Fred Wolfe, Parish Administrator University Lutheran Church of the Incarnation Chestnut Street at 37th Street Walk 215.387.2885 [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.uniluphila.org t
"We live in a world where the gap between scarcity and abundance grows wider every day. Whether at the level of nations or neighborhoods, this widening gap is polarizing people, making each camp more and more suspicious and antagonistic toward the other. But the peculiar thing, at least from a biblical perspective, is that the rich--the ones with the abundance--rely on an ideology of scarcity, while the poor--the ones suffering from scarcity--rely on an ideology of abundance. How can that be?
3651cb.jpgThe issue involves whether there is enough to go around--enough food, water, shelter, space. An ideology of scarcity says no, there's not enough, so hold onto what you have. In fact, don't just hold onto it, hoard it. Put aside more than you need, so that if you do need it, it will be there, even if others must do without.
365230.jpgAn affirmation of abundance says just the opposite: Appearances notwithstanding, there is enough to go around, so long as each of us takes only what we need. In fact, if we are willing to have but not hoard, there will even be more than enough left over&.
Today, the fundamental human condition continues to be anxiety, fueled by a market ideology that keeps pounding on us to take more, to not think about our neighbor, to be fearful, shortsighted, grudging. Over and over, we're told to be sure we have the resources to continue our affluent lifestyles, especially with the approach of our "golden years" (which are "golden" in more ways than one). That same market ideology powers the multinational corporations, as they roam the world, seeking the best deal, the greatest return, the cheapest labor and materials. Whether it's global policies or local poverty-wage jobs, those who fear scarcity refuse to acknowledge any abundance that extends beyond their own coffers."
At 07:49 AM 3/12/2004 -0500, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Karen, the issue is more complex than that. Of course the poor are not inherently inferior and are very capable of "study, hard work and respect for learning."
But being poor certainly re-arranges ones priorities. All of your time and energy is spent just trying to make it through the day, trying to feed and clothe your children, maintain a roof over your head. It's a daily hussle. That's hard work. Who has time or energy to study and learn after all that? Most severely impoverished people who make it, make it with the help of others relieving some of their daily burden so that they can afford the time and energy to study, learn and improve their lives. It's a social issue, not a lack of personal integrity, or lack of trying issue.
cee.
In a message dated 3/12/2004 3:17:54 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
Your assertion is true only if the underlying assumption is that the poor
are inherently inferior and therefore incapable of study, hard work and
respect for learning.
Karen Allen
>From: "William Zardus" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Reply-To: "William Zardus" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: Re: [UC] Re: poor is a state of mind >Date: Fri, 12 Mar 2004 04:19:58 +0000 > >Being poor is much worse when you are being >told on every level that if you work hard that's >how you get ahead. > >Societies with caste systems work surprisingly well. > >We have an underclass of people being told they >can achieve all sorts of things when the opposite is true >and that's how you end up with a tremendous >percentage of minority men angry and in jail >and that percentage continues to grow even now. > >And all the TV shows that extol the great fortunes >and immense wealth of the select few able to >rise above their circumstances, tend to increase >the frustration. > >WRZ > >----Original Message Follows---- >From: L a s e r B e a m <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Reply-To: L a s e r B e a m <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: Re: [UC] Re: poor is a state of mind >Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2004 09:30:07 -0500 > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: >> >>[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: >>>My father tells a story about what it is to be poor. I won't go into a >>>long description of how he grew up, but I will say that he never had >>>shoes that fit, and he was happy to get a new pair of pants as his >>>(only) Christmas gift. ><snip> >
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