Bad Bob Loc: Virginia

I don't consider college funds for the Grands charity.

Kevyn

Those who feel that the poor are responsible for their poverty likely earn a special corner in hell.

Kevyn

All the self worth in the world won’t put food on the table.

BigMike Loc: yerington nv

Work will.

mwdegutis Loc: Illinois

All I've heard so far is that Christians need to feed and clothe the needy...a temporal thing.

Why not include the Good News of Jesus Christ with it...something that will change their lives FOREVER?

Kind of along the lines of to teach a man to fish...

Kevyn

If you can find it and have a skill set that someone is willing to pay you for. The vast majority of those living in poverty in the US are employed, many holding more than one job. Hard full time work is often not a path out of poverty for too many Americans.

BigMike Loc: yerington nv

1) Any determined person can find it. I found it in Dutch Harbor processing fish.

2) I have a truck, a chainsaw (both of which I just fixed myself) and a permit to cut firewood. If I need cash I can sell a cord of wood.

3) Neither needed any skill set, including the mechanical work, other than my willingness to learn things by observing and doing.



The "vast majority" of people who think like you do would consider me poor by standards they hold themselves to.

They needn't bother. I make what I have work and it's enough for me.

BigMike Loc: yerington nv

Salvation Army Motto:

"Soup, Soap and Salvation."

(In that order! )

rumitoid

According to the Gospel, we are judged on our "temporal" love of Neighbor and works for "the least of these." Love of neighbor and caring for "the least of these" is something substantial, rather than reciting scripture, that will change lives FOREVER.

vettelover Loc: Richmond Va

I was being sardonic!

BigMike Loc: yerington nv

Christians are...yes. Churches are...yes. Society is a different matter.

rumitoid

I have never been out of work, unless I wanted to be. But I am not everyone. I admit that being unemployed for long periods of time puzzles me by my experience. But I had private education at good schools for twelve years. I am white. I am smart and personable. I was an athlete and strong. I have a college degree and two years toward a Masters. That is not the resume of many of the unemployed. Areas get depressed by the loss of industry. Being raised in poverty is a huge disadvantage for many reasons, way too numerous to mention. I am a privileged White person, something that I did not notice until recently. My name on a job application meant part of accepted society. Believe that or not. It is scientific fact in endless studies. "Let's see, Leroy Jones of Jerry Lynch?" The vast majority of managerial positions are held by White men: how would they vote?

The studies I alluded to would send Job and School Applications affixed with White-sounding and Minority-sounding names: guess the results. Yes, even Liberal colleges far preferred the White-named student, as did most businesses.

Racism is systemic in America, despite a Black president and fifty years since the end of desecration, Jim Crow laws, and Anti-miscegenation laws.

We can say the crime statistics showing a disproportion size of the minority community committing more crime as a sign of their inferiority or low moral standards, or follow how many whites accused of similar crimes are not fully prosecuted.

Injustice rules this country on this issue. Just look at the Profile Protocols of many municipalities, like NYC.

rumitoid

That is, for me, the proper order for Christ. Care for their basic needs and wounds, without lectures. Heal where we can before a word of Christ. Show his love first, last, and always: true caring for them as people. Or as St.Francis is purported as saying, "Preach the Gospel always, and when necessary use words."

rumitoid

Duh, lol.

teaman

KEEP JESUS OUT OF YOUR SOCIALISM

From the words of Jesus and the New Testament, ministering to the poor
and the needy among us is the work of Christian individuals and the
church, not the secular government. Jesus said, "The Spirit of the Lord
is on me, because He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. .
. ." Today's Religious Left wants to change that to, "He has anointed
the federal government to preach good news to the poor."

The Christian gospel is a message of salvation, not a message of income
redistribution and raising our neighbor's taxes. Jesus said that the way
to serve the poor is by giving generously of our own resources. "But
when you give a banquet," He said in Luke 14, "invite the poor, the
crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they
cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the
righteous."

The Religious Left is very generous -- with other people's money. In
fact, I believe the founder of the Religious Left was none other than
Judas Iscariot. When Mary, the sister of Lazarus, anointed Jesus with
costly perfume just days before the crucifixion, Judas lectured her and
said, "Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor?"

Notice that Judas put on a show of caring for the poor -- even though
the money was Mary's, not his! The motives of Judas, John 12:6 tells us,
were corrupt and self-centered -- and Jesus responded with a stinging
rebuke.

At least one of the Lord's disciples was a "social action Christian" in
the Sojourners mold: Simon Zelotes (Simon the Zealot). Just as
Sojourners president Jim Wallis was once president of the Michigan State
chapter of the militant Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), Simon
Zelotes was a young political radical who attached himself to Jesus
because he thought Jesus would lead a revolt against the Roman Empire.

Simon saw Jesus as a political Messiah who would topple the powerful
while lifting up the poor and oppressed. But Jesus was not a political
Messiah. He didn't attack the Roman Empire. He did battle with the Evil
Empire of Satan himself.

Jesus didn't tell the Roman government what its budget priorities should
be. Why? Because His agenda was much larger than the agenda of Simon
Zelotes or the Religious Left. His eyes were fixed on eternity. He said,
"My kingdom is not of this world."

The Religious Left has missed the meaning of that statement. Yes, there
is a place for Christian social action -- but that place is in a
personal lifestyle of generosity and compassion to the poor. Jesus
didn't tell the rich young ruler to become a political activist and
affect public policy. He said, "Go, sell your possessions and give to
the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

It's true, there's poverty in America, and some of the poor can't lift
themselves out of poverty without help. Some are physically or socially
disadvantaged. Some are down on their luck. They need and deserve
Christian compassion and the good news of the gospel.

But a huge number of people receiving government assistance are
substance abusers, welfare cheats, or chronically lazy. Doesn't the
Bible tell us, "If a man will not work, he shall not eat" (2
Thessalonians 3:10)? Why must the "makers" of society support the
"takers" of society? That's not compassion. That's theft. Wouldn't it be
more compassionate to encourage the takers to develop self-respect by
becoming productive citizens?

Would Jesus endorse government policies that encourage and enable
addiction, indolence, and welfare fraud? Certainly not. The Religious
Left should read His parables, especially the Parable of the Talents
(Matthew 25:14-30), the Parable of the Vineyards (Matthew 20:1-16), and
the Parable of the Tenants (Matthew 21:33-46). In those parables, Jesus
blesses hard work, personal responsibility, and the freedom to achieve.

Government programs can't separate the truly needy from the welfare
cheats -- but private Christian charities can. Private charities are far
more effective than government at meeting needs, changing lives,
eliminating fraud and waste, and dispensing compassion. Our stance as
Christians should be pro-compassion, not pro-bureaucracy.

The place for compassionate Christian social action is in the church,
and in the lives of individual believers. When the church becomes a
political pressure group, telling the government, "Confiscate more
wealth from those who earned it and give it to those who have not," then
the church has formed an unholy union with the kingdoms of this world.

Income redistribution is not Christianity. It's Marxism -- and mixing
the two only pollutes the Gospel and betrays the Great Commission.

The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are
willing to work and give to those who would not.

Thomas Jefferson