My Sunday Thought for 052817: Poverty - A Lack of Faith?

"To me, it's broken people."

-- Mayor Ivy Taylor

When San Antonio Mayor, Ivy Taylor, was asked what she saw as the deepest, systemic causes of generational poverty in her city, she answered, "To me, it’s broken people. People not being in relationships with their creator and therefore not being in good relationship with their families and their communities and not being productive members of society.” Mayor Taylor is a born again Christian and, in my humble opinion, grammar check notwithstanding, she is also wrong.  After all, wasn't 2017 presidential candidate Ben Carson raised in a poor family, mother working as a domestic, and with an estranged father?  He was brought up Christian and became a missionary doctor for a time before becoming one of the world's most noted brain surgeons.  Was being poor the cause of him being broken, or his mother, who worked several jobs to support the family alone?  I think not.

Mayor Taylor isn't necessarily wrong in her premise, I sure that a percentage of society are, in fact, not in relationships with their creator and, therefore, not in good relationships with their families and their communities.  But just because people are "broken" it does not necessarily follow that they are godless.  Many times circumstances overwhelm the best of us regardless of our attempts to hold back the consequences befalling us.  I would ask if she seriously thinks people live in their car with two or three kids because they choose to.  Again, I think not.  I invite you to follow this link, Texas Mayor Says Poverty Caused by Lack of Faith in God, and read the article for yourself.

But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

-- 1 Timothy 6:9-10

When I would feed the homeless in Olympia, I asked many of them what their circumstances were, what brought them to this point, and why they find it hard to do better.  These were people who lost jobs, and then their homes and cars, to finally find they are living off the charity of others and trying to get ahead against the rules of a society which makes returning to profitability difficult at best.  These were people who lost their way, forgot what was important in life, or simply got screwed by their employer or their country's litigiousness.  These were people who fed their children first, ensured they washed their hands, and asked the lord for help prior to breaking bread.  The truly aged, sick and lost, the truly broken, would join hands in prayer and thanks, blessing those who were feeding them, their fellow homeless, and those no longer with.  Many of them were down but, with their faith in God, trying hard not to be counted out.  The great majority didn't want to be poor, had fallen on hard times, but certainly had not lost their faith.

"Unlike their wealthier counterparts, low- and middle-income Americans — those who made less than $100,000 — gave 5% more in 2012 than in 2006, the Chronicle found. The poorest Americans — those who took home $25,000 or less — increased their giving by nearly 17%."

-- Katia Savchuk, FORBES

Now that I'm in Mississippi, I am learning my new home is steeped in religious faith, one of the poorest states in the union, and also the most charitable when one compares median income to charitable contributions, more evidence that poverty and low income not only bring the poor closer to God, but make them thankful and willing to assist others less fortunate.  To the point, I simply see no overwhelming evidence that poverty causes, for the great majority of poor, a lack of faith in God.

“They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life”

-- 1 Timothy 6:18-19

The Bible teaches us that the wealthy have an important place in God's greater plan.  Unfortunately, many of the wealthy rely on others to distribute funds to the poor, assuming that this "tithing" will purchase their spot in the kingdom.  Mere money and wealth has little effect on poverty.  Throwing money at the poor does as little to excite them to do better as it does to get one into heaven.  Truth be told, the simple act of giving money does less to make one's conscience feel better than getting one's hands busy at a soup kitchen, finding where the real need is, and personally ensuring said need is covered.  In the 12th century, Maimonides (Rabbi Moses ben Maimon), taught us, "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."  Yet, we still throw fish at the poor hoping it will, in some small way, make a difference.  One would think the wealthy would be educated enough to realize finding out why we have poverty is the only true route to solving it. 

"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

-- Mark 10:25

If poverty is to teach us anything, perhaps it would be that the poor rely too much on their faith and not enough on the doors which God opens for them.  They ask God to deliver them from their circumstances instead of thanking God for giving them the tools to deliver themselves from their lot.  Poverty teaches the rest of us that it is not the poor who are broken but, rather, the society which creates barriers to the poor being able to help themselves, and others from being able to lend them a hand without being sued into poverty ourselves if they injure themselves while doing odd jobs.  

What I found, of those homeless I talked with, was the poor and homeless were that way for several reasons.  They were too old or truly damaged, physically or mentally, to hold down employment or and responsibilities; they want to work, are skilled, but have no permanent address, phone, etc., so no one will consider them; they are single income, single parents, working two jobs and can't seem to get ahead; or, they get enough public assistance so they never have to work again.  The latter, by in large, live life in public assistance and teach their children so do the same.

"...we are all responsible for what happens to us. It is not where we come from but where we are going that is important. There are qualities that have greater bearing upon the fate or destiny of man, irrespective of his race, background or political creed. What are they? They are the simplest things in the world within reach of all. If these things were a secret I would understand but they are not and never have been. Without hard work, focus, discipline and resilience, everyone has an excuse to blame outside factors for the situation they find themselves in."

-- Sandile Memela

Since Christians believe in hard work as a way praise God and celebrate faith, I would think this latter group might be the ones Mayor Taylor was discussing, since they're belief and faith in God is questionable by their actions of leaching off of others simply because they can, not because they need to, and we might find few atheists in the group, as well.  Do they have a lack of faith?  Possibly, but they still have faith, albeit hypocritical.  Like radical Islam, they seem to use their misguided faith as an excuse to take advantage, slack off, and/or do evil, expecting absolution from God and a free pass simply because they go to church and sing hymns, or just have a Bible lying around the house.  I suppose Christianity should feel relief that heretics never interpreted our scripture to promise 72 virgins if we blow ourselves up in the killing of innocence, but then, neither does the Qur'an.  

Is it that the poor aren't faithful, or is it simply misguided faith, a lack of true faith, or a denial of how poor their faith is?  They may not have been taught the virtues of hard work, the praise of God, and how to be righteous, by two loving parents who should have been better role models.  But even this lack of instruction is just shifting blame from where it belongs.  Responsibility always comes back to the individual.

“You can't save people from themselves. You can only try to wake them up.”

-- Karen Marie Moning

True faith is not an excuse; it is an engine, gifted to all of us by God, at birth, to help us move forward through adversity.  Maybe the poor, of whom Mayor Taylor speaks, are just in need of a tune-up.  We need to stop giving them what they need and teach them how to work for it.  We need to stop giving them free stuff and teach them that what they get needs to be paid back in kind.  Nothing in this world is free, nor did Christ ever say it would be.  A lack of faith?  Maybe it's simply a lack of incentive to do better.

If there is among you anyone in need, a member of your community in any of your towns within the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted toward your needy neighbor. You should rather open your hand, willingly lending enough to meet the need, whatever it may be.

-- Deuteronomy 15:7-8

Editor's Note 

(re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card) 

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider another viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and then engaging in peaceful, constructive, discussion in an arena of mutual respect concerning the opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 23 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with an Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects in pharmaceutical research.  Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, to wage his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as Chaplain Program Liaison, at a regional medical center.