FSM Blogger

My wife and I invest in $5 McDonald's and Starbucks gift cards. When we see someone in need we give one (or one of each). That way we can be sure it goes towards food. It's sad that in an area as rich as this that there are people who are hungry.
 

I’ll speak to America:
Culturally speaking, in the past 40-years or so with the so-called "war on poverty", $9 TRILLION of our tax dollars have been spent to fight poverty... $9 TRILLION! What has this done? Well, numerically speaking… nothing for the poor yet tons to our debt. Yet we always hear that we need to pay more. Well Bono… 1% isn’t exactly the solution. Like education, more money is not the solution, and some of the problem can be found in who's in control of the money in the first place.

Most of the problem has to do with personal responsibility. For example, over half of welfare money is spent on families that began with a teen birth. More often than not, in our society filled with plentiful opportunity for all, people are hungry because of their own actions which then have fallen upon the future generations.

The best way to reduce the poverty rate is to convince people to avoid poverty in the first place by finishing school, delaying parenthood, and getting a job (any job). Most of this comes down to taking responsibility for your actions and life, as opposed to falling under the false promises and heavy thumb of the government.

Biblically speaking, we have numerous verses telling us that if we do not work, we shall not eat. (see Genesis 3:19, Luke 10:7, 2 Thess 3:10 for brief examples)

But all the more numerous times we are told to take care of the poor and needy. "Give to all who ask" ... and so we shall. But in thinking about the true poor (meaning, not the "poor" that own 3 TVs, cable TV, and rims on their car, yet still defined in our system as "poor" to receive handouts), we should use ourselves and our church to reach them. Show them the kindness of the Lord in various ways via food, shelter, life and/or spiritual guidance, whatever they may need.

The problem should be addressed locally, not nationally. Faith-based organizations and local churches have done such a greater job than the federal government in the area of poverty. The former feeds people and brings people up, while the latter throws too many of them farther into dependence. Just imagine what Christian churches could have done in the last 40 years with 9 Trillion dollars!

Economically speaking, there will always be the poor. It’s the natural order of things on this earth. In terms of the jobless rate, it is necessary to have a certain percentage of people that are capable of working, not working. It is impossible for an economy to function with a 0% unemployment rate. Realistically, anything around 5% is more than healthy in a free-market functioning economy. Communism isn’t the answer either, as due to human nature, there will always be those who will step on others to succeed, and there will always be those who are easily stepped on; no matter how “even” things should be. It’s just the way human nature and the sinful world is.

As Christians, we could always do more. What if every family at Fairfax Church of Christ went into DC and picked up just 1 single person they see on the street that is recognizably homeless to feed, house, and guide them as much as possible? What a triumph that would be! But let’s be serious, it won’t happen.

Each one of us will be judged on our own actions, and sadly, I think many of us will come to the End of Days unwilling to defend our lack of action to the poor.

The problem is so vast and has so many reasons for it that I can’t help but think the best thing for us to do (religiously speaking) is give to those who ask like we are told, and spread the Good News of Jesus to those poor in spirit. Give the people who hear; hope. Look at the beggar outside the Beautiful Gate in Acts. Peter didn’t give him any money, but he healed the beggar via faith through the Name of Jesus Christ.

Do you think that beggar went on begging? I doubt it. The Spirit of Jesus Christ lifted him up towards a purpose of life. THIS is they key to the poor. Show love, grace, and kindness through the Spirit of Jesus Christ – and some, not all, will listen and live life anew.

Culturally… there is much to say, but I addressed that briefly enough in the first part of this comment.

My 2cents.
 

While I understand Anonymous 2's point-of-view, I must ask, is that a Christian point of view or a logical point of view? Jesus tells us to give to all who ask. There are no qualifiers in that statement. Our responsibility is to give and give, then the responsibility lies on the person who receives to make something of it.
 

This next to last post grieves me deeply. Clearly this person has never read the prophets of the Old Testament or Jesus' sermon in Luke 4. May God forgive our hard heartedness. The gap between rich and poor is growing both globally and in America. Poverty is up almost 20 percent in America during the Bush Administration.

The original war on poverty in the Johnson administration cut American poverty in half from around 23 percent of the population to around 12 percent. Our selfishness prevents us from addressing the systemic issues that underlie poverty.

We have growing poverty right here in Fairfax County. Check out today's front page in the Washington Post.

While we do a lot for the poor we don't do enough at Fairfax Church. Thank God for Bono and his One campaign. Thank God he had the courage to stand up to the President and challenge him to put action behind his words about the poor. And thank God there are Christians like Bono to speak uncomfortable truths.

We could end poverty in America and the world if we really wanted to. Take a look at Jeffrey Sachs book, The End of Poverty and you will see how. We could start by doing two things. One, we could make it our congregation's mission. Two, as citizens we could ask for an end to the trillions of dollars in tax cuts given to Americas millionaires. Why is more cash good for Jack Abramoff but bad to someone making the minimum wage of $5.15 an hour?

May God Have Mercy
 

I read comment #2 differently than comment #4 did. I think what s/he was saying was that the problem of poverty (which the topic was about) had many aspects to it. There are the cultural aspects, and the individual aspects (among others). After reading it in its entirety, I find it hard to say it was hard hearted; rather I read that #2 agreed with most of us here and repeated that we should take care of the needy and show the Spirit of Jesus just as the Bible teaches us, and that we all fall short of doing our share.

But, I will say that denying the cultural and individual responsibility is just being ignorant to some of the issues of poverty. Worldwide, the issue takes different angles as you have corrupt and murderous leaders literally taking everything and giving nothing to the people. Again, the problem is too huge to summarize in comment and out of respect for the "owner" of this blog, I will refrain from extending this one any further.

#4 wanted to blame Bush for everything, which is laughable and severely simple minded. Rather than being blinded by a political agenda and repeating simple talking points, let's try to open our minds and really address the issue of poverty in its many forms.

Great topic indeed; but very extensive!