WorldNetDaily: "Pope supports welfare state" Jason: "Get your facts straight."

Here's another WorldNetDaily hit-piece on the Pope via Walter Williams. Sheesh.

Look, I hate taxes just as much as the next guy. Actually, I hate taxes more than anyone else in this country. Reducing the role and the size of the government is how we eliminate the tax burden. Tax evasion is not. As for Williams, didn't Jesus Himself say, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s" when asked specifically about taxes? (Matthew 22:15-22)

The Pope's encyclical hasn't been pubished yet. I'm assuming this part about tax evasion will be very small and the point he'll try to make will be about the role of social charity for both the individual and government. While I don't think government should play a larger roll than the individual, supporting charity is something that has been a Church teaching since Jesus starting calling his first apostle "Rock."

Also, the article claims that an encyclical is "the most authoritative statement a pope can issue" which isn't even true. The only time the Pope speaks with the authority of Christ through the Church is to clarify or further define challenged doctrine. Something that has only happened a handfull of times in two-thousand years.

I have no idea why Walter William (a man I truly respect) whould jump to such conclusions that Pope Benedict supports a "welfare state" or why he chooses to make judgments about the Catholic Church, which is something he obvioulsy has no clear understand of.

WorldNetDaily: Pope supports welfare state