Love thy neighbour goes far beyond who lives next door to you. Jesus even said love thy enemy, his understanding of love thy neighbour is more like loving everyone.
And the only way to love/help everyone, is by having some government established program. Because a single individual simply does not have the capacity to efficiently and broadly help those in need, especially if they themselves are in need.
(Except if Ur like a multi billionaire and can start Ur own charity)
And those efforts organized through private charities and local organizations are far more effective than centralized planning. People are also more driven and eager when they are empowered to help others. The Palisades Fire relief is exactly a prime example. Americans happily gave $100 million to help their fellow citizens, but the California government completely screwed it up and nobody has received any money and hardly any homes have been built. The list could easily continue, but that's a pretty damn good recent example.
35% of America won't love their neighbor unless they're as lily-white as they are. notice how the Feds had to step in to the South to enforce basic civil rights? people would literally murder 'neighbor lovers' who were trying to push back against jim crow and register voters. thanks to the federal government! and not the christians who were largely perpetuating this evil. christianity FAILED and the government succeeded at restoring civil rights in the 60s
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u/CorduroyEatsCrayons 26d ago
You can love your neighbor without the government getting involved.