Blog Action Day: Poverty
I recently asked the question, “How should Christian’s respond to poverty?” Here are my thoughts.
Let’s start by addressing a common improper response to poverty.
There is a tendency among Americans who are sensitive to the needs of the oppressed poor to seek political action as a way to alleviate the woes of the world. This seems in many ways a natural response. This leaves me with a nagging question, why do we expect the government to solve the problems of the world? If you don’t dig too far back into American history, you’ll find we haven’t always had such expectations. I would venture that most people are unaware that it was once unconstitutional to have an income tax. Because the US needed funding for it’s new found international interventionist policies, the American public was convinced that it was their patriotic duty to pay [income] taxes. The next logical next step was to enact tax with-holdings. This program has been quite successful, so much so that most Americans have been duped into thinking the government is doing them a favor by returning some of their hard-earned cash on April 15th. (For more info on history of income with-holdings taxes here in America, read the Fair Tax by Neil Boortz and John Linder. My purpose here is not to promote the Fair Tax, although I am a supporter and believe it would greatly improve the economic situation here in the States.) Interestingly enough, American charitable giving significantly decreased at the time that income tax was withheld. Why? It seems Americans expected their government to be benevolent with their money.
I believe this process has distanced most Americans from actually being generous. We expect the government to provide social safety nets, like welfare, medicare, and social security. At one point neighbors would look out for each other. Family would be responsible for family. Churches and community organizations would act overtly benevolent. These days, when jobs are lost, the market crashes or and houses are foreclosed, we expect Uncle Sam to sweep in and save the day.
So, back to the original question. How should Christians respond to poverty?
I’m not sure how we can do it, but American Christians must recapture some sense of responsibility. Some sense of community. Some awareness. We have been trained to disconnect ourselves from the process; we must reconnect. There is a world around us in need. As Americans we have no obligation to look out for those around us, but as Christians…
Blog Action Day, economics, poverty
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benevolence, Blog Action Day, Christian, income tax, poverty, response, responsibility, with-holding
Themocracy
I think global awareness is depressing because it seems like there is so much to be done. There are so many noble causes. There are so many people hurting and in need. In fact, if one wanted, one could totally devote his or her whole life to trying to fix this. At the end of that life, there’d still be much more to be done.
The solution isn’t to put it on the government’s to-do list.
I think Christians, and individuals in general, can make the most impact by being generous to those around them immediately. Churches can run community-focused programs. The smaller the scope, the more manageable the pieces you chew off are. If each community looks out for its own, there is no need for an overarching mega-structure tasked with the impossible.
Furthermore, I think people need to be smart about how they help people. It’s sad, but you have to weigh your effort and funds carefully. For instance, I’m not in favor of people abusing animals, but I can’t see donating to help out the American Humane Society when there are kids being treated like those animals. Priorities must be decided. Plus, the end goal should be for more than temporary solutions. A sinking ship needs to have water thrown out, but if the hull is not patched, you’ll never fix the root of the problem. Give a man a fish or teach him to fish. (I’m not saying there aren’t times where immediate needs trump the long-term needs.)
@Stuart I completely understand where you are coming from, and for the most part agree with you. In fact, in some ways I would take it even further. “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” Here’s the deal though. I think were are in a unique financial situation as American Christians. Wealth is so abundant here. I believe this puts us in the position to be able to take care of our family, those in need in our faith family, those hurting in our communities, and sometimes to take responsible steps to help the poor around the world. The advent of the internet (and the like) and the resulting global community have accentuated this. Just my thoughts.
Christians should be leaders in multiple fields, and helping to alleviate poverty isn’t an exception. I don’t have many answers, but it seems to me that how poverty has generally been addressed has accentuated the problem. Paul’s “If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat” always comes to my mind. In general, I think our government’s system of welfare has eliminated a large group of people from being considered the “poor.” I don’t agree with that system, and I think it has been harmful to our society. It exists nonetheless, and I’m thinking I’ve seen enough people outside of that system that probably deserve our attention first, in our own communities. I think these should be people who are looking for a lifestyle change, because generally speaking there is one available.
To me, the rest of the world (esp. the third world scene) is a whole different scenario. Many countries don’t even have the economy to support the people who want to work, and the people who are able to work do so for next to nothing. Too many people die from malnourishment, and I know the reasons are multifaceted, but if we’re in a position to provide benevolence I think we need to do the best that we can.