Response to critic of ‘Capitalism’s False Ethic of Giving’ (8)

[God was so concerned that people not give money to the government system, that He even forbid the Temple tithe from being money. If a person could not get their grain and animals to the temple, they were to be sold for money, and spent by the individual.]

Where does it say that God forbid the Temple tithe from being money?

[Because if you read the Old Testament carefully, you will find that it distinguishes the two.]

Are you trying to suggest that the secular is to be separated from the sacred? If you are, that distinction is a false distinction. It seems like you are trying to read into the Bible what you want, with a spirit of humanism, causing you to interpret the Bible using a carnal mind.

Critic's comment in brackets, my response interspersed.

[Religious laws which are a person's individual responsibility and carry no punishment, and laws which the government is responsible for enforcing. You wouldn't pass a law that people should have to pray, would you?]

It is true that Jesus said give to Caesar what is Caesar’s. However, this does not mean that He is saying government law should override that of God’s. All authority government has comes from God, whether they accept or realise this. To using forcing people to pray is an example to demonstrate the “ridiculousness” of God’s Law being complied with by 

government is to impose humanistic thinking on the Bible. Governments are to comply with God’s Law, or else God will see their authority as illegitimate.

 And then take away people's house, if they didn't? Same thing with taxing for the poor.]

Again, this is an example that detracts from the real issue.

[Giving to the poor is a voluntary act of religious worship, like singing Psalms or praying.]

Giving to the poor is not necessarily done by people to glorify God. Neither is singing Psalms or praying. God was not impressed with the Israelites who gave sacrifices at the Lord’s Temple, but then at the same time worshipped other “gods”.

[And such worship requires capitalism ...]

Really???? Worship of God is against capitalism. 

[I feel obligated to give. And I do.]

Giving should be done freely. God loves a cheerful giver, not one who feels like giving out of “duty”. You sound very legalistic.

[But how and when you give should be left up to each individual, not mandated by government enforced laws (i.e. "welfare")]

The statement “how and when you give should be left up to each individual” is of the spirit of individualism. While it is indeed true that government enforced laws should not be basis for giving to others, as one should give cheerfully, nowhere in the Bible does it say that giving welfare is wrong. In fact, it says give freely. The true Christian should be glad to give to the poor, not begrudged like this person appears to be .

[Capitalism is biblical.]

No it is not. It is anti-Christian. 

[The only alternative to capitalism, is government theft of property.]

There is no such thing as an economic dichotomy. A system can be non-capitalist, and involving no “government theft of property”. Such examples are the distributive system and the civil market of the Medieval era.

[Jesus' command not to serve mammon, and that individuals should give to the poor, assumes that one has control over one's property, over one's money, and can choose to do with it what he wishes.]

How dare you twist the Bible? Giving to others means to not be possessive of one’s money and possessions as you reveal yourself to be. To choose to do as one wishes is satanic which is what you are promoting. Yet you accuse me of sponsoring “theft” and tell me to repent of “serious, serious error”?

[The government taxing people, and giving that money to others, is theft.]

Just as government authority is from God, “your” money is from God.

[ It is forbidden in the Old Testament; the tithe for the poor was to be given directly from the individual, to the poor, with no governmental or legal involvement. ]

How is taxes forbidden? Tithes and taxes are different. Tithes was giving to God. Whether government or law is involved has nothing to do with the current discussion with is about private property.

[You are in serious, serious error, and I urge you to repent of your sponsorship of governmental theft. ]

You are the one is serious, serious error for justifying capitalism, and twisting the Bible to do so. Yet you accuse me of being in error. You are the one who needs to repent.