Giving and taxes

So, I was trying to figure out, if Jesus tells us to care for the widow and the orphan (those needing medical care, food, emotional support, education, etc.), why is socialism (which, purportedly does just that) wrong?

My very smart husband responded that socialism takes from the rich to give to the poor. It demands/legislates/steals -- and the Bible tells us to "give freely:"

²⁴ One man gives freely, yet gains even more;
another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.

²⁵ A generous man will prosper;
he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. (Proverbs 11 NIV)

³⁸Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." (Luke 6 NIV)

In other words, when we are required to "give" it is no longer giving.

I know my husband and I would like to be able to give more generously - support the food pantries in our area more directly, for instance. If we had the 1/3 of a paycheck that is given to taxes we could do more of that.

You can argue that "well, yes, but you wouldn't really do that." Or you could argue that we are "odd" and most people wouldn't do that - they'd just spend that money. But, would that be all bad?

If we had an additional $X,000 a year and gave it or spent it, wouldn't that help people out by putting more money into the economy? Wouldn't that then create jobs? Wouldn't the new jobs be of benefit to someone currently unemployed? Wouldn't a newly employed person then be able to take that money and give or spend it - thus, continuing to help the widows and orphans?

Just a musing for tonight. Let me know what you think.

A Start

This Blog is intended to be a place for conversations about our current political/economic climate within the context of a Christian theological framework.  (Other faiths are invited to participate, but we'll start from the Christian perspective.)   Anyone is invited to post a comment, but please keep all comments polite and respectful.  We can likely agree that the U.S. (in addition to much of the rest of the world) is in a unique and unprecedented political and economic place.  In the last 6-8 months I have been reading online, trying to understand this moment in time - is this just a part of a cycle I haven't lived through yet (I'm not quite 40) or is this a very unique time in history?  How did our economy get to the place it's at?  How did our political system get to the place it's at?  I don't have answers to everything, but my understanding has definitely grown.  The reading I have done is on "secular" sites and that misses something for me - the faith dimension, the understanding that GOD is in control, that the events of our world are part of a plan we, like Job, may not see at all.  And, with my questioning of our current economic/political environment comes the lingering question, "Are we in the last of the end times?  Is Jesus' return imminent?"  Again, I don't have answers (and if I believe the Bible I'm not supposed to know, just to be prepared), but I would like that to be a part of our discussion.  I will try to post a paragraph or a question or a "Musing" for us to discuss.  May the Spirit of the Lord be upon us as we seek His will and way and seek the Wisdom that will help us further His Kingdom.