Is God pleased when we use the taxation power of government to provide benefits for the poor?

Bruce: Is God pleased when we use the taxation power of government to provide benefits for the poor?
Put another way, did Jesus ever suggest that government benefits supplied through taxation should replace individual charity?

Answers and Views:

Answer by The Fool On The Hill
Neither Existed so who cares.

You are a fool if you refuse free money.

Answer by Ted’s Mom
No, because God sees the enormous waste caused by an out-of-control bureaucracy. Governments should not be charitable institutions. Private charity works much better than fat bureaucrats giving a few scraps to the poor.

Answer by lainiebsky
Ah, yes, everyone knows that God is a Republican and had to wait thousands of years for a party that reflected his true values. All those other political movements fell short.

How does it feel to understand the mind of God so well?

Answer by Dave
Jesus preached the willful giving of money to the poor, not forcing people to give to the poor like the government does with taxes. and 100% of the time charitable organizations do a better job with helping the poor than the government because unlike the government, charities usually help those who are willing to work at it to get out of the situation where they need help, and don’t spend as much resources for those who refuse to use it to try and pick themselves up.

Answer by Boomer Wisdom
Only current demigods & politicians believe in mandatory volunteerism and charity.

Free Will seems to be an archaic concept to folks now days.

Answer by Spiritroaming
That’s kind of two different questions, really, but I understand what you’re asking.

The government benefits, on one hand, should never have HAD to replace personal responsibilty and acoountability to our brothers and sisters, but it did, mainly because far too many of us are so caught up in this whole ‘me me me’ society and don’t take the time to be our brother’s keeper.

Am I my brother’s keeper? Yes, indeed.

Answer by Johnny De J>C>B
Of course. Charity is always good. The government is just better at collecting and distrbuting.
Now, to say otherwise is really to deny help to the poor.
Not only is it good, it is the duty of governments to do this, to take care that none are impoverished in society. To deny this in favor of lowee taxes is just a euphamism for greed and selfishness. 2 things that are not catholic. encyclicals have been written on proverty and the poor and our duty to them, so go to catholic doctrine.
It is important to remeber that we did not write down every utterence of Our Lor din the Bible. However, matt 25:31-46 is more a way of life a lifes style than anything else a way to live and looka t others. KNowthing we gain materially is really ours anyway.

Answer by domenic x
There is no direct saying by Christ that there should be the replacement you mentioned. When he was fronted by a number to
try to find something to be judged, He asked them to show Him a coin. After that they gave him the ‘dina’ and asked them whose face is on the coin, He told them to give Caesar what is his and to God what is of God. He meant that taxation should be paid but one must also give God His share too. If taxation is used well it could take some place of charity as it is in the Socialist countries who take care of those not wealthy and see that the wealth is shared by all. I come from a country that luckily practice this in many ways which were introduced by Socialist governments. Pension is given to old people, disabled or widows. Health service is given free of charge, though you still can go to private hospitals or clinics. From the wage a percentage is deducted as an Insurance to make up for these. Government schools and university are free and even the students are given a stipend every month to help them in their needs. These were mostly aimed at those students whose family is not rich but still want to go on studying. Then there is the private charity that one gives to others.
ne can find organizations, institutions and missionaries. That we do out of our love. Christ ones said that the poor will be with you always and we can thank God because by giving charity we show that we love others and it is a positive and good deed done for ourselves.
Charity comes from ‘caritas’ which means love and so charity is not only when one gives money but also helping others in any way, hear their problems, visiting the sick or prisoners. These are all kinds of charity. Taxation we give it because we are by law bound to do so but we give charity of our free will. It should not be that considered as charity the tax that we pay.