Are Poor People to Blame for their Poverty?

Fantine

Dona Quixote
Supporter
Jun 11, 2005
37,039
13,063
✟1,077,460.00
Faith
Catholic
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Democrat
I just read this article in the HuffPost about it, and it seems that Republicans and Democrats feel very differently about this, and that white Christians, in particular, are more likely to blame the poor for being poor.

I am writing this not to condemn people who feel differently from me. Like you, I've known people who gamed the system, and I know people whose backgrounds meant they never had a chance, and I don't think any of us would say "all of the poor" were to blame for their condition--or that "none" were.

Here's the article link, and a quote, and I will tell you what my opinion is and why.

Christians Are More Likely To Say It's Poor People's Own Fault That They're Poor

Researchers found that 46 percent of Christians said that poverty is generally due to a person’s lack of effort. Only 29 percent of all non-Christians said the same.
According to The Washington Post’s statistical analysis, white evangelical Protestants, compared to those with no religion, were 3.2 times as likely to say that poverty is caused by a lack of effort.
Atheist, agnostic, and unaffiliated Americans blamed difficult circumstances for people’s poverty (65 percent).
Forty-two percent of American adults in total believed poverty was due to a lack of effort, while 53 percent believed it was due to difficult circumstances.
Although religious identity was an important factor, The Washington Post found that political partisanship is the most important demographic identity when it comes to this particular question. Seventy-two percent of Democrats attributed poverty to circumstances, while 63 percent of Republicans blamed lack of effort.

My feelings, that they aren't responsible, is based on my life experience.

Evaluating applicants for Habitat for Humanity houses, for example, has shown me what it's like for poor people to buy a car...or go to a hospital....

One person worked in a factory for 20 years---and after she lost her job her new job paid 25% less (and her old job didn't pay great.)

Car loans have disastrous interest rates. People go to emergency rooms and when they haven't made a payment in a few years their medical debt is erased. Of course, their credit is still shot for years..do you know that people with better credit ratings pay less for homeowners' and car insurance?

If they live in small towns (or the inner city) there are no inexpensive places to shop, because they aren't high-profit areas for people to do business in. People with higher incomes get all sorts of incentives and freebies that poor people don't because wealthier people have more bargaining power.

I consider myself comfortable, not wealthy, but last year we had two free plane trips, about $500 in credit card rebates, etc. We buy a lot of things on credit and pay our bills every month...we recently bought a car and got $1400 off from GM card credits (5 points per dollar).

More comfortable people live in areas with better schools for their children. And when their children graduate, their parents often have friends or family who will help them get their foot in the door in big companies.

I have never had to drive a car with a broken windshield for a year because I couldn't afford a new one. My comprehensive insurance took care of that.

I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture. If we were to fill an imaginary "basket" with goods and services, exactly equal, it would cost a poor person much more than a middle class one, and even more for a wealthy one.

It makes me feel bad--
 

Korean-American Christian

raised Presbyterian. member of the Nazarene Church
Feb 21, 2017
2,157
2,996
USA
✟17,856.00
Country
United States
Faith
Presbyterian
Marital Status
Private
Politics
US-Green
white Christians, in particular, are more likely to blame the poor for being poor.

My feelings, that they aren't responsible, is based on my life experience.

It makes me feel bad--

Very very few people are responsible for their poverty.

Regardless of who is to blame for poverty in the United States, we as Christians should -

Take an active role in social justice issues such as poverty

Buy food for those who go hungry

Buy food for the homeless and actively help them find safe shelter (and direct them to homeless missions and food banks)

Actively go to an orphanage regularly so that we can build relationships with the children and show them the incredible love of Jesus Christ in very tangible ways

love-is-a-verb.jpg
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0

LaraLara

1 leptofrofron + 1 leptofrafran = 1 leptofrofran
Jul 18, 2017
251
73
NRW
✟11,363.00
Country
Germany
Faith
Agnostic
Marital Status
In Relationship
I just read this article in the HuffPost about it, and it seems that Republicans and Democrats feel very differently about this, and that white Christians, in particular, are more likely to blame the poor for being poor.

I am writing this not to condemn people who feel differently from me. Like you, I've known people who gamed the system, and I know people whose backgrounds meant they never had a chance, and I don't think any of us would say "all of the poor" were to blame for their condition--or that "none" were.

Here's the article link, and a quote, and I will tell you what my opinion is and why.

Christians Are More Likely To Say It's Poor People's Own Fault That They're Poor



My feelings, that they aren't responsible, is based on my life experience.

Evaluating applicants for Habitat for Humanity houses, for example, has shown me what it's like for poor people to buy a car...or go to a hospital....

One person worked in a factory for 20 years---and after she lost her job her new job paid 25% less (and her old job didn't pay great.)

Car loans have disastrous interest rates. People go to emergency rooms and when they haven't made a payment in a few years their medical debt is erased. Of course, their credit is still shot for years..do you know that people with better credit ratings pay less for homeowners' and car insurance?

If they live in small towns (or the inner city) there are no inexpensive places to shop, because they aren't high-profit areas for people to do business in. People with higher incomes get all sorts of incentives and freebies that poor people don't because wealthier people have more bargaining power.

I consider myself comfortable, not wealthy, but last year we had two free plane trips, about $500 in credit card rebates, etc. We buy a lot of things on credit and pay our bills every month...we recently bought a car and got $1400 off from GM card credits (5 points per dollar).

More comfortable people live in areas with better schools for their children. And when their children graduate, their parents often have friends or family who will help them get their foot in the door in big companies.

I have never had to drive a car with a broken windshield for a year because I couldn't afford a new one. My comprehensive insurance took care of that.

I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture. If we were to fill an imaginary "basket" with goods and services, exactly equal, it would cost a poor person much more than a middle class one, and even more for a wealthy one.

It makes me feel bad--

I hate to say it but you are rising a very big problem. European countries are much more atheist and they have much better social welfare systems (social welfare is a human right that should be achieved by all countries that can afford welfare - in other words the US is breeching a human right).

There is a dark connection between christianity and lousy welfare that I frankly can not understand - after all christianity was ment the religion of compassion.

Do you realy want to be outcompeted by the atheist countries on compassion?
 
Upvote 0

Korean-American Christian

raised Presbyterian. member of the Nazarene Church
Feb 21, 2017
2,157
2,996
USA
✟17,856.00
Country
United States
Faith
Presbyterian
Marital Status
Private
Politics
US-Green
(social welfare is a human right that should be achieved by all countries that can afford welfare - in other words the US is breeching a human right).

I absolutely agree with you

0A Jesus.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: LaraLara
Upvote 0

Korean-American Christian

raised Presbyterian. member of the Nazarene Church
Feb 21, 2017
2,157
2,996
USA
✟17,856.00
Country
United States
Faith
Presbyterian
Marital Status
Private
Politics
US-Green
The Bible says a lot about helping the poor and disadvantaged. Problem is, many Christians hold on to this Old Testament-style belief that wealth and good fortune is a sign of God's approval and/or their own hard work. Jesus's parable of the rich man and Lazarus paint a different picture on the other side of eternity.

I agree....many Christians in Western nations hold on to the belief that wealth is a sign of God's approval

0A One way One truth One Savior Jesus Christ.jpg
 
  • Agree
Reactions: LaraLara
Upvote 0

LaraLara

1 leptofrofron + 1 leptofrafran = 1 leptofrofran
Jul 18, 2017
251
73
NRW
✟11,363.00
Country
Germany
Faith
Agnostic
Marital Status
In Relationship
Upvote 0

LaraLara

1 leptofrofron + 1 leptofrafran = 1 leptofrofran
Jul 18, 2017
251
73
NRW
✟11,363.00
Country
Germany
Faith
Agnostic
Marital Status
In Relationship
Sorry, Billy Gates, but not everyone is born in a rich country with genius-level intellect
.

I had rich parents, good education, a company AND I was born with genius level intelect. I still ended below the poverty line (mental illness and bad people are the cause).
 
  • Prayers
Reactions: Waggles
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums

Rubiks

proud libtard
Aug 14, 2012
4,293
2,259
United States
✟137,866.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Single
define poverty.

If a person did not have access to adequate food, water, and shelter, they would be willing to put aside any "laziness" to get those needs. That's part of basic human survival. However, most cases of "poverty" in the developed world is only relative poverty, not absolute. I'm all for fiscal responsibility, but many laws prevent the homeless from climbing the economic ladder (laws against begging for money, the ability for an employer to discriminate against the homeless, etc.)
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums

LaraLara

1 leptofrofron + 1 leptofrafran = 1 leptofrofran
Jul 18, 2017
251
73
NRW
✟11,363.00
Country
Germany
Faith
Agnostic
Marital Status
In Relationship
Impossible to make generalized claims about a group like that.

Some are solely responsible for their situation and some not responsible at all and varying degrees in between.

If I see someone drowning my first question is not "could it be fake?" and I am surely not witholding my help because there is a possibility of fake.
 
Upvote 0

LaraLara

1 leptofrofron + 1 leptofrafran = 1 leptofrofran
Jul 18, 2017
251
73
NRW
✟11,363.00
Country
Germany
Faith
Agnostic
Marital Status
In Relationship
. Nowhere close to aristocracy to feel that overwhelming sense of loss.

It goes away after some time. At least I have learned somethings about me -especially that I am not a better person just because my money can buy me options to solve my problems that poorer person don t have.
 
Upvote 0

JIMINZ

Well-Known Member
Apr 13, 2017
6,600
2,358
79
Southern Ga.
✟157,715.00
Country
United States
Faith
Charismatic
Marital Status
Married
I just read this article in the HuffPost about it, and it seems that Republicans and Democrats feel very differently about this, and that white Christians, in particular, are more likely to blame the poor for being poor.

I am writing this not to condemn people who feel differently from me. Like you, I've known people who gamed the system, and I know people whose backgrounds meant they never had a chance, and I don't think any of us would say "all of the poor" were to blame for their condition--or that "none" were.

Here's the article link, and a quote, and I will tell you what my opinion is and why.

Christians Are More Likely To Say It's Poor People's Own Fault That They're Poor



My feelings, that they aren't responsible, is based on my life experience.

Evaluating applicants for Habitat for Humanity houses, for example, has shown me what it's like for poor people to buy a car...or go to a hospital....

One person worked in a factory for 20 years---and after she lost her job her new job paid 25% less (and her old job didn't pay great.)

Car loans have disastrous interest rates. People go to emergency rooms and when they haven't made a payment in a few years their medical debt is erased. Of course, their credit is still shot for years..do you know that people with better credit ratings pay less for homeowners' and car insurance?

If they live in small towns (or the inner city) there are no inexpensive places to shop, because they aren't high-profit areas for people to do business in. People with higher incomes get all sorts of incentives and freebies that poor people don't because wealthier people have more bargaining power.

I consider myself comfortable, not wealthy, but last year we had two free plane trips, about $500 in credit card rebates, etc. We buy a lot of things on credit and pay our bills every month...we recently bought a car and got $1400 off from GM card credits (5 points per dollar).

More comfortable people live in areas with better schools for their children. And when their children graduate, their parents often have friends or family who will help them get their foot in the door in big companies.

I have never had to drive a car with a broken windshield for a year because I couldn't afford a new one. My comprehensive insurance took care of that.

I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture. If we were to fill an imaginary "basket" with goods and services, exactly equal, it would cost a poor person much more than a middle class one, and even more for a wealthy one.

It makes me feel bad--


In a word.........NO
 
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums

LaraLara

1 leptofrofron + 1 leptofrafran = 1 leptofrofran
Jul 18, 2017
251
73
NRW
✟11,363.00
Country
Germany
Faith
Agnostic
Marital Status
In Relationship
Exactly. Wealth does not make you superior. It only makes you more responsible for using your life privileges to better the world in the long run.

In that case I have used money very badly in the past but I make much better efforts now. But realy - nothing teaches you better about the stupidity of the rich than going from rich to poor.
 
Upvote 0