ENTITLEMENT MENTALITY

 

My employer provides a small refridgerator in the laundry room for employees to store lunch items.  One day I noticed a note on the door of the refridgerator.  It read "IT'S NOT NICE TO EAT OR DRINK OTHER PEOPLES' STUFF".  Some one else wrote a response under the original note.  It read, "IT IS, IF THEY DON'T HAVE FOOD".

 

I thought about the notes for some time and found them to be profound and relevant to what is going on in our society today. The original note is based on the premise that we aren't to take what does not belong to us.  The response is based on the premise that perceived need trumps property rights. The person who wrote the response has an "entitlement mentality".  That is, if you have what I believe I need, then I'm entitled to take what you have as mine.

 

We,as a nation, find the entitlement mentality growing in popularity.  It forms the basis for the income distribution movement and imigration reform proposals.  The administration openly promotes the ACA as prominent tool for income distribution.  Other tools are on the table.  I heard today that a study of families receiving the possible entitlements in one state have an annual income higher than the average teacher makes in that state.  What is the source of revenue to pay such entitlements?  It is the teachers' taxes as well as all the other tax payers.  It is no wonder the entitlement mentality is so popular.  It is a sweet game...for as long as the money keeps flowing.  But, we all know the end game.  The well runs dry.  That's why we are almost 18 trillion dollars in debt.  The game only works as long as there are more "makers" than "takers".  When the "takers" overwhelm the "makers", the game is up and we begin to look like Haiti North.

 

You may wonder what this has to do with a Freedom of Faith blog.  I've found that some people of faith defend the entitlement mentality by quoting the Bible...especially Acts and other verses about the "poor".  Let me explain why that is bogus.  The Bible speaks very highly of those who treat the poor with kindness and generosity VOLUNTARILY.  It is called "charity" and it is to be commended.  It has nothing to do with forcibly taking someone's possessions for the government to give to whomever it pleases.  That is theft and is condemned in Scriptures.  Charity is what the Bible commends and it is to be given out of love and compassion, not threats.  Remember, real effective charity is to give the needy a way to meet their needs continually on their own.

ELECTION DAY THOUGHTS

Here we are on November 4, 2014...Election Day!  What does that mean for The Freedom of Faith family.  Our desire is to see leaders elected that appreciate the need for people of faith to express their beliefs, mores, and mission without threat of reprisals.  But, as we study the news of the past month, we see such expressions under even more severe attack.

Every day we see reports of Muslims killing large groups of people who hold to different beliefs.  Millions of people of various faiths are being persecuted for no other reason than they hold to their faith.  Many are killed, exiled, or enslaved.  ISIS is on the verge of taking over whole nations and purging the lands of all who don't believe as they do.  Their stated goal is to rule the world and impose Sharia Law everywhere.  When will we wake up?  As I've stated before, Islam is not primarily a religion.  Sharia Law is not a book of religious beliefs.  It is a governmental system with a religious componant and that system is not compatible with the constitution of any representative republic.  It is a facist, totalitarian system of government.  No one can negotiate with such a system.  Treaties are worthless because of their ancient practice of "hudna".  Our naive federal government continues to aid and encourage Islam under the guise of "religious freedom".  It is suicide...literally.

Three words describe our federal agencies under this administration.  The words are CORRUPT, INEPT, AND WASTEFUL.  Every week some federal agency is revealed to be in chaos.  We've seen the IRS, VA, Secret Service, EPA, NSA, CDC, State Dept., DOJ, etc. prove to be one or more of the above.  People are being appointed to positions of extreme importance with no qualifications.  The appointments are blatantly political. Nightly, we see these leaders called before some investigative committee and lie under oath.  What is the consequence?  Usually they are promoted.  The Administration answers with demands for more money to "fix" the system and more agencies to deny freedoms the Constitution grants.

This past month, the mayor of Houston took steps to silence clergy who disagreed with her imposition of regulations promoting her sexual agenda.  The case is now going to court.  The results will reveal free we really are to practice our faith.

This election is crucial to our purpose of promoting freedom of faith.  When the results are in, we will know much more.  As I stated before, we need a spiritual revival.