[TheRealThing]

I think this is so funny. People are suffering out there, our very neighbors, and we are worried about the letter of the Law and not the intent. I think the religious right will bring down Christianity much like the pharisees because of they do not care about people. I will hear the argument I am pro-life but when asked they will carry a gun to defend themselves and take a life if necessary. They will have hatred to the brother who is perceived to be lazy. They will condemn a person because they want the same legal rights as another. They will get mad when someone goes the Dr. and can not afford the bill. They will judge that person on the spot. They will harm the environment in the name of profit. However, when asked to sell their possessions, they can not do it. They wept and walk away, much like my Teacher, Light, has talked about. At the end of the day it comes to down to our selfishness and yes I have mine as well. To think that any man is perfect is a lie. The religious right has created a much bigger mess in the name of power in my opinion. I hope that the church can survive. We have a great Savior! He has taught us how to live! I mess it up daily. I just hope through the Spirit, I can become a better man each day, and actually be a difference.

I really appreciate your patience and hope you can continue to overlook our narrow perspectives. But you think the Church is going down do you? Maybe the following will make you feel better about it.
Matthew 16:18 (KJV)
18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Should I even mention the fact that the good folks there in the early Church as described in Acts, lived in a theocracy? There was no income tax, nor was there government housing, free college, food, clothing, health insurance/care, transportation, cell phones, or state sponsored sex change operations for prisoners. The people of Israel in that day gave to the Church and the Church made distributions to the hungry.

As far as I know anybody who needs assistance here in the US has to but go to the welfare office, and help is forthcoming. We all know that there are good people who don't game the system and none of us would deny them the help they need. Nonetheless, there are many incurably irresponsible parents who sell their food stamps to buy things like cigarettes drugs and beer, leaving their children to suffer in hunger. So aside from government's blind support of a billion dollar a year welfare fraud industry in just giving stuff away, there is a role for the Church to play in the area of benevolence and I'm sure most of them rise to the occasion accordingly. But, if I might ask, are you speaking of help to gain one's financial footing, or across the board redistribution of wealth? Perhaps you are referring to the efforts that the various US benevolence entities make to feed the poor of other lands? All of these things happen daily here in America. Have you sold all your possessions and given the money to the poor, or maybe it would just be best to give as much as you can on a weekly basis to them?