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In the Catholic bell curve of traditionalist to progressives i am the latter. I think Popes Leo and Francis are God's gifts to Christianity that has lost its soul.
Thanks for providing such an important topic. I have a few comments but first will outline an area of government that I think is too neglected by Christians concerning the proper role of government. This concerns the regulation of industry, taxes and human rights among other things. The reason such things are important is that no society is always just or equal. I also go a step further and suggest how God is highly involved in correcting imbalances and injustices.
God does love justice. He hates when the scales are imbalanced. However, he allows slavery but does not endorse it. I think God would reject free speech at least as far as the USA gives it. Pornography for instance would never be God's will for protected speech. God always seems to support due process. Paul appealing as a citizen of Rome shows that respect. God too has rules of evidence, such as everything being confirmed by two or more witnesses. God does give some criminals and foreigners rights too. I don't see any liberties that Americans would enjoy as being opposed to God, except maybe some exceptions for speech (the right to pornography an exception) and perhaps the right to any religious exercise. To me God gives free will though and while God does not want alternative paths to be worshiped, I think he suppresses that but does not outlaw it in the New Testament period. In the OT, God is quite direct in stamping out some nations that oppose him or are oppressive. In modern times, he allows far more. I think God emphasizes the difference between believers and non-believers, rather than the nations. I have seen some to suggest that God judges the church, not the nations in the New Testament. I lean to the former but there are times when God will judge leaders or groups that warrant this. If I consider the love of money in American society as a likely judgment coming, I have to assume that while everyone is effected those who are balanced in this area could actually fare better. Here I consider the low will be brought high, the high will be brought low as a Godly principle. The same goes for the humble versus the proud. So someone walking in humility without the love of money could fare extremely well.
Government isn't the savior. Society and churches have been pushed out of the way in general in helping, just as gov't wants. Society, we the people are bigger than the government, but it's been twisted around so it seems gov't is bigger than society. God has limits on gov't, but it seems per usual, gov't has overstepped those limits, thus pushing society to the side. Gov't is suppose to work for the people, not against them. For decades it's been messed up. People need to be self dependent and help each other, not look to gov't as the helper.
It's always been that way. Us regular folk and there are those at the top. Again, the gov't is too big making too many "at the top". But it's been that way for too long. Even in Bible times it was that way. The Bible even mentions the poor will always be. Rich or poor, either way, if they are saved than they are on equal footing before God. Are you into cashiers should get paid the same as brain surgeons?
Most people have the same opp to employment opps. Some just aren't gifted, interested, etc in what it takes to be a lawyer over a school teacher. There are already those things in general. Manpower is one example. Sadly now days, some don't actually want to work, but still give me money, is their attitude. That's not how God wants it to be. I'm not referring to those who may have a physical condition that limits their ability, that's for another post. The majority of those who don't want to work though they physically can, if they struggle, that is their problem. I don't feel bad for them really since they are capable, but just lazy.
By history. Schools since the 90's it seems have went down hill. Depending on how old you are, there has been a dumbing down in public schools that wasn't there before. Research it sometime. A dumber people are a people easier to control. There is good info out there about how it's changed. And it's a deliberate change. Never forget, public schools are a government run system. The way God expects gov't to be run, isn't the gov't we live under today. Today's gov't is out of control and has been for decades. It's that way in many countries.
What specifically do you mean by "pro-social attitudes"?
No one said it was, but the laws that were over ancient Israel seem to me to lean heavily on the side of the government being responsible for ensuring the care of its citizenry. God's justice that governments are instituted to support goes far beyond law and order.
The size of the government doesn't seem to me to be the biggest cause of graft and exploitation by governmental officials. And just because the poor will always be with us, doesn't mean we should just ignore poverty and let them live in squalor.
No, most people don't have the same opportunities. Connections vary, access to education and job training varies, transportation is often a barrier. To claim that most people have the same opportunities is naive at best.
What metric? are you just eyeball testing it, or do you have hard data?
Love thy neighbor.
I mean exposure to violence in their schools, neighborhoods, and general environment.
