God's Invisible Hand

USA Today:

About one in five Americans combine a view of God as actively engaged in daily workings of the world with an economic conservative view that opposes government regulation and champions the free market as a matter of faith.

"They say the invisible hand of the free market is really God at work," says sociologist Paul Froese, co-author of the Baylor Religion Survey, released today by Baylor University in Waco, Texas.....

It finds nearly three in four Americans (73%) say "I know God has a plan for me." Within this group:

•49% say "the government in Washington is trying to do too many things that should be left to individuals and private businesses."

•79% say "able-bodied people who are out of work shouldn't receive unemployment checks if they are passing up jobs they can do."

•92% say "anything is possible for those who work hard."

I wonder how many of the believers would take a job in a fast-food restaurant and not take unemployment benefits if they were laid off from a $20 an hour job?  Less than 79%?  It is pretty easy to believe God has a plan for you when things are going well, but it might be a little harder to believe when they aren't going well.  A little empathy might go a long way for people.