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What you are seeing is one of the fundamental differences between protestantism and catholicism, one of the things about protestantism that allowed for the capitalist revolution and the culture of greed we live in now. (When I say "protestant" I am primarily referring to the Calvinist-Lutheran-presbyterian varieties).
Here is one way to put it: Catholics beleive as follows: "God is so great and forgiving that he loves me, despite the fact that like all of my fellow men and women I am a miserable sinner."
Protestants believe "I am so great, that god loves me."
Its related to the doctrines of justification by faith and predestination, and the doctrine the earthly riches are a sign that god loves you and you are predestined for salvation.
Catholics believe that it is not enough to profess faith, pray, and believe. They believe that you must "do good works," which means charity.
Protestants beleive in justification by faith alone. You do not have to do anything, it is enough to beleive and worship.
These small differences in doctrine produce a big difference in worldview among the adherents. Its no accident that the most liberal states in the US are the most catholic, believe it or not. Catholics are taught that they have an obligation to help the poor, with no question as to whether the people receiving the charity deserve it, and they believe that the government is our collective way to do this. The catholic church supports welfare programs as a matter of policy and teaches that the government is a useful tool for collective action to do good in the world.
The current southern republican "tough love" government is evil and welfare just makes em lazy stuff, is largely an example of the calvinist ethic. It has to do in large part with predestination. Calvinists and some others beleive you either are or are not chosen at birth. Everyone you see either is or is not predestined or saved. If someone is rich and blessed on earth, they must be saved, god must like them. If someone is poor and miserable, they must be damned, they must be bad and god must be punishing them. In that situation, why would you give them help, you would only be thwarting god's plan for them.
Catholics are as imperfect as anyone, and the church is in the last century on most issues, but on this I agree with them. Catholics are taught that you are never, ever fit to judge someone else. That to question whether the recipient of your charity deserves it usurps the judgment only god alone has a right to make. They are much more humble. The premise is "I am a sinner, thank god he is forgiving and will take me anyway." In contrast, the one who beleives in predestination will tend to more self-satisfaction.
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