San Antonio, Texas – Pastor John Hagee of the Cornerstone Church delivered an impassioned speech decrying the evils of welfare dependency. While prefacing his remarks with an acknowledgement of the need the disabled, infirm, and elderly have of receiving social support, he made it clear that he has little tolerance for able bodied individuals who are living off the taxes of the working people.
Pastor Hagee cited that statistic that the welfare population of the United States exceeds to population of Spain. He believes that many of these people do not actually need welfare and should instead reap the rewards of their actions according to Biblical counsel.
Referring to 2 Thessalonians 3:10 “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.”, he insists that such people as are found gaming the system must get off the proverbial couch and work. His comments are certainly well-intended even if they came across as somewhat derogatory. The problem is that the sectors of the economy which product mid to high wage income, have not recovered from the 2008 banking crisis.
The main sectors of the economy which have thrived are those producing low-wage jobs which is what makes it very difficult from even working people to make a living. Coupled with the disincentive that a person can fare better on welfare than they can to work, and the picture becomes clearer. Yes, people need to work, but the economy isn’t the rising tide lifting all the ships that it needs to be either.