If Evangelicals had their way and America became a theocracy, would the social safety net disappear?
I realize this OP calls for speculation, but by all means, please speculate.
If Evangelicals had their way,
Moderator: Moderators
-
- Savant
- Posts: 12235
- Joined: Mon Oct 28, 2013 8:23 pm
- Location: New England
- Has thanked: 11 times
- Been thanked: 16 times
If Evangelicals had their way,
Post #1 My theological positions:
-God created us in His image, not the other way around.
-The Bible is redeemed by it's good parts.
-Pure monotheism, simple repentance.
-YHVH is LORD
-The real Jesus is not God, the real YHVH is not a monster.
-Eternal life is a gift from the Living God.
-Keep the Commandments, keep your salvation.
-I have accepted YHVH as my Heavenly Father, LORD and Savior.
I am inspired by Jesus to worship none but YHVH, and to serve only Him.
-God created us in His image, not the other way around.
-The Bible is redeemed by it's good parts.
-Pure monotheism, simple repentance.
-YHVH is LORD
-The real Jesus is not God, the real YHVH is not a monster.
-Eternal life is a gift from the Living God.
-Keep the Commandments, keep your salvation.
-I have accepted YHVH as my Heavenly Father, LORD and Savior.
I am inspired by Jesus to worship none but YHVH, and to serve only Him.
-
- Scholar
- Posts: 384
- Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 7:02 pm
Re: If Evangelicals had their way,
Post #2Elijah John wrote: If Evangelicals had their way and America became a theocracy, would the social safety net disappear?
I realize this OP calls for speculation, but by all means, please speculate.
Apologies if I missed it - what's the social safety net as presented here
- Divine Insight
- Savant
- Posts: 18070
- Joined: Thu Jun 28, 2012 10:59 pm
- Location: Here & Now
- Been thanked: 19 times
Re: If Evangelicals had their way,
Post #4I agree. Sounds to me like the term "Evangelicals" is being used to imply some specific stereotype in the OP. A stereotype that may not fit the term.historia wrote:I think this premise is flawed. Do you really imagine that most American Evangelicals want a theocracy? What evidence supports that assertion?
I was a Free Methodist growing up. I'm pretty sure that many of them considered themselves to be "evangelists". Yet they weren't the type to push for a theocracy.
They also stood behind the teaching of Jesus that it is our duty to feed and care for the poor. So they would be in total support of social services, social security, and even welfare. I can't imagine why anyone would think that they wouldn't be in support of social safety nets.
I'm thinking that the author of the OP is somehow confusing the term "evangelical" with certain TV evangelists. Many of those "evangelists" do tend to preach fire and brimstone and teachings that are alien to the teachings of Jesus. But those people don't constitute all "evangelicals" by far.
I looked up evangelical on Google, I got the following definition:
Evangelical - of or according to the teaching of the gospel or the Christian religion.
If that's the meaning of Evangelical, then most TV preachers aren't evangelists because they aren't teaching the teachings of the gospels.
[center]
Spiritual Growth - A person's continual assessment
of how well they believe they are doing
relative to what they believe a personal God expects of them.
[/center]
Spiritual Growth - A person's continual assessment
of how well they believe they are doing
relative to what they believe a personal God expects of them.
[/center]
-
- Savant
- Posts: 12235
- Joined: Mon Oct 28, 2013 8:23 pm
- Location: New England
- Has thanked: 11 times
- Been thanked: 16 times
Post #5
@ Historia and Divine Insight. I mean Evangelicals like Judge Roy Moore, and the people who support him. Also, Evangelicals as presented on TBN who cheer on preachers who advocate the elimination or the reduction of the safety net, in favor of "letting the church handle it". No (or extremely low) taxes, only tithes to care for the poor and those in need.
Do they really think the Church could handle Medicare, Medicaid, Unemployment, SSI, SSDI and other social programs? I, for one, doubt it. Not if they want to retain their personal fortunes. Even then.
Granted, they may not be entirely representative of Evangelicals at large, but they are certainly the loudest.
Do they really think the Church could handle Medicare, Medicaid, Unemployment, SSI, SSDI and other social programs? I, for one, doubt it. Not if they want to retain their personal fortunes. Even then.
Granted, they may not be entirely representative of Evangelicals at large, but they are certainly the loudest.
My theological positions:
-God created us in His image, not the other way around.
-The Bible is redeemed by it's good parts.
-Pure monotheism, simple repentance.
-YHVH is LORD
-The real Jesus is not God, the real YHVH is not a monster.
-Eternal life is a gift from the Living God.
-Keep the Commandments, keep your salvation.
-I have accepted YHVH as my Heavenly Father, LORD and Savior.
I am inspired by Jesus to worship none but YHVH, and to serve only Him.
-God created us in His image, not the other way around.
-The Bible is redeemed by it's good parts.
-Pure monotheism, simple repentance.
-YHVH is LORD
-The real Jesus is not God, the real YHVH is not a monster.
-Eternal life is a gift from the Living God.
-Keep the Commandments, keep your salvation.
-I have accepted YHVH as my Heavenly Father, LORD and Savior.
I am inspired by Jesus to worship none but YHVH, and to serve only Him.
- bluethread
- Savant
- Posts: 9129
- Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2011 1:10 pm
Post #6
It appears that you are confusing fundamentalism with evangelicalism. Though I don't fully support "fundamental" Christian doctrine, a tenth of all personal income in 2016 was $1.6 trillion.Elijah John wrote: @ Historia and Divine Insight. I mean Evangelicals like Judge Roy Moore, and the people who support him. Also, Evangelicals as presented on TBN who cheer on preachers who advocate the elimination or the reduction of the safety net, in favor of "letting the church handle it". No (or extremely low) taxes, only tithes to care for the poor and those in need.
So, you want to lay this all at the feet of evangelical fundamentalist Christians? Maybe, the secular humanists could take care of their own. Also, this is not talking about a theocracy, but a localist confederation. They are not asking for authority to [strike]steal[/strike] take money from anyone else, as the federal government does.Do they really think the Church could handle Medicare, Medicaid, Unemployment, SSI, SSDI and other social programs? I, for one, doubt it. Not if they want to retain their personal fortunes. Even then.
Granted, they may not be entirely representative of Evangelicals at large, but they are certainly the loudest.
-
- Savant
- Posts: 12235
- Joined: Mon Oct 28, 2013 8:23 pm
- Location: New England
- Has thanked: 11 times
- Been thanked: 16 times
Post #7
bluethread wrote:Did I ever say that Evangelical Fundamentalists are the only people who should be taxed?It appears that you are confusing fundamentalism with evangelicalism. Though I don't fully support "fundamental" Christian doctrine, a tenth of all personal income in 2016 was $1.6 trillion.Elijah John wrote: @ Historia and Divine Insight. I mean Evangelicals like Judge Roy Moore, and the people who support him. Also, Evangelicals as presented on TBN who cheer on preachers who advocate the elimination or the reduction of the safety net, in favor of "letting the church handle it". No (or extremely low) taxes, only tithes to care for the poor and those in need.
So, you want to lay this all at the feet of evangelical fundamentalist Christians? Maybe, the secular humanists could take care of their own. Also, this is not talking about a theocracy, but a localist confederation. They are not asking for authority to [strike]steal[/strike] take money from anyone else, as the federal government does.Do they really think the Church could handle Medicare, Medicaid, Unemployment, SSI, SSDI and other social programs? I, for one, doubt it. Not if they want to retain their personal fortunes. Even then.
Granted, they may not be entirely representative of Evangelicals at large, but they are certainly the loudest.
Should those particular Evangelicals who decry taxation for the sustenance of the social safety net be exempt from the obligations of citizenship in the particular country in which they reside? In this case, the USA? The system benefits all in need, Evangelical, Atheists, RC, JWs etc, etc.
Perhaps if they want an exemption, they should found their own theocracy, and buy their own island. Or if they can afford it, their own continent.
And who exactly did Jesus say would inherit the earth? And/or the Kingdom of Heaven?
Seems Jesus sided with the poor and the meek, not the rich and domineering.
"Prosperity Gospel" minded Evangelicals are attempting to hijack Jesus and distorting his message, it seems to me. They are giving Christianity a bad name, at least those who begrudge helping the down and out. It comes across as mean-spirited. Not a good witness.
My theological positions:
-God created us in His image, not the other way around.
-The Bible is redeemed by it's good parts.
-Pure monotheism, simple repentance.
-YHVH is LORD
-The real Jesus is not God, the real YHVH is not a monster.
-Eternal life is a gift from the Living God.
-Keep the Commandments, keep your salvation.
-I have accepted YHVH as my Heavenly Father, LORD and Savior.
I am inspired by Jesus to worship none but YHVH, and to serve only Him.
-God created us in His image, not the other way around.
-The Bible is redeemed by it's good parts.
-Pure monotheism, simple repentance.
-YHVH is LORD
-The real Jesus is not God, the real YHVH is not a monster.
-Eternal life is a gift from the Living God.
-Keep the Commandments, keep your salvation.
-I have accepted YHVH as my Heavenly Father, LORD and Savior.
I am inspired by Jesus to worship none but YHVH, and to serve only Him.
-
- Savant
- Posts: 12235
- Joined: Mon Oct 28, 2013 8:23 pm
- Location: New England
- Has thanked: 11 times
- Been thanked: 16 times
Re: If Evangelicals had their way,
Post #8Social Security, Disability, Unemployment Compensation, Medicare, Medicaid, etc.etc.imhereforyou wrote:Elijah John wrote: If Evangelicals had their way and America became a theocracy, would the social safety net disappear?
I realize this OP calls for speculation, but by all means, please speculate.
Apologies if I missed it - what's the social safety net as presented here
My theological positions:
-God created us in His image, not the other way around.
-The Bible is redeemed by it's good parts.
-Pure monotheism, simple repentance.
-YHVH is LORD
-The real Jesus is not God, the real YHVH is not a monster.
-Eternal life is a gift from the Living God.
-Keep the Commandments, keep your salvation.
-I have accepted YHVH as my Heavenly Father, LORD and Savior.
I am inspired by Jesus to worship none but YHVH, and to serve only Him.
-God created us in His image, not the other way around.
-The Bible is redeemed by it's good parts.
-Pure monotheism, simple repentance.
-YHVH is LORD
-The real Jesus is not God, the real YHVH is not a monster.
-Eternal life is a gift from the Living God.
-Keep the Commandments, keep your salvation.
-I have accepted YHVH as my Heavenly Father, LORD and Savior.
I am inspired by Jesus to worship none but YHVH, and to serve only Him.
-
- Scholar
- Posts: 384
- Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 7:02 pm
Re: If Evangelicals had their way,
Post #9A good question. Has any answer been provided yet?Elijah John wrote:Social Security, Disability, Unemployment Compensation, Medicare, Medicaid, etc.etc.imhereforyou wrote:Elijah John wrote: If Evangelicals had their way and America became a theocracy, would the social safety net disappear?
I realize this OP calls for speculation, but by all means, please speculate.
Apologies if I missed it - what's the social safety net as presented here