Are Christians Today Anti-Poor Unlike Jesus?

[ElCodeMonkey]

I perceive that the vast majority of "right-wing" people are "Christian" and that all non-Christians I know are "left-wing" (though I presume some cross over, of course). The right-wing is known for hating wellfare for the poor and the left-wing the opposite. It seems the atheistic left-wing cares to help the poor while the Christian right-wing likes to demonize them as lazy and thus do nothing. Yet at the same time, it's the churches who tend to do soup kitchens and homeless shelters yet they're the same ones who seem to dislike the handouts and abhor the idea of giving them actual places to live if they don't work to earn it. Jesus never made anyone earn anything as far as I recall. So what's the deal these days? Do Christians hate the poor? Matthew, Mark, and Luke seem to show the poor as nearly the main reason Jesus came to teach and suddenly they get a back burner by most Christians simply calling them lazy. Am I off base here?

[bluethread]

Your statements would indicate that poverty has increased and that families suffer more than ever. Oddly enough, this is not at all true. Poverty is steadily decreasing throughout the world. The government is pulling the weight while religion never succeeded. In what way has family been destroyed by government?

Your chart does not make your point. Your chart shows the effect of the industrial revolution and capitalism. Government assistance is a 20th century concept, that was not seriously implemented in these United States until the 1930's and put in hyperdrive under Johnson in the 60's. So, it has had minimal effect at best. The decrease in third world poverty is also due to the implementation of capitalism and free markets in a global economy, not government welfare programs.

[ElCodeMonkey]

[Replying to bluethread]

It could be that it has nothing to do with government as you say, but my main point was merely that it hasn't gotten "worse" as was being proaimed and it still seems Christianity has abandoned the poor despite it being extremely high on Jesus' list.

[bluethread]

[Replying to bluethread]

It could be that it has nothing to do with government as you say, but my main point was merely that it hasn't gotten "worse" as was being proaimed and it still seems Christianity has abandoned the poor despite it being extremely high on Jesus' list.

You are only looking at materialism, not society. The point the other poster was making was that, even if government programs were helpful financially, they have been destructive socially. I do agree that many Christians have become less charitable to the poor. However, I think that has more to do with the fact that, like many leftist advocates for the poor, they have gated themselves off from the poor, so they don't have to interact with them on a daily basis. It is community that lifts people out of poverty, not government handouts.

[Elijah John]

[Replying to post 13 by bluethread]

What do you consider "government handouts"? Do you think government safety nets should end completely, and if so, do you honestly think church, family and "community" (whatever that means) will be enough to help those in need? Medical, food and shelter?

What about those working full time, and still not being able to make ends meet?

[brianbbs67]

[Replying to post 9 by brianbbs67]

Well, then I guess I'll have to ask by what metric you are coming to this conclusion. The graph shows poverty which is a ratio based on livability, not simply dollars. So I stand by my conclusion that poverty has indeed decreased. Note that the OP is about poverty specifically and whether or not Christians have abandoned the poor. If you wish to discuss a different metric of family deterioration, that could be an interesting topic worth discussing as well (in a different thread).

Poverty has greatly decreased. Maybe I miss understand you. And maybe you, me.

[ElCodeMonkey]

[Replying to bluethread]

Poverty is material except in the case of "poor in spirit." Jesus focused highly on material poverty relief. So whether it has gone up or down is out of scope. The question is if Christianity has departed from it, and it sounds like you agree that it has due to some form of social isolation in that we/they do not interact with or even see the poor.

[ElCodeMonkey]

[Replying to post 15 by brianbbs67]

The question is ultimately whether or not Christianity has abandoned the poor. You claimed government made it worse to which I showed data in attempts to dissuade, but it's fairly off topic. So has Christianity abandoned the poor insomuch as it was a core doctrine of Jesus? They may do "some" work for the poor, but is the emphasis the same and/or high enough for what Jesus proclaimed barring mere room for improvement? Or have Christians departed from a core teaching, doctrine, or call to action? Or is it not that big a deal? Or are they focusing on the poor quite significantly to which I am not giving enough credit? What is Jesus stance on the poor as far as core doctrine goes and are Christians avoiding it?

[bluethread]

[Replying to post 13 by bluethread]

What do you consider "government handouts"? Do you think government safety nets should end completely, and if so, do you honestly think church, family and "community" (whatever that means) will be enough to help those in need? Medical, food and shelter?

What about those working full time, and still not being able to make ends meet?

That depends on what you mean when you say "need"? What is considered adequate medical services, food and shelter in these United States is opulence in other parts of the world.

The crux of your argument appears to be that government knows better. What makes government better at providing "needs" than private institutions or individuals?

[bluethread]

[Replying to bluethread]

Poverty is material except in the case of "poor in spirit." Jesus focused highly on material poverty relief. So whether it has gone up or down is out of scope. The question is if Christianity has departed from it, and it sounds like you agree that it has due to some form of social isolation in that we/they do not interact with or even see the poor.

We have records of particular instances where certain individuals received physical blessing. However, Yeshua's focus was on character and community. Regarding the break down in community, that is correct. I believe that has resulted in less true concern for others. Thus the solution is not the redistribution of assets, but the encouragement of a culture that fosters community.

[JehovahsWitness]

I'm one of Jehovah's Witnesses so obviously I do not vote, we do not hold political office and do not get involved in politics. Jehovah's Witnesses are politically neutral as we believe taking sides in politic debates violates bible principle.

Do Christians hate the poor?

That said, my opinion is that no Christian should hate someone because they are poor. Jesus said there will always be poor people to whom we can show charity, meaning that as long as this world system exists there will sadly be poor people.

• Jesus main message was that happily God will replace the entire world governmental system. God will destroy the American government, he will also destroy all Euopean governments .. indeed God intends to completely eradicate every trace of all human governments and replace them with his own. Under this new Government (Jesus called it "The kingdom") all poverty on this our planet earth will at long last be a thing of the past. This is something no HUMAN government has or will accomplish on a global scale. Jesus told his followers that telling people about his own incoming government ("preach the kjngdom"). This kingdom government should be the main focus of their message for mankind. This is why you see Jehovah's Witnesses preaching this message on a global scale, as we believe this is the only real solution to global Poverty!

In the meantime, all the while preaching this comfortjng message, Christians are told in the bible to also be loving, generous, with their resources and work good towards all people they come in contact with but especially towards those related to them in the faith.



JEHOVAH'S WITNESS



RELATED POSTS

Did Jesus not tell his disciples to give away everything the owned?
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 161#908161

Are we to understand the Kingdom to be a LITERAL government
that will rule over this literal planet earth?
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 630#865630

Do Jehovah's Witnesses take part in "social justice" movements?
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 693#934693