Compare the UMC and Humanist Manifesto

[lucaspa]

From the Humanist Manifesto:
"Humans are social by nature and find meaning in relationships. Humanists long for and strive toward a world of mutual care and concern, free of cruelty and its consequences, where differences are resolved cooperatively without resorting to violence. The joining of individuality with interdependence enriches our lives, encourages us to enrich the lives of others, and inspires hope of attaining peace, justice, and opportunity for all.
Working to benefit society maximizes individual happiness. Progressive cultures have worked to free humanity from the brutalities of mere survival and to reduce suffering, improve society, and develop global community. We seek to minimize the inequities of circumstance and ability, and we support a just distribution of nature's resources and the fruits of human effort so that as many as possible can enjoy a good life.
Humanists are concerned for the well being of all, are committed to diversity, and respect those of differing yet humane views. We work to uphold the equal enjoyment of human rights and civil liberties in an open, secular society and maintain it is a civic duty to participate in the democratic process and a planetary duty to protect nature's integrity, diversity, and beauty in a secure, sustainable manner."

From the UMC's "Church and Society" page Church and Society - UMC.org

"Taking an active stance in society is nothing new for followers of John Wesley. He set the example for us to combine personal and social piety. Ever since predecessor churches to United Methodism flourished in the United States, we have been known as a denomination involved with people's lives, with political and social struggles, having local to international mission implications. Such involvement is an expression of the personal change we experience in our baptism and conversion.
The United Methodist Church believes God's love for the world is an active and engaged love, a love seeking justice and liberty. We cannot just be observers. So we care enough about people's lives to risk interpreting God's love, to take a stand, to call each of us into a response, no matter how controversial or complex."

"We affirm all persons as equally valuable in God's sight. We reject racism and assert the rights of racial minorities to equal opportunities in employment, education, voting, housing, and leadership. We urge social practices that will uphold the rights of religious minorities, of children, youth, young adults, and the aging, of women, and of disabled persons."

"All economic systems are under the judgment of God. We believe the private ownership of property is a trusteeship under God and must be responsibly managed. We support the right of employees and employers to organize for collective bargaining. We affirm the right of safe and meaningful work and creative leisure. We support efforts to ensure truth in pricing, packaging, lending, and advertising; and we urge people to evaluate their consumption of goods in the light of the quality of life."

"God's world is one world. We hold nations accountable for unjust treatment of their citizens. We affirm the right of people in developing nations to shape their own destiny; and we applaud efforts to establish a more just international economic order. We believe war is incompatible with the teachings of Christ, and we claim that it is the primary moral duty of every nation to resolve disputes peacefully. We endorse the United Nations and commend all who pursue world peace through law. "

Yes, there are differences between secular Humanism and Wesley's parish -- mostly on the existence of God, but there is quite a bit of "humanism" within the UMC in the original meaning of the term. Secular humanists and Methodists share quite similar views on how we are to treat our fellow humans. Maybe its time we stopped making artificial enemies to hate and instead tried to find the ways we agree with our fellow humans so that we can "love our neighbors" as we are commanded to.

 

[BryanW92]

From the Humanist Manifesto:
Yes, there are differences between secular Humanism and Wesley's parish -- mostly on the existence of God, but there is quite a bit of "humanism" within the UMC in the original meaning of the term. Secular humanists and Methodists share quite similar views on how we are to treat our fellow humans. Maybe its time we stopped making artificial enemies to hate and instead tried to find the ways we agree with our fellow humans so that we can "love our neighbors" as we are commanded to.

I work with several committed humanists and game with several others. When the topic turns to society and responsbiliblity, they explain their manifesto to me and I accept it. When I explain my Christian beliefs and how they fit perfectly into their beliefs, they start insulting me with comments like "Well, if you need your superstitions to understand, then that's OK" or "Why do you need a magical sky fairy to tell you to do what's right?"

If we continue, the insults get uglier, but they mean well (according to them). They are just amazed at my naive need to cling to an artificial construct (i.e. God) despite my education and intelligence.

I think you place the burden of "creating artifical enemies" on the wrong group. They insist that God and Christ have no place in their world of reason and rationality and are offended by any mention of Their existence.

 

[minimag]

I wonder what compels these humanist to believe as they do. They want the best for

society and their lives. I call this as being moral. From where does this morality come

from? There has to be a compelling reason for their moral views. Would the 10

commandments be at work here? What I'm getting at is their beliefs may actually be

rooted in God's commandments but they would never admit it.

BryanW92, maybe you should ask them where these ideals/morals they push

originated from. As for me I would let their insults roll off my back. Jesus was also

made fun of. They persecuted Him in derision. Should we expect it not to happen in

our lives? Just keep being a witness. Some plant, some water, but God gives the

increase.

 

[BryanW92]

I wonder what compels these humanist to believe as they do. They want the best for

society and their lives. I call this as being moral. From where does this morality come

from? There has to be a compelling reason for their moral views. Would the 10

commandments be at work here? What I'm getting at is their beliefs may actually be

rooted in God's commandments but they would never admit it.

BryanW92, maybe you should ask them where these ideals/morals they push

originated from. As for me I would let their insults roll off my back. Jesus was also

made fun of. They persecuted Him in derision. Should we expect it not to happen in

our lives? Just keep being a witness. Some plant, some water, but God gives the

increase.

I ignore their insults, because they "know not what they do". The closest I ever got any of them to an a-ha moment was when I explained CS Lewis' Law of Human Nature from "Mere Christianity" to two of them. We discussed their sense of morality and right vs wrong, and how all humans possess that sense despite what their actions seem to imply. We got into the nature of God a bit and one of them understood and began to agree, but then the other one stopped him and brought him back down to their version of reality.

The one who got it for a short time did buy a copy of Mere Christianity, but he retired and I don't know if he read it.

 

[GadFly]

Yes, there are differences between secular Humanism and Wesley's parish -- mostly on the existence of God, but there is quite a bit of "humanism" within the UMC in the original meaning of the term. Secular humanists and Methodists share quite similar views on how we are to treat our fellow humans. Maybe its time we stopped making artificial enemies to hate and instead tried to find the ways we agree with our fellow humans so that we can "love our neighbors" as we are commanded to.

It is nor just a casual thing to ignore God as if left alone, man will do the wright thing towards his fellow man. That would be great if things worked that way. It failed in the former USSR, it failed in Germany and it is failing in China also. It is a failure in Europe and it will lead to failure in the USA unless we alter our course. The number one mission of Christians is to save the world.

When it comes to the poor, Christians are all for that and we should help but Christ did say "if you gain the world .... but lose your soul...? The humanist can feed the poor too but he wants from the poor id some type of loyalty. The Christian was only to see a soul saved. That is a better motive, don't you think?

 

[BryanW92]

The humanist can feed the poor too but he wants from the poor id some type of loyalty. The Christian was only to see a soul saved. That is a better motive, don't you think?

My church opens its fellowship hall up as a homeless shelter on nights where the temperature drops below 38 degrees and we make lunches twice a week to give to people who are looking for work at one of the day labor places in town.

One day, we were making lunches and I asked the pastor if we should do something to feed their spirits instead of just giving them lunch and he said "No. If we do that, we may offend some of them and then they won't want to take the food anymore." I asked the same thing about the cold weather shelter. He said that we have to take care of their physical needs and then maybe they'll find their own path to God.

In the OP, it says that there isn't much difference between secular humanism and United Methodism. I think he should have said that there isn't much difference between humanism and secular United Methodism. Jesus told us to feed the poor, but he also told us to shake the dust off when people reject the Word.

 

[mark46]

I ignore their insults, because they "know not what they do". The closest I ever got any of them to an a-ha moment was when I explained CS Lewis' Law of Human Nature from "Mere Christianity" to two of them. We discussed their sense of morality and right vs wrong, and how all humans possess that sense despite what their actions seem to imply. We got into the nature of God a bit and one of them understood and began to agree, but then the other one stopped him and brought him back down to their version of reality.

The one who got it for a short time did buy a copy of Mere Christianity, but he retired and I don't know if he read it.

 

[mark46]

The need for approval and the fear of offending by our actions are ways that we put our own feelings before doing and saying what we should. Our assistant rector called this putting our feelings before God, having idols.

Christians should be known by their Love and distinguishable from secular humanists. We needn't be the Salvation Army and force folks to listen in order to receive help, but that is not a terrible idea. Easier is for it to be clear from being in the fellowship hall that one is among Christians, through posters, music, wearing badges (and crosses) and in so many other ways.

It is very, very said that anyone would be so ashamed of the gospel that they would not want folks to know the reason for our Hope.

Saint Francis suggested that we should evangelize always, and if necessary use words. He did NOT suggest that no one would know that we are Christians.

My church opens its fellowship hall up as a homeless shelter on nights where the temperature drops below 38 degrees and we make lunches twice a week to give to people who are looking for work at one of the day labor places in town.

One day, we were making lunches and I asked the pastor if we should do something to feed their spirits instead of just giving them lunch and he said "No. If we do that, we may offend some of them and then they won't want to take the food anymore." I asked the same thing about the cold weather shelter. He said that we have to take care of their physical needs and then maybe they'll find their own path to God.

In the OP, it says that there isn't much difference between secular humanism and United Methodism. I think he should have said that there isn't much difference between humanism and secular United Methodism. Jesus told us to feed the poor, but he also told us to shake the dust off when people reject the Word.

 

[BryanW92]

Christians should be known by their Love and distinguishable from secular humanists. We needn't be the Salvation Army and force folks to listen in order to receive help, but that is not a terrible idea. Easier is for it to be clear from being in the fellowship hall that one is among Christians, through posters, music, wearing badges (and crosses) and in so many other ways.

We live in a time where knowing the gospel is not the default for Americans. While 80% of the Americans claim to be Christian, they only have minimal knowledge of what that means and they certainly don't know or acknowledge the responsibility that goes with it. Most of what they know is gleaned from TV and other media.

In the past, you could be low-key in your evangelism and people would know the source. But, today's culture is one of entitlement so the people you are helping believe that they are "owed" something and you are just the means of fulfilling it. They don't know or care that you do this out of love. They are just trained by the government to "Demand. Take. Demand More."

If we don't spread the gospel by mouth to these people who don't know the real Christ, then they just look at you as another "service provider". It's a cynical way of looking at things, but that's the world we live in and although we may not be OF the world, we certainly must be IN the world.

I'm not advocating a practice of "you want to eat the food, you gotta listen to the sermon", but I don't see a problem with putting applicable bible verses in a lunch bag.

 

[Historicus]

One day, we were making lunches and I asked the pastor if we should do something to feed their spirits instead of just giving them lunch and he said "No. If we do that, we may offend some of them and then they won't want to take the food anymore." I asked the same thing about the cold weather shelter. He said that we have to take care of their physical needs and then maybe they'll find their own path to God.

You are doing something to feed their spirits. You are showing them the love of God in Christ Jesus in a real tangible way. You are being Jesus' hands in this hurting world. Sometimes our actions and deeds speak so much louder than our words (or preaching) to those who are hurting the most in their hour of need.

They know that you are a church. They know who is helping them in their time of need. They can see the joy with which you are helping them and the mission you are doing. It sows a seed that the Lord will water and grow in His grace. It will bring forth fruit in the Lord's time and according to His purpose. God is faithful, and we can trust that the good you are doing will be for his greater glory in Christ and the good of all those involved including their salvation.

 

[jacks]

You are doing something to feed their spirits. You are showing them the love of God in Christ Jesus in a real tangible way. You are being Jesus' hands in this hurting world. Sometimes our actions and deeds speak so much louder than our words (or preaching) to those who are hurting the most in their hour of need.

They know that you are a church. They know who is helping them in their time of need. They can see the joy with which you are helping them and the mission you are doing. It sows a seed that the Lord will water and grow in His grace. It will bring forth fruit in the Lord's time and according to His purpose. God is faithful, and we can trust that the good you are doing will be for his greater glory in Christ and the good of all those involved including their salvation.

Well said.

 

[BryanW92]

Sometimes our actions and deeds speak so much louder than our words (or preaching) to those who are hurting the most in their hour of need.

They know that you are a church. They know who is helping them in their time of need.

I wish I had your optimism. We aren't an urban church. We're suburban in a nearly rural area, so most of our homeless are homeless by choice. I've spent time with them in our shelter and heard their stories and it really hurts my soul that people can become so manipulative and amoral.

It's naive on our part to expect that everyone would have a hard luck story but a heart of gold, but I just wanted to meet one who is truly down on his luck. I'm still trying to find that one.

Perhaps we are showing God's love, but would it be too much to ask to be able to catch a glimpse of a life change in one of them?

The lunch bag ministry was more successful since we did get to serve people who were down and trying to make it on their own, but we never got to meet anyone we helped. So, I'm really just being hopeful in my ignorance that it had a spiritual impression on someone's life. But I continue to believe that it did some good.

 

[GraceSeeker]

Yes, there are differences between secular Humanism and Wesley's parish -- mostly on the existence of God, but there is quite a bit of "humanism" within the UMC in the original meaning of the term. Secular humanists and Methodists share quite similar views on how we are to treat our fellow humans. Maybe its time we stopped making artificial enemies to hate and instead tried to find the ways we agree with our fellow humans so that we can "love our neighbors" as we are commanded to.

Or, might it be that we have succeeded at getting part of our message out so well that it is accepted by certain elements within the world who, sadly, don't know where it comes from. If the world chooses to reject the devil and all his works but doesn't worship God, I don't call it saved. But I also don't call the church fallen just because we agree with those unsaved folks who reject the devil and all his works. Indeed, we might do more to point out how there is still one of the devil's works they are in agreement with, that being unbelief. But it doesn't mean that they are wrong in their other repudiations of the devil, just incomplete. And it doesn't mean the church is wrong to encourage them to grow in those places where they truly are resisting the devil, it just means that if this is all we do that our message is incomplete as well.

 

[GadFly]

I wish I had your optimism. We aren't an urban church. We're suburban in a nearly rural area, so most of our homeless are homeless by choice. I've spent time with them in our shelter and heard their stories and it really hurts my soul that people can become so manipulative and amoral.

It's naive on our part to expect that everyone would have a hard luck story but a heart of gold, but I just wanted to meet one who is truly down on his luck. I'm still trying to find that one.

Perhaps we are showing God's love, but would it be too much to ask to be able to catch a glimpse of a life change in one of them?

The lunch bag ministry was more successful since we did get to serve people who were down and trying to make it on their own, but we never got to meet anyone we helped. So, I'm really just being hopeful in my ignorance that it had a spiritual impression on someone's life. But I continue to believe that it did some good.

Your posts are very good and it brought this thought to my mind. The Church that God adds to daily has never been an amoral church and differs from the humanistic approach. The Christian approach intends to introduce Christ whereas the humanistic approach must be to introduce a government to charity, since humanism has no god.

 

[GraceSeeker]

I wish I had your optimism. We aren't an urban church. We're suburban in a nearly rural area, so most of our homeless are homeless by choice. I've spent time with them in our shelter and heard their stories and it really hurts my soul that people can become so manipulative and amoral.

It's naive on our part to expect that everyone would have a hard luck story but a heart of gold, but I just wanted to meet one who is truly down on his luck. I'm still trying to find that one.

Perhaps we are showing God's love, but would it be too much to ask to be able to catch a glimpse of a life change in one of them?

The lunch bag ministry was more successful since we did get to serve people who were down and trying to make it on their own, but we never got to meet anyone we helped. So, I'm really just being hopeful in my ignorance that it had a spiritual impression on someone's life. But I continue to believe that it did some good.

I wish you had been in our service this morning. We had one of those to whom you ministered as our guest speaker. She had been homeless, in that she and her brother were abandoned by their mother who literally left the house one day when to pursue a habit and told them to take care of each other and their ailing grandmother, she wasn't coming back she was going to get high instead.

They tried, but weren't old enough to be able to care for themselves let alone a invalid grandparent with dementia. Eventually their grandmother escaped from their care and was found wondering the streets and that is when authorities found out that their mother hadn't even been around in nearly a year. The family was split up, with grandma put into a nursing home and the children into foster care. Things spiraled down until Bernice found herself placed in a group home operated by our church.

At that time, by her own admission, she was a completely self-centered kid who hated everyone, and her only focus was on getting out and on her own again. Who she was then was a hater of any and everything that stood between her and immediate self-gratification. She didn't trust people. She had no experience of people being trustworthy. What people were to her was simply a means to an end. And that is exactly how she approached those she met in our group home, Cunningham Children's Home.

What Bernice claims she met at Cunningham was love. Simple, uncompromising love that refused to give up on her even when she had given up on herself. It didn't happen overnight. And she would tell you that it didn't work with everyone. But it did with her. In time she learned that there was a love that was all about caring for others, that was focused not on meeting the needs of the giver, but was actually an offering of one's self for the benefit of another. And she learned that the source of that love was God who worked through the agency of individual men and women and through corporate assemblies of people called churches.

Bernice responded to that love. She quit fighting against it and opened up to let it in. And then she let it guide her to finish high school. To go to college and get an education. And when as an adult her life's journey found her working back in the same community as the home which had met so much to her, she volunteered to represent it as an ambassador of its ministries. So, she was with us this morning telling her story, the story of a mission and ministry with manipulative and amoral people who still need God's love and how that love is still capable of working the miracle of transformed lives.

No, not even God is going to save everyone, not because he isn't willing, but because they aren't. But for those of us who are trying to model ourselves after the one who is himself the incarnation of the ethic of love more than the amoral ones who live an ethic of manipulation, is there really any question about what we are called to do? I don't think so. We love, even when our love and the help we offer isn't returned, for we don't offer it to receive thanks and praise, but because it is in our nature to shower others with the love of God.

 

[mark46]

We do God's work as he asked us to. However, it is not us who converts or determines times of changes. Perhaps it is difficult to give and not receive any positive feedback or results. That is sometimes our lot. God does not promise that we will see the results in those we serve. Of course, you can continue to ask the Holy SPirit to show you such signs and to give you the encouragement you need. As my rector says often, "we need to keep on keeping on".

Perhaps we are showing God's love, but would it be too much to ask to be able to catch a glimpse of a life change in one of them?

The lunch bag ministry was more successful since we did get to serve people who were down and trying to make it on their own, but we never got to meet anyone we helped. So, I'm really just being hopeful in my ignorance that it had a spiritual impression on someone's life. But I continue to believe that it did some good.

 

[BryanW92]

We do God's work as he asked us to. However, it is not us who converts or determines times of changes. Perhaps it is difficult to give and not receive any positive feedback or results. That is sometimes our lot. God does not promise that we will see the results in those we serve. Of course, you can continue to ask the Holy SPirit to show you such signs and to give you the encouragement you need. As my rector says often, "we need to keep on keeping on".

When Jesus met a person with a demon, he didn't feed the demon and send the person on his way. He cast out the demon.

As I said, my problem is not that I don't get to see the people have miraculous changes. I just said that I'd like to see one.

My concern is that that they come to us as amoral and manipulative people and no matter what you do for them, their only response is "More?". We feed their demon and send them on their way. Our society feeds their demons as we excuse more and more aberrant behavior (the smartest thing Satan ever did was to convince the world that he is not real).

Satan convinced us that our job is to help them with their immediate physical needs, but to not attempt to save their souls. He tells us that it is not our business to put them on the path to God or to even concern ourselves with that. We are told by the proponents of "social gospel" that it is not our business. If God wants them, He will come and get them. We should just refuel them to continue to sin and then congratulate ourselves for being such good Christians.

Jesus says "Go and sin no more". We say, "Go and do what you want. Come back when you need more." Who do we really serve?

 

[jacks]

When Jesus met a person with a demon, he didn't feed the demon and send the person on his way. He cast out the demon.

As I said, my problem is not that I don't get to see the people have miraculous changes. I just said that I'd like to see one.

My concern is that that they come to us as amoral and manipulative people and no matter what you do for them, their only response is "More?". We feed their demon and send them on their way. Our society feeds their demons as we excuse more and more aberrant behavior (the smartest thing Satan ever did was to convince the world that he is not real).

Satan convinced us that our job is to help them with their immediate physical needs, but to not attempt to save their souls. He tells us that it is not our business to put them on the path to God or to even concern ourselves with that. We are told by the proponents of "social gospel" that it is not our business. If God wants them, He will come and get them. We should just refuel them to continue to sin and then congratulate ourselves for being such good Christians.

Jesus says "Go and sin no more". We say, "Go and do what you want. Come back when you need more." Who do we really serve?

All you say may be true; however, for myself I want to be more generous and giving than I currently am. I can see so much suffering in the world and I do very little personally to relieve it. Yes, I would love to save souls, but at times all I can do is save bodies and I feel that is better than nothing and who can tell where it will lead.

Personally I can attest that I was an atheist/agnostic most of my life and it was from the kindness and wisdom I saw from people of God that helped change my life. I'm sure they had no idea that their actions lead me to Jesus and at the time I'm sure I appeared self-centered and ungrateful, but every act of kindness chipped away at my hard shell.

It sounds like you are reaching out to people in need, do not be discouraged by appearances, trust me you are doing good beyond measure.

(By the way your quote is from the movie "The Usual Suspects".)

 

[BryanW92]

All you say may be true; however, for myself I want to be more generous and giving than I currently am. I can see so much suffering in the world and I do very little personally to relieve it. Yes, I would love to save souls, but at times all I can do is save bodies and I feel that is better than nothing and who can tell where it will lead.

Personally I can attest that I was an atheist/agnostic most of my life and it was from the kindness and wisdom I saw from people of God that helped change my life. I'm sure they had no idea that their actions lead me to Jesus and at the time I'm sure I appeared self-centered and ungrateful, but every act of kindness chipped away at my hard shell.

It sounds like you are reaching out to people in need, do not be discouraged by appearances, trust me you are doing good beyond measure.

(By the way your quote is from the movie "The Usual Suspects".)

There is a lot of suffering in the world, but there really isn't much in the US. Oh sure, some people are poor, but the lifestyle of today's poor is better than I had as a child living on the fringes of Appalachia. We were happy because we didn't spend our days telling ourselves that we deserve more.

In America, most "suffering" boils down to that one word: "MORE". Why is that? I believe that it is because our souls are empty or nearly empty. We've traded our spirituality for products and images and glamour. We demand shiny, new things constantly because of the huge hole in our soul. No matter what we get to fill the void, we see someone with something else and we scream "MORE!" When the money runs out for MORE, we run up our credit cards. Some people even steal to get MORE. Some will kill for MORE. Celebrities with wealth beyond my imagining are miserable in the search for MORE. People partake in drugs or unhealthy sex to find a thrill that will finally satisfy their thirst for MORE and it just leads to a larger feeling of emptiness.

I mindlessly shoveled food and money at the poor as they demanded more, but now I am more discerning. I will fulfill their needs today (not their wants) and will invite them into a discussion. If they take the money but shun the discussion, then I will shake the dust off my sandals.

Our society is infected with demons and almost all of us have them. We push our Savior off into a corner of the week, as long as He doesn't interfere with kickoff or the beach trip. So, even those who want a spiritual life try to fulfill it by just giving away MORE in the hopes that they'll start filling up their souls while the answer sits gathering dust on a shelf or is quietly knocking on the door to our hearts while we shout, "Not now. I'm busy!" Busy seeking MORE. Busy doing MORE. Busy being MORE.

Oh man...this is depressing. Sorry. It is the nature of my gift in this broken, miserable society that WE have created for ourselves. Rule #1 for preaching is "always proclaim the gospel." So, I'll end with this. The Holy Spirit never stops knocking. We, all of us in this country and the world, have the answer to the emptiness if we just stop accumulating MORE and answer the door.

(BTW, which quote is from The Usual Suspects? I've never seen the movie.)

 

[Historicus]

I'm sorry but I have to disagree. Deeper into Appalachia (particularly Southern West Virginia and Eastern Kentucky) , the way some children and the elderly live, even today in the 21st Century is shocking. Having a meal once a day (or even at all) for some is a luxury. Not everybody that is in need gets government assistance beyond popular thought in the media. When someone works 2 or 3 jobs to support their families and still only makes enough income to perhaps provide some food and shelter to their families, the idea of "wants" really doesn't apply. The "homes" some of these poor individuals live in are just as bad as some of the slums found in the developing world. There are individuals who still don't have running water. The same is true with the elderly who choose between eating today or buying their medication that insurance won't cover. I have personally seen the suffering of others in these situations and its truly heartbreaking.

Today, much of the once thriving industry that was once found in this part of the United States is gone. Unemployment only lasts so long, and there are only so many jobs remaining and avaliable. What has been a national issue for sometime has been affecting Appalachia for much longer. These people do try to make a better life. So much good is being done by churches and other religious organizations. It is truly amazing to see God's love shown and actually lived.

I'm sorry for going off-topic but I had to respectfully disagree with you on this matter. For most Americans you are right. For a large minority though the suffering is all to real.

We don't always know the exact circumstances of others, but we do know what our blessed Savior said in Matthew 25. In fact it could be Jesus there asking us for help. Are we to help the "least of these"? Our society does have problems, so many problems. We must ask ourselves, should we be part of the problem (with this individualism and only caring only for ourselves), or part of the solution in making a more just society, modeled on the commands of Jesus to love one another and to help the "least of these"?