And charity, charity is also a different thing altogether as well. Charity is voluntary. I contribute to a charity to support what I want to support.
The business of government is to govern. To govern, to keep things under control, to moderate and regulate. That is the function of government. Ideally government using whatever taxes and fees it collects for the common good. The common good is whatever the voters decide it to be. What’s good for the goose, is good for the gander. In our republic we call that equal rights.
Taxes fund governments , fees pay for services. Should not everyone pay equally? When my tax dollars are used to pay fees for another person that is charity. Granted in the real world not everyone is capable of paying their taxes or fees. When that occurs are we then collectively responsible to pay that? It is certainly the Christian thing to do, but should it be a legally mandated thing? The separation of church and state was delineated to prevent just that. No religious doctrine shall be used to govern the people!
Our human rights were clearly stated from the onset. Life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. In more recent years those have been expanded to include equal treatment and protections against discrimination. There is no right to charity. That isn’t a human right, nor is it a function of government. You have every right to life, meaning no one can just murder you as a matter of course, liberty is the freedom to act as you choose, subject to the laws of the land and the pursuit of happiness is what; make a living, provide for your family, live within the society without undo interference.
Churches often speak of tithes and tithing. The word tithe comes from old English and means one tenth. You are urged to give one tenth of your income to the church. The purpose being to fund the church. The church in kind extending charity to its’ members when they are in need. Perhaps our government should establish something similar. You can “tithe” or donate to a fund to be used for charitable purposes. Of course, there would be the problem of administration. We would have to pay for those administering the program. We don’t have a very good record as far as fiscal management goes. And that, that is the reason that charity should never be legislated. Charity is an individual thing!
An aging man living in a confusing world. I was born and raised in East Hampton, yes “the Hamptons” but not rich, not famous and definitely not woke. These are my thoughts, my memories and my opinions. Just the stuff of the regular Joe.
It’s a topic I often talk about, legislated charity. That is my view of a number of these programs offered today. The same people that insist we are not a Christian nation insist we must extend Christian charity. Charity is just that, something freely given that is viewed as a positive thing. It doesn’t have to be money, it can also be just a kind word or encouragement. But it isn’t anything that should be legislated. To do so changes the intent of the action. It isn’t charity when it is a required action.
We all dislike paying out taxes. Taxes are a necessary thing to fund societies needs. We call that infrastructure. Whether those taxes are funding the building and maintenance of roads and highways or funding the police department they are necessary. Then we have to pay fees! Fees are payments made to cover the cost of a service. When coming out of our pocket they feel like the same thing. But they are different. And charity, charity is also a different thing altogether as well. Charity is voluntary. I contribute to a charity to support what I want to support.
The business of government is to govern. To govern, to keep things under control, to moderate and regulate. That is the function of government. Ideally government using whatever taxes and fees it collects for the common good. The common good is whatever the voters decide it to be. What’s good for the goose, is good for the gander. In our republic we call that equal rights.
Taxes fund governments , fees pay for services. Should not everyone pay equally? When my tax dollars are used to pay fees for another person that is charity. Granted in the real world not everyone is capable of paying their taxes or fees. When that occurs are we then collectively responsible to pay that? It is certainly the Christian thing to do, but should it be a legally mandated thing? The separation of church and state was delineated to prevent just that. No religious doctrine shall be used to govern the people!
Our human rights were clearly stated from the onset. Life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. In more recent years those have been expanded to include equal treatment and protections against discrimination. There is no right to charity. That isn’t a human right, nor is it a function of government. You have every right to life, meaning no one can just murder you as a matter of course, liberty is the freedom to act as you choose, subject to the laws of the land and the pursuit of happiness is what; make a living, provide for your family, live within the society without undo interference.
Churches often speak of tithes and tithing. The word tithe comes from old English and means one tenth. You are urged to give one tenth of your income to the church. The purpose being to fund the church. The church in kind extending charity to its’ members when they are in need. Perhaps our government should establish something similar. You can “tithe” or donate to a fund to be used for charitable purposes. Of course, there would be the problem of administration. We would have to pay for those administering the program. We don’t have a very good record as far as fiscal management goes. And that, that is the reason that charity should never be legislated. Charity is an individual thing!
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It’s a topic I often talk about, legislated charity. That is my view of a number of these programs offered today. The same people that insist we are not a Christian nation insist we must extend Christian charity. Charity is just that, something freely given that is viewed as a positive thing. It doesn’t have to be money, it can also be just a kind word or encouragement. But it isn’t anything that should be legislated. To do so changes the intent of the action. It isn’t charity when it is a required action.
We all dislike paying out taxes. Taxes are a necessary thing to fund societies needs. We call that infrastructure. Whether those taxes are funding the building and maintenance of roads and highways or funding the police department they are necessary. Then we have to pay fees! Fees are payments made to cover the cost of a service. When coming out of our pocket they feel like the same thing. But they are different. And charity, charity is also a different thing altogether as well. Charity is voluntary. I contribute to a charity to support what I want to support.
The business of government is to govern. To govern, to keep things under control, to moderate and regulate. That is the function of government. Ideally government using whatever taxes and fees it collects for the common good. The common good is whatever the voters decide it to be. What’s good for the goose, is good for the gander. In our republic we call that equal rights.
Taxes fund governments , fees pay for services. Should not everyone pay equally? When my tax dollars are used to pay fees for another person that is charity. Granted in the real world not everyone is capable of paying their taxes or fees. When that occurs are we then collectively responsible to pay that? It is certainly the Christian thing to do, but should it be a legally mandated thing? The separation of church and state was delineated to prevent just that. No religious doctrine shall be used to govern the people!
Our human rights were clearly stated from the onset. Life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. In more recent years those have been expanded to include equal treatment and protections against discrimination. There is no right to charity. That isn’t a human right, nor is it a function of government. You have every right to life, meaning no one can just murder you as a matter of course, liberty is the freedom to act as you choose, subject to the laws of the land and the pursuit of happiness is what; make a living, provide for your family, live within the society without undo interference.
Churches often speak of tithes and tithing. The word tithe comes from old English and means one tenth. You are urged to give one tenth of your income to the church. The purpose being to fund the church. The church in kind extending charity to its’ members when they are in need. Perhaps our government should establish something similar. You can “tithe” or donate to a fund to be used for charitable purposes. Of course, there would be the problem of administration. We would have to pay for those administering the program. We don’t have a very good record as far as fiscal management goes. And that, that is the reason that charity should never be legislated. Charity is an individual thing!
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