In a Bad Mood about Poverty

[Angeleyes7715]

I know the bible says Paul learned to be content in whatever state is was.

I am miserable due to quality of life.

Life is working all the time while chronically ill with expensive Dr bills and exhausted for poverty wages. If I choose to take care of myself and enjoy life instead I would be homeless. I'd honestly choose homelessness over working full-time if it wasn't basically illegal in the US to be poor.

I'd work part-time and live in my car just to have more freetime and save money on rent. Why should I pay 75% of my check to have a small roof over my head typically with minimal privacy, loud neighbors who smoke pot, or bed bugs and these are in "nicer" areas.

I'm not sure how bad it was to be poor in Jesus's time, but I wonder if the poor went to prison for not having a house. Or shunned by society and ignored by family and friends for being homeless. Or if the homeless were murdered because people think it's funny to stab someone on the street.

No, I am not homeless btw, but I feel like what is life in this prison of a society. We lock people up for bad reasons for years....
What is life when your poor in America?

 

[timewerx]

I know the bible says Paul learned to be content in whatever state is was.

I am miserable due to quality of life.

Life is working all the time while chronically ill with expensive Dr bills and exhausted for poverty wages. If I choose to take care of myself and enjoy life instead I would be homeless. I'd honestly choose homelessness over working full-time if it wasn't basically illegal in the US to be poor.

I'd work part-time and live in my car just to have more freetime and save money on rent. Why should I pay 75% of my check to have a small roof over my head typically with minimal privacy, loud neighbors who smoke pot, or bed bugs and these are in "nicer" areas.

I'm not sure how bad it was to be poor in Jesus's time, but I wonder if the poor went to prison for not having a house. Or shunned by society and ignored by family and friends for being homeless. Or if the homeless were murdered because people think it's funny to stab someone on the street.

No, I am not homeless btw, but I feel like what is life in this prison of a society. We lock people up for bad reasons for years....
What is life when your poor in America?

You might be able to pull it off in some countries in Europe and in Australia or New Zealand.

They have quite generous gov't support for the unemployed. I'm familiar with the situation in New Zealand and you can have a pretty decent life off welfare without a job. "decent" is a relative term but at least you can still have a car and clean flat (probably not in the city where it's expensive). Countryside living in NZ is not bad at all and I find more pleasant than the cities.

Of course, you still have to work off the first few years before you can have Permanent Residency before you can do such things.

There's also lots of ways to earn money just working from home like online trading or buy and sell in NZ.

 

[Strivax]

You are quite right to be in a bad mood about poverty. I am, too. Not for myself; I get little, but it is sufficient for my needs. No, I am in a bad mood about poverty because it need not, and should not, exist. If all the world's wealth[1] were equally divided amongst all the world's people[2], we would each have a net worth of around $36,000. If all the world's annual production[3] were equally divided amongst all the world's people everyone would have an income of around $14,000 per year. Neither figure may sound that much, but if all the world's people got that much, and no more, then housing, food, clothing, education and medical costs would have to adjust to that reality. Instead, we have a scenario where 1% of the world's population own as much as the rest of the world put together, and just 62 people own as much as the bottom 50% of the world's population, while fully 2 billion unfortunates eke out meagre lives on less than $2 per day. It's a complete scandal, and if the rich Christian West was truly Christian, and truly loved their neighbour as themselves, it would do something about it, forthwith.

Best wishes, Strivax.

[1]$256 trillion, according to credit suisse
[2]world population estimated at 7.8 billion.
[3]$107.5 trillion, according to wikipedia

 

[timewerx]

You are quite right to be in a bad mood about poverty. I am, too. Not for myself; I get little, but it is sufficient for my needs. No, I am in a bad mood about poverty because it need not, and should not, exist. If all the world's wealth* were equally divided amongst all the world's people, we would each have a net worth of around $36,000. If all the world's annual production** were equally divided amongst all the world's people everyone would have an income of around $14,000 per year. Neither figure may sound that much, but if all the world's people got that much, and no more, then housing, food, clothing, education and medical costs would have to adjust to that reality. Instead, we have a scenario where 1% of the world's population own as much as the rest of the world put together, and just 62 people own as much as the bottom 50% of the world's population, while fully 2 billion unfortunates eke out meagre lives on less than $2 per day. It's a complete scandal, and if the rich Christian West was truly Christian, and truly loved their neighbour as themselves, it would do something about it, forthwith.

Best wishes, Strivax.

world population estimated at 7.8 billion.
*$256 trillion, according to credit suisse
**$107.5 trillion, according to wikipedia

That's because we live in an evil world who worships money and hates God (1 John 5:19, Luke 16:13)

Money comes from the poor majority and ends up with the rich few as in Capitalism or Free Market Economy.

I'm not saying extreme poverty is the way to go since it is included in prayers for provision of basic needs.

But a luxurious life isn't what we should be going after. If we have way more than enough for ourselves must be given away to brothers and sisters in need.

We are to be stewards of God's riches after all. There are lots of verses about it and it is a sign of love. Being wealthy is not an entitlement but a responsibility.

There are lots of false teachings that it is okay to keep most of our riches to ourselves and give away only little so you can still live in luxury. It is not in the Bible!

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[newlightseven]

I know the bible says Paul learned to be content in whatever state is was.

I am miserable due to quality of life.

Life is working all the time while chronically ill with expensive Dr bills and exhausted for poverty wages. If I choose to take care of myself and enjoy life instead I would be homeless. I'd honestly choose homelessness over working full-time if it wasn't basically illegal in the US to be poor.

I'd work part-time and live in my car just to have more freetime and save money on rent. Why should I pay 75% of my check to have a small roof over my head typically with minimal privacy, loud neighbors who smoke pot, or bed bugs and these are in "nicer" areas.

I'm not sure how bad it was to be poor in Jesus's time, but I wonder if the poor went to prison for not having a house. Or shunned by society and ignored by family and friends for being homeless. Or if the homeless were murdered because people think it's funny to stab someone on the street.

No, I am not homeless btw, but I feel like what is life in this prison of a society. We lock people up for bad reasons for years....
What is life when your poor in America?

Blessed are the poor for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. I know it is hard to rejoice in this. I am not by any means rich myself, but I can look around and there are/were people whose lot in life is worse than my own. I mean look at what happened to the slaves. Many spent their entire life in that condition, and that was if they were lucky and were not fed to the alligators by the slave masters. Then I look at the poor in Africa and just have to say Lord have mercy.

 

[Strivax]

Blessed are the poor for theirs is the kingdom of heaven...Then I look at the poor in Africa and just have to say Lord have mercy.

Uh huh. I am sure the Lord will have mercy, in the next life, and those who have tough times now will be compensated, and those for whom life is easy now will regret their avarice. But Oh! How much better would it be if the Lord did not have to redress the balance, and rich and poor alike could expect social justice in this world!

Best wishes, Strivax.

 

[RaymondG]

It confuses me why religious people feel we are suppose to be poor. Our Father is Rich with houses and land And he said what is Mine is Thine. He also said that anything you ask him for he will give it to you...you just have to believe......Yet the only thing we believe is that we should be poor now....and maybe we will be compensated when we die. Nay, God is a God of the living, not the dead. Try Him, he said, See if i dont open up the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing. See if he doesnt make your cup overflow.

How can you be able to make a big change if you take only what you need and give away all the rest? Wouldnt it be better to accumulate enough money to open a business that can give thousands of people jobs? Wouldnt we feel better being able to send thousands to a family in need, over giving a dollar or two to a few on the street? Our desire to stay poor, only hurts others.

Blessed are the poor in Spirit.........Beg after spiritual things and know that God has already supplied what we need in the natural.

 

[W2L]

What bothers me is that rich Christians sometimes blame the poor ones. They blame them for lacking faith. Its my opinion that the Rich should share with the poor, rather than question their faith. Isn't sharing taught in the bible? If so, why are there rich Christians and poor ones? Shouldn't we share the wealth, instead of blaming? Just my opinion

 

[Strivax]

What bothers me is that rich Christians sometimes blame the poor ones. They blame them for lacking faith. Its my opinion that the Rich should share with the poor, rather than question their faith. Isn't sharing taught in the bible? If so, why are there rich Christians and poor ones? Shouldn't we share the wealth, instead of blaming? Just my opinion

And an entirely valid opinion, also.

Best wishes, Strivax.

 

[Strivax]

It confuses me why religious people feel we are suppose to be poor. Our Father is Rich with houses and land And he said what is Mine is Thine. He also said that anything you ask him for he will give it to you...you just have to believe......Yet the only thing we believe is that we should be poor now....and maybe we will be compensated when we die. Nay, God is a God of the living, not the dead. Try Him, he said, See if i dont open up the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing. See if he doesnt make your cup overflow.

How can you be able to make a big change if you take only what you need and give away all the rest? Wouldnt it be better to accumulate enough money to open a business that can give thousands of people jobs? Wouldnt we feel better being able to send thousands to a family in need, over giving a dollar or two to a few on the street? Our desire to stay poor, only hurts others.

Blessed are the poor in Spirit.........Beg after spiritual things and know that God has already supplied what we need in the natural.

No one, but no one, wants to be poor. But as I pointed out in a previous post, some are wealthy beyond the wildest dreams of avarice. And, there is a certain point beyond which the excess in your bank balance deprives someone else of an equitable share of the world's wealth. Faith has little to do with the matter; mainly it is a matter of accident of birth; luck to be born in a wealthy country, to good parents, have good contacts, and market valuable talents and skills. And, I think it only Christian to share that luck amongst people who weren't that lucky.

Best wishes, Strivax.

 

[W2L]

No one, but no one, wants to be poor. But as I pointed out in a previous post, some are wealthy beyond the wildest dreams of avarice. And, there is a certain point beyond which the excess in your bank balance deprives someone else of an equitable share of the world's wealth. Faith has little to do with the matter; mainly it is a matter of accident of birth; luck to be born in a wealthy country, to good parents, have good contacts, and market valuable talents and skills. And, I think it only Christian to share that luck amongst people who weren't that lucky.

Best wishes, Strivax.

Amen.

Ecclesiastes 9:11New King James Version (NKJV)

11 I returned and saw under the sun that—

The race is not to the swift,
Nor the battle to the strong,
Nor bread to the wise,
Nor riches to men of understanding,
Nor favor to men of skill;
But time and chance happen to them all.

 

[RaymondG]

What bothers me is that rich Christians sometimes blame the poor ones. They blame them for lacking faith. Its my opinion that the Rich should share with the poor, rather than question their faith. Isn't sharing taught in the bible? If so, why are there rich Christians and poor ones? Shouldn't we share the wealth, instead of blaming? Just my opinion

There is no blame to be placed on anyone. I have an issue with Christian telling others that they should remain poor. There is nothing wrong with being poor, and nothing wrong with being rich. My desire is to change people's lives financially......and I cant do that with 5 dollars. And , sadly, I cant do it for most Christians because they feel it is a sin to take too much money. I was like this as well. But then i realized that I cant give like i want, if i refuse to take anything... If I ask God for something, I cant shut the door when he sends someone to give it to me.

This is not a knock on the people who want to remain unrich. I have great respect for the Nuns. I know someone who make great salaries and keep none of it....It all goes to their establishments. Now this is some great works.

But I wish to let people to know that God can and will give you the desires of your heart. I have no problem giving people fish....and i Love doing it.....But I feel even more happy when I can teach one to fish on their own.

 

[W2L]

There is no blame to be placed on anyone. I have an issue with Christian telling others that they should remain poor. There is nothing wrong with being poor, and nothing wrong with being rich. My desire is to change people's lives financially......and I cant do that with 5 dollars. And , sadly, I cant do it for most Christians because they feel it is a sin to take too much money. I was like this as well. But then i realized that I cant give like i want, if i refuse to take anything... If I ask God for something, I cant shut the door when he sends someone to give it to me.

This is not a knock on the people who want to remain unrich. I have great respect for the Nuns. I know someone who make great salaries and keep none of it....It all goes to their establishments. Now this is some great works.

But I wish to let people to know that God can and will give you the desires of your heart. I have no problem giving people fish....and i Love doing it.....But I feel even more happy when I can teach one to fish on their own.

The desires of my heart are to have riches in heaven. Proverbs talks of rich and poor, but its not referring to money. It instead refers to spiritual riches such as wisdom.

Sure God cares about us. I would rather be like Paul, who says that we will be content having food and clothing. I often ward off covetousness within my flesh. The flesh is never satisfied.

Proverbs 27:20 Hell[a] and Destruction are never full;
So the eyes of man are never satisfied.

1 John 2:15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.

 

[Strivax]

There is ... nothing wrong with being rich.

So, I see where you are coming from. But the world has only so much wealth. There are only X dollars to distribute. And Y people for it to go around. If I take more than X/Y I am taking more than my fair share, and depriving someone else of theirs.

Best wishes, Strivax.

 

[W2L]

So, I see where you are coming from. But the world has only so much wealth. There are only X dollars to go distribute. And Y people for it to go around. If I take more than X/Y I am taking more than my fair share, and depriving someone else of theirs.

Best wishes, Strivax.

Yes, i agree. Starting a business may not be wrong, but driving expensive cars, wearing expensive clothes, and storing up wealth is wrong, in my opinion anyway. Why buy an expensive suit or car, when you can bless some poor soul instead?

 

[RaymondG]

Yes, i agree. Starting a business may not be wrong, but driving expensive cars, wearing expensive clothes, and storing up wealth is wrong, in my opinion anyway. Why buy an expensive suit or car, when you can bless some poor soul instead?

This is the shared thinking that i have a problem with. Yes you dont have to start a business or ever drive a nice car or have a big house. you may never have those desires and that is great. But to say that Christians are not suppose to have nice things and drive nice cars is an incorrect statement, in my opinion.

And you seem to assume that if you have a lot of money, that means you are not giving to the poor. e.g. you have to be poor to give to the poor....which doesnt make sense to my. The more you have, the more you can give. The more you give the more you will have to give.

There is nothing wrong with your views... And I dont put people in heaven or hell because of the money they have. We have different view on this.....and i dont feel everyone should feel what i feel. The readers have two options here....and they can decide what they want to believe for themselves.

 

[RaymondG]

No one, but no one, wants to be poor. But as I pointed out in a previous post, some are wealthy beyond the wildest dreams of avarice. And, there is a certain point beyond which the excess in your bank balance deprives someone else of an equitable share of the world's wealth. Faith has little to do with the matter; mainly it is a matter of accident of birth; luck to be born in a wealthy country, to good parents, have good contacts, and market valuable talents and skills. And, I think it only Christian to share that luck amongst people who weren't that lucky.

Best wishes, Strivax.

no one said anything about wanting to be poor. I said nothing about wealthy who dont give, or anyone having a lack of faith. Good luck to you.

 

[W2L]

This is the shared thinking that i have a problem with. Yes you dont have to start a business or ever drive a nice car or have a big house. you may never have those desires and that is great. But to say that Christians are not suppose to have nice things and drive nice cars is an incorrect statement, in my opinion.

And you seem to assume that if you have a lot of money, that means you are not giving to the poor. e.g. you have to be poor to give to the poor....which doesnt make sense to my. The more you have, the more you can give. The more you give the more you will have to give.

There is nothing wrong with your views... And I dont put people in heaven or hell because of the money they have. We have different view on this.....and i dont feel everyone should feel what i feel. The readers have two options here....and they can decide what they want to believe for themselves.

Think of it this way, for every luxury that we have, others are losing their job, home, or car. Why would we want to have unnecessary luxuries while people are in need? The more we have, the more we are NOT giving.

 

[RaymondG]

Think of it this way, for every luxury that we have, others are losing their job, home, or car. Why would we want to have unnecessary luxuries while people are in need? The more we have, the more we are NOT giving.

Good points. So tell me... What is the money cap.......what is the max amount of money we should have in the bank before the rest should be given away? And also, what is the most i should spend on a car or a house according to Christianity. Also have you thought about being a nun or the male equivalent......I believe their views are similar to yours and they keep nothing for themselves.

 

[W2L]

Good points. So tell me... What is the money cap.......what is the max amount of money we should have in the bank before the rest should be given away? And also, what is the most i should spend on a car or a house according to Christianity. Also have you thought about being a nun or the male equivalent......I believe their views are similar to yours and they keep nothing for themselves.

Let each give according to whats in their heart, and where our treasure is, so is our heart.

No, i wouldnt become a monk.