Cap in hand?

There’s an interesting article on the BBC website today (click here) in which the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey, criticises some bishops in the church of England because they have sought to prevent the government from introducing a benefits cap.

I haven’t read Lord Carey’s comments in full, but I agree with him inasmuch as the BBC report tells the story. It is scandalous that idleness, slothfulness, laziness – call it what you will, is encouraged through the benefit system. No family ought to be able to receive more in benefits than the average salaried family in the country, because that will encourage people to give up working and take the benefits instead.

Speaking as one whose salary is less than the national average (£26,000 p/a), I find it morally disturbing that people who do nothing can receive more than me, someone who works as best I can for the money I earn, contrasted with those who sit around doing nothing.

Its also disturbing that Church of England bishops would oppose setting limits on how much families can receive in funding from those who are working. Especially in light of God’s word which clearly states:

2Th. 3:6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is living in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you, we did not eat any one’s bread without paying, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not burden any of you. It was not because we have not that right, but to give you in our conduct an example to imitate. For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: If any one will not work, let him not eat. For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work. Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work in quietness and to earn their own living.

The apostle says he was not idle when he was with them, they didn’t eat anything without paying for it, they toiled and laboured and expressly taught that ‘if any one will not work, let him not eat.’

We all agree that people who are unable to work ought to receive assistance in some form or another. But most men are able-bodied and ought to work at something. A welfare system must never encourage the sin of idleness, nor promiscuity (because it should be recognised that some girls specifically have babies in order to get the welfare cheque), because that leads to a lazy people and children without fathers.

As long as the state sponsors sin, sin will grow. As Christians we ought always to love our neighbours, but we’re not doing that if we actively encourage our neighbours pocket to be picked (by the tax-man) so that others can sit around and do nothing all day. A cap on the amount a family can get in benefits is not only practical, it strikes me as morally right. Who in their right mind would give someone money so they can squander it on themselves, without ever lifting a finger to earn the things they are enjoying?

Our Lord teaches that we will always have the poor with us, and we can help them whenever we want to. And that is very true. But there is a clear distinction between those who are poor because their circumstances have made them so, and those who are just plain idle.

Now such people we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work in quietness and to earn their own living.

Thanks for stopping by.