Are Poor People to Blame for their Poverty?

[SoldierOfTheKing]

Going back to the question in the OP, may Christians do believe that the poor are to a large measure responsible for their own poverty...

...yet they help the poor anyway. That indicates more, not less, compassion. For them, it doesn't matter whose fault it is. What matters is what can be done to improve their lot in life...

 

[Waggles]

But that might be a very short life if you neglect the needs of the body,

33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,
34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spend more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
Luke 10:
the oil and the wine represent the healing power of the gospel
and took care of him: represents our duty to compassion and caring for others, even strangers in the land
an inn represents a church
whatsoever thou spend more represents our giving and sharing to others who come into the church
with needs
I will repay thee represents the rewards the Lord will bestow on his good and faithful servants

And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of
a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
Matthew 10:42

 

[Waggles]

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit orphans and widows in their afflictions, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
James 1:27
What God the Father considers to be pure and genuine religion is this: to take care of orphans and widows in their suffering and to keep oneself from being corrupted by the world. GNB

 

[Fantine]

A mentally handicapped person might work in a sheltered workshop bur will need financial assistance as well.

 

[Ana the Ist]

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 think you hit the nail on the head...some people are responsible for their poverty, some aren't. It's ridiculous to me to sit and pretend that choices don't have consequences....and some people make bad choices.

If you're a woman who never finished high school, has two children and you're pregnant with a third...realistically speaking, your choices have led to a lifetime of poverty.

If you do well in school, get accepted to a good college, and you need to take out student loans to pay for school...your choices there will determine a lot. If you spend that loan investment in 5 years of work to get a fine arts degree...there's a really strong chance you'll find yourself very poor for a long time. If you get a degree in finance or something else more profitable...you could find yourself very wealthy. So choices matter...

On the flip side, tragedy can befall anyone. A serious medical condition, or legal problem, can drain anyone's finances entirely. Any number of significant mental issues can leave a person unable to care for themselves...and as a society we do a weak job of helping these people.

So it's some choices, some difficulty, some personal responsibility...sometimes life just throws a lot of trouble your way. I can't say for certain which of the two causes more poverty...but I've no doubt that as a society we could do a lot better helping out those in both categories.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

"Poor you will always have". You, the generation of Jesus contemporaries. Not eternally. The USSR and other countries of the Socialist bloc have rooted out homelessness, poverty, illiteracy almost 100%.

You cannot be serious.

Millions more Russians living in poverty as economic crisis bites

 

[OldWiseGuy]

So it's some choices, some difficulty, some personal responsibility...sometimes life just throws a lot of trouble your way. I can't say for certain which of the two causes more poverty...but I've no doubt that as a society we could do a lot better helping out those in both categories.

The absolute best thing one can do to help the poor is to not be one of them.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

People move in and out of poverty. Many that are down and out today might be employed tomorrow. It's those who never seem to be able to lift themselves up, even with help, that are the real problem.

 

[LaraLara]

Going back to the question in the OP, may Christians do believe that the poor are to a large measure responsible for their own poverty...

...yet they help the poor anyway. That indicates more, not less, compassion. For them, it doesn't matter whose fault it is. What matters is what can be done to improve their lot in life...

As I happend to have studied a social science subject I reccomend that you read about "poisonous aid" aid projects doing more bad than good. If you are aloof about the people you want to help than that will end in catastrophy. You must treat them as equal.

 

[LaraLara]

People move in and out of poverty. Many that are down and out today might be employed tomorrow. It's those who never seem to be able to lift themselves up, even with help, that are the real problem.

There are different kinds of poverty. If you have hope that the condition might end soon the poverty is more easily bearable. But if you have no hope left it is a very disagreable situation.

 

[LaraLara]

I think you hit the nail on the head...some people are responsible for their poverty some aren't. I've no doubt that as a society we could do a lot better helping out those in both categories.

We should do help the two because we do not know who is who. The bad choices you mentioned could all be part of a mental illness in it's early stage.

 

[Ana the Ist]

The absolute best thing one can do to help the poor is to not be one of them.

You lost me there...how does that help those who are poor?

 

[LaraLara]

You lost me there...how does that help those who are poor?

I guess he suggest he would be an unsocial poor...

 

[OldWiseGuy]

You lost me there...how does that help those who are poor?

Not being poor means that I have the means to help to stabilize the general economy, provide taxes for social programs, and provide money for charities.

 

[LaraLara]

Not being poor means that I have the means to help to stabilize the general economy, provide taxes for social programs, and provide money for charities.

Ah ok. I thought you mean it in a more funny way but everyone who works is in some way helping the poor. It differs a bit in the extend though...

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Ah ok. I thought you mean it in a more funny way but everyone who works is in some way helping the poor. It differs a bit in the extend though...

To me the greatest motivation for getting out of poverty is......being in poverty. Sounds trite, but think about it. Many of the poor want to sit on their pity pot and have someone else provide for them. Shame on them.

 

[LaraLara]

To me the greatest motivation for getting out of poverty is......being in poverty. Sounds trite, but think about it. Many of the poor want to sit on their pity pot and have someone else provide for them. Shame on them.

Whenever I thought I catched such a person it later turned out that they had a reason not to work (sometimes one that they where hiding).

As for me I am trying to start a social company for almost a year now but it is terribly difficult to start with nothing and when people know you are chronically ill. As an ex-enterpreneur I find social welfare terribly usefull because enterpreneurs are the quickest to land on the street for the risks they take.

 

[quatona]

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--

Society and the economic system are incredibly complex systems. The idea that every man is an island, capable of achieving anything and thus to be blamed for their position in society (as the capitalist narrative would us believe) is incredibly naive or intellectually lazy.

 

[Waggles]

20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
Matthew 19:

Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lack: go thy way, sell
whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come,
take up the cross, and follow me.
Mark 10:21
22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lack thou one thing: sell all that thou
hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.
23 And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.
Luke 18:

 

[LaraLara]

A mentally handicapped person might work in a sheltered workshop bur will need financial assistance as well.

I have a friend who is head of one of the biggest workshops for mentally handicaped persons in my country. It is Christian and it is all heavily subventioned by the state as such person can work but not at the speed of healthy persons. Without paying taxes as was suggested here by one participant this kind if workshop is not possible.

If I do not make myself vocal about things like this such reasoning will - over the votes - destroy my existence. My health is very slowly recovering but this was only possible because the state gave my mind an unconditional break from fears such as becoming homelessness. In other word state aid increases my chances to work again and not the opposite.