Is your religion making Americans poor.

[(° ͡ ͜ ͡ʖ ͡ °) (ᵔᴥᵔʋ)]

Amass millions and billions? Not my bag.

That's more than what I make all week!

 

[nonaeroterraqueous]

The zero-sum mentality is the belief that one man getting richer is to blame for another man getting poorer. It's false. It doesn't work like that.

 

[Rescued One]

Yes, God does enable Christian to do the works he has foreordained for them to do: feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothing to the naked, welcome to strangers, care to the sick, comfort and support to the imprisoned (Matthew 25:35-36). It would help if Christians also voted to support these works of mercy that Christ praises.

Christians either vote as the Holy Spirit directs or refrain from voting if they are so led. And I'm sure non-U. S. citizens don't need to tell us to vote as they desire.

 

[RDKirk]

If one takes the effort to read the Book of Acts, or the Epistles, the only time you see the Church helping the poor is when they are helping the other poor Churches or members.

So let's do that!

One pastor has said, truly, "The Body of Christ has all the resources in hand to satisfy the needs of the Body of Christ."

All of us Christians together own enough wealth to make sure no Christian on earth need go naked, hungry, or homeless.

Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need.

The goal is equality, as it is written: “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.” -- 2 Corinthians 8:13-15

So lets do just that much--let's make sure every Christian in the world has all their needs met.

But even when it's mentioned that the Body of Christ should feed and cloth and house the Body of Christ, some Christians--particularly in America--reflexively start crying "Socialism!"

A few years ago I was listening to David Jeremiah on the radio reading 2 Corinthians 8 aloud. He actually skipped right over verses 13-15 without a pause, as though they were not even there. He couldn't bring himself to read them.

Such a wily plan Satan has accomplished, that Christians run away from scripture itself.

 

[crossnote]

A few years ago I was listening to David Jeremiah on the radio reading 2 Corinthians 8 aloud. He actually skipped right over verses 13-15 without a pause, as though they were not even there. He couldn't bring himself to read them.

I don't know why Jeremiah skipped them, neither do you. Right, those verses refer to aiding the Churches not the poor of the world.

 

[redleghunter]

The zero-sum mentality is the belief that one man getting richer is to blame for another man getting poorer. It's false. It doesn't work like that.

Yes the Ronald Reagan “Bigger Pie, Bigger Slice” speech laid this out.

 

[crossnote]

But even when it's mentioned that the Body of Christ should feed and cloth and house the Body of Christ, some Christians--particularly in America--reflexively start crying "Socialism!"

That's usually because the cry 'let's feed the poor' etc., come from the same voices that deny the inerrancy of Scripture, miracles and the importance of the preached Gospel.
They want a social gospel rather than the true Gospel that saves souls.

 

[GingerBeer]

I just found it interesting that you, an Aussie, made this look like an exclusively American problem.

No exclusive but definitely present in the USA and deeply embedded in the current politics of the nation and consequently in much of the Christianity too.

 

[GingerBeer]

Are you asking me to let my left hand know what my right hand is doing?

Any hand will do as long as at least one is doing some of it.

 

[GingerBeer]

The only flaw with this argument is that it wrongfully assumes that "If the rich are getting richer, the poor must be getting poorer." Which is untrue. In the United Stats, the rich aren't the only ones getting richer. The poor are too! The rich may get richer, but are the poor getting poorer?

Perhaps it would be worth investigating beyond the confines of Youtube video clips?

 

[(° ͡ ͜ ͡ʖ ͡ °) (ᵔᴥᵔʋ)]

Perhaps it would be worth investigating beyond the confines of Youtube video clips?

I added a web article too. It is just above the youtube video. All you have to do is click on the blue text.

LMGTFY

 

[GingerBeer]

Those laws were addressed to Israel as a nation in Covenant with God. God put that program on the back burner til the Last Days.

God put justice and mercy on the back burner? Surely you have read what Jesus said:

(Matthew 23:23-24) [23] Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. [24] You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!​

The laws about help for the poor and the return of the land to its inheritors is about justice and mercy and God did not put that on the back burner.

In the interim, He has formed the Church to
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Mat 28:19-20)
and Paul stated..
The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” (Act 17:30-31)

He has not called us to set up health kitchens or Christian Boutiques but to meet the urgent times and spread the Gospel because His Coming and Judgment can happen at any time.
God will judge those who have stolen land from the innocent, He doesn't expect the Church to set up a Kingdom here on earth like some institutional Churches try to do, nor did He teach the Church to practice communism against it's will.

What are men and women to repent? Could it be their hardheartedness towards the poor the infirm, widows and orphans and all those in need? Matthew 25:31-46 suggests that such is the case.

 

[GingerBeer]

Christians either vote as the Holy Spirit directs or refrain from voting if they are so led. And I'm sure non-U. S. citizens don't need to tell us to vote as they desire.

What makes you think I am not a US citizen? You may be presuming a great deal when you dismiss comments because they may not, in your opinion, come from a qualified voter.

 

[Rescued One]

What makes you think I am not a US citizen? You may be presuming a great deal when you dismiss comments because they may not, in your opinion, come from a qualified voter.

I apologize. Yet I don't tell other Americans who should be President or that we should become a socialist country. Are you an American citizen living in Australia?

 

[GingerBeer]

I apologize. Yet I don't tell other Americans who should be President or that we should become a socialist country. Are you an American citizen living in Australia?

I am dual citizen.

 

[crossnote]

God put justice and mercy on the back burner? Surely you have read what Jesus said:
(Matthew 23:23-24) [23] Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. [24] You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!The laws about help for the poor and the return of the land to its inheritors is about justice and mercy and God did not put that on the back burner.

Please don't put words in my mouth. I said program not 'justice and mercy'..
The Scribes and Pharisees were the self righteous ones who blew a trumpet just before they would give to the poor, so all would know they were giving. Is that what you are advocating? Jesus said when you give, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.
There is no greater act of love and mercy than to warn others that the path they are on is a path of ETERNAL DESTRUCTION. Have you cared enough for your neighbor to warn them and tell them of the Great Rescue?

 

[Rescued One]

I am dual citizen.

Thank you.

 

[DamianWarS]

The USA is driven by corporate profit and governed by politicians who are in the pockets of corporate lobbyists and churches are busy making people believe that this is all good and godly and right and as things ought to be. When things go wrong how many pulpits are filled by men and women preaching

(Romans 13:1-5) [1] Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. [2] Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgement. [3] For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, [4] for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. [5] Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.​

But the scriptures are not written to make people docile. Injustice is not to be accepted. Wealth and power are not to be taken by the strong and denied to the less strong, the old, widows, orphans, the weak, and the poor. The prophets railed against Israel's kings, nobles, and religious leaders when the poor were left homeless in poverty. How much more should churches be doing the same - railing against injustice and poverty and fighting to have it redressed. How much more should christian voters be voting to prevent wealth from being accumulated in the hands of a very small number of families while millions are in abject poverty? So is your religion making Americans poor?

the American church is the church of Laodicea. they are too powerful to need God anymore so they just do it themselves.

 

[redleghunter]

Any hand will do as long as at least one is doing some of it.

You do understand you were asking me to do something Jesus told us not to do?

 

[GingerBeer]

You do understand you were asking me to do something Jesus told us not to do?

What? Treat people kindly?