If you saw a starving child...

[butterfoot]

I'm not a Christian. I don't see life in terms of good, evil, heaven, hell or a God's will. I have only so many years to get in all the living I get.

Thats sad. I thought atheist at least where for life in general for everyone not just themselves. I hope you are rare in these feelings of yours.


-cw

 

[Spinrad]

Thats sad. I thought atheist at least where for life in general for everyone not just themselves. I hope you are rare in these feelings of yours.


-cw

What's sad is that from a simple statement directly related to a s[ecific topic you think you have gathered my entire life's philosophy. You must be an American. And you are still using a computer.

 

[ebia]

What's sad is that from a simple statement directly related to a s[ecific topic you think you have gathered my entire life's philosophy. You must be an American. And you are still using a computer.

In fairness, that is how it came across (and I am using a computer, but I'm not American).

 

[ffman]

I would like to help children in such circumstances as you've mentioned. I pray for people living in poverty every day. I plan on donating some money to a foundation like Save the Children - I'll have to make sure it's legitimate, though. But, like John812 said, more than simply donating money may need to be done for long-term results. Industries should be started, wells should be dug, and so forth.

I also think that we should work on decreasing poverty here in America. We still have children here who live in poverty, possibly starving.

 

[Spinrad]

In fairness, that is how it came across (and I am using a computer, but I'm not American).

Then we can add intellectual poverty as global phenomena to the list of sad things. Sell your computer and give the money to the poor.

 

[Blessed2003]

...while walking down the sidewalk, would you help him/her? I very much think I would - even if I was dirt poor with only a few dollars in my pocket, I would buy what I could afford. Now, there are lot's of starving children in the world. We can help them. There are many organizations set up to help them. So, if we have money to spare yet spend it on ourselves, buying things we dont need - is that like walking past the starving child on the sidewalk, looking the other way and focusing your mind on the pack of cigarettes you set out on your walk to buy?

I tend to think it's very similar. The reality is there are many people out there who need our help, and we seem to look the other way. We can do better. I can do better. You can do better. Let's help them out.


God bless ya!

I am not trying to be sarcastic but how many starving children do you actually pass on the street? I don't ever see a starving child on the street, I'd call the HRS if I did. I understand you are trying to encourage us to do all we can, so let's start with our own children then, are they starving for anything? I mean hey, I'm not shooting you down or anything, but I am just feeling like your 'preaching to the choir' here. Mostly, all we can do is what we can do. We have to let others worry about what they do, but nice thought anyway...

Blessings,
B

 

[John812]

I am not trying to be sarcastic but how many starving children do you actually pass on the street? I don't ever see a starving child on the street, I'd call the HRS if I did.

I'm glad you would help the child . Not many people in the western world see people on the street that are starving. If we would, would we help that person? I would imagine most people wouldn't pass them on the side of the street. There are starving people in this world, and just because we cannot see them as we go about our daily business in the western world does not mean we cannot help them - yet few of us donate money to charities or help them in other ways. What is the difference between seeing a starving child on the street and passing them by and seeing a starving child on t.v. and not picking up the phone and donating money?

 

[BibleMadeMeDoIt]

I am not trying to be sarcastic but how many starving children do you actually pass on the street? I don't ever see a starving child on the street, I'd call the HRS if I did. I understand you are trying to encourage us to do all we can, so let's start with our own children then, are they starving for anything? I mean hey, I'm not shooting you down or anything, but I am just feeling like your 'preaching to the choir' here. Mostly, all we can do is what we can do. We have to let others worry about what they do, but nice thought anyway...

Blessings,
B

There are millions of hungry children in the US, they just go unnoticed and ignored. Just because they dont look like the kids in Africa on the news does not mean they arent hungry and starving. I just read a book on America and its secret hunger problem. I would have NEVER thought it was as bad as it is until I read the book. Its called Growing Up Empty by by Loretta Schwartz-Nobel. The book had a lot great stats and really made me look at this country differently.

 

[tgg]

Joe Atheist,

Why do you think that if we vaccinate and feed starving children, that it will give way to more starving children in the future? I don't get it.

What should be the solution? I think family planning would be a great way to eradicate starvation. Make it illegal for those who wish to start a family to have more than two children.

I am quite offended by how decadent and wasteful our Western world is with food. We throw away enough food every day that can feed a child in Africa or Bangladesh for one week. And it offends me as to how many children in our world are so fussy about their food, when an African child would kiss their feet for a piece of broccoli or brussels sprouts.


tgg

 

[ebia]

Then we can add intellectual poverty as global phenomena to the list of sad things. Sell your computer and give the money to the poor.

I probably should, although that would make it harder to do my job well - a job I'm called by God to do. I'm not perfect in this regard, but since when has that been a requirement for discussing it?

 

[Spinrad]

It's that whole "half measure" thing. Talking the talk instead of walking the walk. Maybe it's just me but if I saw Chrsitianity as a movement spending it's time and effort being Christlike I might take the movment more seriously. But I see too many sweet rides with fish on the back, stupid wannabe trendy sloganeering t-shirt and bumber sticker wearing fat and happy types - at least where I live. And so many Christians on the internet... all at the library where they were gathering to discuss the adoption and care of the hundreds of thousands of poverty-stricken children in America right now, no doubt... Well, how would it look if you were an atheist?

 

[Joe Atheist]

Joe Atheist,

Why do you think that if we vaccinate and feed starving children, that it will give way to more starving children in the future? I don't get it.

it's already happening:

THE DEFINITION OF OVERPOPULATION

In the past, infant and childhood deaths and short life spans used to limit popula-tion growth. In today's world, thanks to improved nutrition, sanitation, and medical care, more babies survive their first few years of life. The combination of a continuing high birth rate and a low death rate is creating a rapid population increase in many countries in Asia, Latin America and Africa and people generally lived longer. Over-population is defined as the condition of having more people than can live on the earth in comfort, happiness and health and still leave the world a fit place for future generations. What some people now believe that the greatest threat to the future comes from overpopulation
...
THE CAUSES OF RAPID POPULATION GROWTH

Until recently, birth rates and death rates were about the same, keeping the population stable. People had many children, but a large number of them died before age five. During the Industrial Revolution, a period of history in Europe and North America where there were great advances in science and technology, the success in reducing death rates was attributable to several factors: (1) in-creases in food production and distribution, (2) improvement in public health (water and sanitation), and (3) medical technology (vaccines and antibiotics), along with gains in education and standards of living within many developing nations.7 Without these attributes present in many children's lives, they could not have survived common diseases like measles or the flu. People were able to fight and cure deadly germs that once killed them. In addition, because of the technology, people could produce more and different kinds of food. Gradually, over a period of time, these discoveries and inventions spread throughout the world, lowering death rates and improving the quality of life for most people.
...
THE CONSEQUENCES OF RAPID POPULATION GROWTH

Rapid human population growth has a variety of consequences. Population grows fastest in the world's poorest countries. High fertility rates have historically been strongly correlated with poverty, and high childhood mortality rates. Falling fertility rates are generally associated with improved standards of living, increased life expectancy, and lowered infant mortality. Overpopulation and poverty have long been associated with increased death, and disease. People tightly packed into unsanitary housing are inordinately vulnerable to natural disasters and health problems.

What should be the solution? I think family planning would be a great way to eradicate starvation. Make it illegal for those who wish to start a family to have more than two children.

I can't tell if you are being sarcastic or not. Certainly a lot of education is needed.

I am quite offended by how decadent and wasteful our Western world is with food. We throw away enough food every day that can feed a child in Africa or Bangladesh for one week. And it offends me as to how many children in our world are so fussy about their food, when an African child would kiss their feet for a piece of broccoli or brussels sprouts.

What's worse? a country that is wasteful with resources that it has, or a country that allows its population to expand well beyond its available resources?

 

[John812]

It's that whole "half measure" thing. Talking the talk instead of walking the walk. Maybe it's just me but if I saw Christianity as a movement spending it's time and effort being Christlike I might take the movement more seriously.

There are many Christians who try hard to be like Christ, giving their time and energy in volunteer work and donating money to those who need it. You should look to them as an example of what it means to be Christian, as opposed to looking at Christianity as a whole which includes many people who put in just a little energy into trying to follow in Jesus' footsteps. Also, helping the poor and hungry is not just a Christian responsibility, as if the whole world is looking to us to fix the problems of world hunger while the world itself will not lift a finger to help. It is a human responsibility - everyones responsibility.

 

[Spinrad]

So which part of it do you reside in? 'Cause, once again, that computer is a luxury.

 

[John812]

So which part of it do you reside in? 'Cause, once again, that computer is a luxury.

I happen to think it is perfectly alright to have a computer. It serves many useful purposes, such as being able to do school work on it, have access to all sorts of information on the internet, reach out to people who don't know about Jesus, keep in touch with family and friends over msn, email, etc. - even if they are on other continents, investigate what charities give the highest percentage of donations directly to those in need, have access to mountains of information concerning Christian theology and bible resources, doing work-related tasks, etc.

 

[Spinrad]

You can happen to think whatever helps you sleep at night.

 

[Macano]

Hmm, I own a computer. And 3 cars, one for me to get to work, one for the mrs' commute, and the 4x4 for all the outdoor recreation. And even a digital camera - the horror! And we don't have that great of an income, we land smack right in the middle of middle class. So that makes me not christian? Should christians sell everything to give to the poor, becoming poor themselves? It is possible to lend aid and still provide a good life for one's own family. Thing is, some folks will always hold christians to standards they would never hold themselves to. Those are the same people that would most likely find something always to criticize christians for, even those who are in the Mother Theresa realm of unselfishness have many critics. <shrug>, You cannot please everyone, and it's useless to even try to. I just don't see how it's only a christians duty to give all for the poor, and not a Human's duty. Why judge only christians this way, and not other religions, or even non religious humans? One has to be religious to be called to help the poor?

Also, I'm in agreeance that simply throwing food and money at the starving is NOT the solution. Millions in Africa starve, so the world throws huge amounts of food their way. They eat for a while, breed like rabbits some more, and wham the problem is worse than it was before. Here's an idea - keep the population down in the first place! That's a better long term solution than just compounding the problem with the food donation band-aid.

 

[Spinrad]

Do what you want. Sounds like justification to me.

 

[ebia]

Do what you want. Sounds like justification to me.

What's your point? That Christians aren't perfect? We already know that.
That any of us could do more? We already know that.

I ask again, since you didn't answer me the first time: since when has perfection been a requirement to join in the debate?

 

[Spinrad]

Admitting you are doing something wrong is only the beginning, though, isn't it? If you commit adultery can you just admit you are imperfect and go commit it as often as you like?