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Make Poverty History!

ScottishJohn

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In excess of 225,000 people converged on Edinburgh today to march in the run up to the G8 conference in Gleneagles. Organisers expected about 100,000 marchers but the event managed to cope with more than double that number with no apparent problems other than a minor clash between 60 Anarchists and Police. This is the biggest demonstration on Scottish soil ever, and sends a clear message to the G8 leaders that it is not just protest junkies who care about the growing humanitarian crisis in the third world. From babies to grandparents every demographic was represented.

Make Poverty History.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/uk/4642053.stm
 

ScottishJohn

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White Horse said:
Gallant effort, I suppose, but it ain't gonna happen til our Lord comes back.



Mar 14:7 for the poor always ye have with you, and whenever ye may will ye are able to do them good,


There will always be people worse off than ones self. However that doesn't mean we can't raise the bar a bit. Eliminating poverty is not suddenly going to level the whole board, there will always be those with a great deal and those with less. Nothing wrong with trying to make sure that the those with less are not in danger of dying from being poor. Or do you think Jesus was preaching apathy? Because you know, he jsut doesn't strike me as an apathetic guy...
 
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CJ.23

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Hi John, I was atounded that no one seems to be mentioning the Make Poverty History Live 8 Concerts. 250,000 people in London, 1.5 million in Philadelphia, concerts in all the G8 nations and Pink Floyd reform and play a live set. That is news! Huge marches will follow all week. Is this not headline news akll over the States?

cj x
 
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CJ.23

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CR0C0DILE said:
I will not take seriously the call of any star who does not sell everything he has and give all the proceeds to the poor.

OK Crocodile. I'mimpressed you are going to do this! Good for you!. Why challenge the stars first? Let's sell our stuff; it's a noble idea, and maybe some more folks will do it. It's easier for those of us with not much to start with, but hey, it has to start somewhere. :) We will still be richer than many I am sure and our family and friends will help us while we work out a scheme to support ourselves while working for the poor.

Anyway you are misssing the point. This is not about charity. No one is being asked to give a penny, or as I believe you say a cent. THis is not about raising money 27 Britons have signed a petition calling for the G8 conference to end poverty now. This is political lobbying for justice

We don't want your money; however as you seem to be volunteering, why not?
I can recommend practical courses of support and ways you can become a social activst once you have relieved yourself of the burden of possesions. It's not so hard as it sounds. :)


For those not planning to undertake apostolic poverty, please see
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/4641999.stm
for details. madonna, REM, the reformed Pink Floyd, the list goes on...
cj x
 
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White Horse

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ScottishJohn said:
There will always be people worse off than ones self. However that doesn't mean we can't raise the bar a bit. Eliminating poverty is not suddenly going to level the whole board, there will always be those with a great deal and those with less. Nothing wrong with trying to make sure that the those with less are not in danger of dying from being poor. Or do you think Jesus was preaching apathy? Because you know, he jsut doesn't strike me as an apathetic guy...

Oh, no. I never meant to suggest we shouldn't help. That's why I included the "whenever ye may will ye are able to do them good" part of the verse. I'm just saying it's something that isn't going to be corrected by secular means. The best way to wipe out poverty, or any of the world's problems, for that matter, is by sharing Christ. He is, after all, the only answer to any of our problems. Everytime man tries to make something good without Him, we just make things worse eventually. Many times it seems good for a little while, but it's just tares looking like wheat. ;)

I also think those performers with a gozillion dollars could do a lot more than dedicate an hour or two of their time to put on a concert if they were really concerned. :) And that's not to say some of them aren't, but I can just about guarantee you some of them are feeling real good about themselves because they sang a few songs. That ain't gonna cut it when our Lord confronts them about the stewardship of their possessions.
 
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Sycophant

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See also the Live 8 website: www.live8live.com

neverforsaken said:
so when do they leave for africa?
CR0C0DILE said:
I will not take seriously the call of any star who does not sell everything he has and give all the proceeds to the poor.

So, you two are entirely missing the point of the campaign and it's efforts and intent. The issue is not charity. It is about the fact that the G8 nations have the power to effectively end poverty in Africa, poverty that claims a life every 3 seconds.

http://www.makepovertyhistory.org/
 
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MadeInOz

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This sums up my thoughts fairly well.



leahy-05-06-14R.jpg


Cartoon copyright Sean Leahy.

It's not just Mr America there in the picture though. :groupray:
 
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TheBear

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ScottishJohn said:
In excess of 225,000 people converged on Edinburgh today to march in the run up to the G8 conference in Gleneagles. Organisers expected about 100,000 marchers but the event managed to cope with more than double that number with no apparent problems other than a minor clash between 60 Anarchists and Police. This is the biggest demonstration on Scottish soil ever, and sends a clear message to the G8 leaders that it is not just protest junkies who care about the growing humanitarian crisis in the third world. From babies to grandparents every demographic was represented.

Make Poverty History.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/uk/4642053.stm

Outstanding! :clap:

I hope this effort, combined with G8, combined with Live8, will make real progress towards eliminating global poverty, especially at the life-threatening level.

Thanks for the uplifting news story. :thumbsup:
 
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ScottishJohn

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White Horse said:
Oh, no. I never meant to suggest we shouldn't help. That's why I included the "whenever ye may will ye are able to do them good" part of the verse. I'm just saying it's something that isn't going to be corrected by secular means. The best way to wipe out poverty, or any of the world's problems, for that matter, is by sharing Christ. He is, after all, the only answer to any of our problems. Everytime man tries to make something good without Him, we just make things worse eventually. Many times it seems good for a little while, but it's just tares looking like wheat. ;)

Well, seeing as how Africa probably has more Christians and a more vibrant church than all the G8 countries put together how can you say it is a lack of faith. George Bush is supposedly a Christian man, yet he is having to be pushed and dragged all the way on these issues. Christianity is NOT supposed to make your life easier. It will NOT protect you from problems. However we as Christians have a duty to stop the abuse of the Third World which takes place in our name.

White Horse said:
I also think those performers with a gozillion dollars could do a lot more than dedicate an hour or two of their time to put on a concert if they were really concerned. :) And that's not to say some of them aren't, but I can just about guarantee you some of them are feeling real good about themselves because they sang a few songs. That ain't gonna cut it when our Lord confronts them about the stewardship of their possessions.

Thats between them and the Lord. Right now we can each look at our own behaviour and ask are we part of this problem. If our leaders think they can get away with it they will continue making money at the expense of lives in the third world, so we need to send the message that we will NOT tolerate this, 30,000 deaths a day in Africa alone is unacceptable. All the nice promises made by our leaders at the turn of the new century which they pledged to achieve by 2015:

1. Tackle extreme poverty - halve the number of people who live on less than a dollar a day. (basic healthcare and nutrition would cost $13 billion a year Europe and the US spend $17 billion a year on petfood)
2. Achieve universal primary education - ensure all boys and girls complete primary schooling. (This would cost only $10 billion a year - less than is spent on ice cream in the US)
3. Promote Gender equality - make sure there are the same numbers of boys and girls in primary and secondary education, preferrably by 2005.
4. Reduce child mortality - cut the death rate among children under 5 by 2/3.
5. Improve maternal health - reduce maternal deaths by 3/4. (this would cost $12 billion a year - less than Europe and the US spend on perfume every year)
6. Combat Hiv/Aids malaria and other diseases
7. Ensure environmental sustainability - reduce by half the number of people without access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation; reverse the loss of environmental resources and significantly improving the lives of 100 million slum dwellers.
8. Develop a global partnership for develpment - working together on debt, trade, public health, aid and technology issues to promote economic growth and poverty reduction.

In 2000 every cow in the EU recieved $913 in subsidy, while every sub saharan African recieved $8 in EU aid.
In contrast poor countries like Malawi are NOT allowed to subsidize seeds for their farmers which would make it easier for them to grow food. This is because of the current 'Free Trade' rules.

Christians are at the heart of this movement and have been for a decade. At the march yesterday I carried Christian aid banners, others carried banners from Tearfund and Sciaff, I would say roughly every 4th placard was from a Christian organisation. Churches across the UK are foundation members in the Make Poverty History campaign, working alongside secular organisations to bring pressure to bear on those who can achieve their targets.

In the same way that Christians were at the heart of the campaigns to outlaw slavery in the 19th century, we can also achieve this goal if we want to.
 
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Robbie_James_Francis

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I really hope this makes a difference. Maybe if the leaders can see that the people aren't interested in their selfish greed and lack of compassion for the poor then they will actually decide to represent us (for once!) and do something. Rob
 
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rebel_conservative

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ScottishJohn said:
In 2000 every cow in the EU recieved $913 in subsidy, while every sub saharan African recieved $8 in EU aid.

and yet you want to remain part of this vile institution...?

ScottishJohn said:
In contrast poor countries like Malawi are NOT allowed to subsidize seeds for their farmers which would make it easier for them to grow food. This is because of the current 'Free Trade' rules.

I assume that you are being sarcastic, as you know that this is nothing to do with free-trade, but hypocrisy. you do the cause a disservice by blaming free trade.
 
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rebel_conservative

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CJ.23 said:
27 [million!] Britons have signed a petition calling for the G8 conference to end poverty now.

lol, 30 million Britons could sign a petition calling for the G8 Conference to end the gravity now, that doesn't mean that it is within their power to rid the world of Newton's shackles.

CJ.23 said:
This is political lobbying for justice

no, it is just yet more proof of the falling standards in British education
 
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rebel_conservative

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Robbie_James_Francis said:
Managed to get your pitch in there! ;) ^_^

lol, indeed.

but in all seriousness, this is yet another reason to get out of the EU. do we want to be part of an institution like that??? an institution that keeps Africa poor, prevents the import of African products into Europe, dumps subsidised food onto the world market, so African farmers can not compete, and Africa ends up importing food, devastating African agricultural sector.
 
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