“Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9). That was the question a defensive sounding Cain asked God after he’d killed Abel. Christians know the answer is, “Yes, I am my brother’s keeper,” and most are willing to lend a helping hand to their fellow man. Whether it’s building a Habitat for Humanity house, volunteering at Room at the Inn, or serving meals at the mission, they are actively working through their churches to assist those in their own communities, as well as remote villages thousands of miles away.

And yet, at the same time, many of these same Christians are opposed to the government doing the very same kind of work. It’s as if tax dollars are in a separate category and should never be used for social programs that offer a life preserver to a person struggling to keep his or her head above the poverty line. At the mention of government assistance, many conservative Christians suddenly become suspicious of free-loaders and disdainful of any sort of bureaucratic waste. (more…)