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You might meet my brother if you do.

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From my reading, the communists have supported progressive policies ever since 1848. But the progressives and the communists have very different views about the outcome.

Progressives actually believe that progressive plans and policies are going to work, and are going to produce a society that is more just, stable, and prosperous. Communists expect progressive policies to fail, and in their failure further clarify the internal contradictions in the capitalist system, and sharpen the class conflict. This prepares the ground for a communist revolution.

Once the communist revolution is successful, progressives will be treated just like anybody else. Adapt to communist rule, or face imprisonment, exile, or execution.

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Not all those who wander are lost.

I recommend that you spend hours before the Lord in prayer before you do any such thing.

Communist misrule in the 20th century is responsible for some 100 million untimely deaths, not counting battlefield casualties. Most of these people were innocent of any wrongdoing. They were just reported as "enemies of the state" by neighbors with petty grudges, and condemned to slave labor in gulags, or just plain starved out by mismanagement of the farm system.

And US communists are not disassociated from the outcome in countries where communists took over. The US Communist Party worked in lock step with Soviet Communism until about 1954. They may resemble some philosophical debating society now, but that's just because they have no choice. Given the opportunity, they would revert to the rule of terror in a heartbeat.

This is what happens when humanism is unrestrained by political checks, by traditional morality, and by belief in God.

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Not all those who wander are lost.

imit8him,

I agree with your sentiment, but I do not agree with your conclusions regarding current policy issues. You share with others an implicit assumption that programs designed to help the poor actually help the poor. There are many forms of welfare that do more harm than good, even when viewed from the perspective that society has a responsiblity towards them.

Every regulation of commerce and every added tax does some harm as well as some good. The damage done to economic liberty often damages the very people it was supposed to help. One of the biggest problems we face to today is the lack of upward mobility among the working poor.

The way the working poor climb and join the middle class is by consuming less than they earn, and using their savings wisely. They can invest in something that will earn a return on investment, or they can invest n their children's education. That'
s where the future wealth lies. But a lot of our assistance programs have a cutoff if a person has "too many assets" or "too much income". Somitmes it's phaseouts, but sometimes it's cutoffs. The net effect is to encourage the working poor to climb up to a certain level and then stop.

I am not claiming that just encuraging everybody to get rich will cause everybody to actually get rich. But it will help.


I do not believe that Jesus would support many of the programs we have in place today, just because their motives are charitable. And I do not believe that those who cherish economic liberty are just being "selfish". There is some of that, but there is a lot of attitude about what's good for everybody.

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Not all those who wander are lost.

Farm subsidies are a classic example of how unintended consequences sometimes take over and eclipse the original goals. It's been said in here that the original goal was price stability. That's true, but there was a second goal, the preservation of the family farms.

Family farms were being forced to the wall by competition from larger, more efficient consolidated farms. In order to let people keep a livelihood that had been in the family for generations, the system was originally set up to be primarily for the support of small farms, to help them compete.

Today about 90% of farm subsidies go to companies like Archer Daniels Midland. Support for family farms only applies to about 10% of farm subsidies.

Farm price supports also go towards keeping sugar growers in Hawaii going, and to prevent sugar growers in Haiti from getting a start.

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Not all those who wander are lost.

My values vote goes to Ron Paul. I think he best understands the natural limits of human government; I think politicians want government to do "great things", but the reality of Government is in 1 Samuel chapter 8, the story about when Israel wanted a King. Ron Paul often carries that message (1 Samuel .

But I think the GOP is kind of divided into two parties. You got Romney Republicans, and you got Ron Paul Republicans. I see two parties there, two different sets of values.

That's what happens when any belief system is unrestrained. Throughout history, "belief in God" has been a great motivator for people to commit atrocities.

-Dan.

I agree.

I don't understand why we continue to subsidize established industries such as farming, sugar, oil etc.

Be that as it may, we'd be worse off if everyone believed in no God. As Eeyore put it in a recent devotional, one who believes in no God makes himself out to be God. Belief in God is only the start. After all, the devil believes in God. Being in a right relationship to God is the next step. Only Christ can accomplish that.

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Not all those who wander are lost.

Perhaps, but seeing as how atheism has absolutely no monopoly on terror or atrocity, I don't see what point there is in making this argument.



Whether a man ordains himself as god or merely as the tool of god, the results can be quite similar.

-Dan.

Those with religious belief do not have a "monopoly on terror or atrocity "either - sadly, those acts appear to arise from being human and are all specific examples of sinful behavior, no matter what reason the perpetuators give to explain them. All are examples of behaviour that point to our need of a Saviour.

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Avid Reader

“Lord, in my zeal for love of truth, let me not forget the truth about love.” - Thomas Aquinas
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Did you mean "perpetrators"?

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Not all those who wander are lost.

Of course! My spelling is notoriously creative, especially when I try and type in haste.

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Avid Reader

“Lord, in my zeal for love of truth, let me not forget the truth about love.” - Thomas Aquinas
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Same here.

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Not all those who wander are lost.