Cool. lol

Not enough brain power to fully respond in an adequate way right now, but this is interesting to think of--and comforting! Everyone here is always touting anarchy and I'm like.. uhhhh. Do you really think with power you would be all that more virtuous than what we have? Not all that likely. Many people who think they are arguing for anarchy are actually just arguing for a different form of power structure.

Classical liberalism, the first name you gave it, is actually appealing from this expansion you gave. My guess is that subsidiarity is nearly identical to that.

And yes--ugh to the social programs, and the poor malformation in many Christian circles. Generosity, a keystone to a properly lived Christianity, is necessarily voluntary, otherwise it isn't generosity. When 1/2 your income is taxed, it's hard to even feel you have the chance to be generous! And thus you're robbed of an incredible, joy-giving, relationship-building virtue.

My response requires nuance, but the essence of it is that people are always better left to take care of themselves where possible, and to be directly supported by people who know and love them in some capacity where not, as you say, I think? I have been in that latter position myself--needing to be carried through some very difficult periods. But I somehow always knew in my gut it wasn't the right thing to seek out government aid.

So tired. But basically agree, I think.

Many Christians are very confused without good rational and intellectual formation alongside a lived faith, which flounders in the face of ideology because it doesn't have arguments with which to respond.

You'd make a good Catholic, Brent :). Night!