Exactly. It's impossible to criticize good works without coming across as Mr. Sourpuss, but the fact is that charity is driven by ego gratification not social equity and hence can never be truly effective in meeting needs and can never be socially equitable.
>This conservative position is perfectly consistent with the Bible, however
>much lefties might dislike it. That is why no amount of leftist preaching
>from selected Bible texts will "convert" conservative Christians -- they
>have their own interpretation of all of them, and they simply retort that
>you are "misinterpreting" them.
Yes, arguing with fundamentalists in religious terms is a mug's game. The basic point is that it's insane and dangerous to make religious appeals -- however noble -- in the political realm. Separation of church and state is one of humankind's better ideas, one that helps keep public debate and policy from getting cluttered up with the divisive doctrines of the faithful. There is no greater irony than religion as the ultimate self-negating expression of the brotherhood of man and no greater need than keeping religion out of politics.
Carl
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