As Long as it's Voluntary

I've long said Socialism is fine as long as it's voluntary.  And here in my second reading of Bastiat, I come across this:

Mr. de Lamartine once wrote to me thusly: "Your doctrine is only the half of my program. You have stopped at liberty; I go on to fraternity." I answered him: "The second half of your program will destroy the first."

In fact, it is impossible for me to separate the word fraternity from the word voluntary. I cannot possibly understand how fraternity can be legally enforced without liberty being legally destroyed, and thus justice being legally trampled underfoot.

Right there in 1840's black and white, and from a Frenchie, to boot.

It is often used as an argument by the progressive left that, after all, isn't being charitable good, and shouldn't we help our fellow man, and didn't Jesus say to do these things, yada yada yada ....

Yup.   All of the above.

But nowhere did he say "and you should delegate these things to the government."

You do them yourselves, or you organize into charitble groups of like-minded people and do it.  Because otherwise, you're legalizing plunder, and that road goes to no good end.   Ever.

The story goes that God created us and gave us free will so that we would be free to choose or reject Him.   Why?  Because choosing Him because you have to isn't really choosing, now, is it?   You want friends who really like you, right?

 Mandatory fun isn't fun.  Forced friendship isn't friendship.  Forced charity isn't charitible.    And guaranteed charity is an invitation to sloth and exploitation.  Because we are imperfect beasts, and we always will be.