Being Poor is NOT a virtue!

There is ample documentation of the life of Jesus, as He was the subject of the writings of many historical figures outside of any religious movement.

 

I don't think the gospel, when applied to rich verses poor, is implying poor are virtuous anyway. I think it was an early form of pointing out the fact that poor people tend to be a product of their environment, where the rich tend to be the one's who take control of their own destiny. So it was more of a warning to those who are born with more, not in the inheritance factor, but of human worth, to do good with their strength, as the temptation to do wrong is easily obtained. Being better than the rest, more talented than the rest, smarter than the rest, can make one feel as if they have the right to do whatever they want. They were simply hoping fear of eternal (*)(*)(*)(*)ation might curb the inherent corruption of absolute power over others.

 

That's about right. Most people are exactly where they want to be, economically speaking.

Having many talents and strengths can pave the way for pride unless that one has used his assiduous nature to set about deep introspect to strengthen moral character. A strong man can be good, a defender of the weak, and humble and less endowed people can be arrogant pricks. Life has lessons to teach us all, whether we're rich or poor, about how we treat our fellow man.

 

Good old Dives right on the ball, then, and Lazarus a hopeless mug? What translation have you been reading?

 

Try not to post when drinking. A good rule of thumb for all of us.

 

"The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they are ignorant, but that they know so much that isn't so."

Subdermal, this is a great line. Is it yours?

 

I used this source to show that the author is not biased in favor of Christianity. And the writer concludes Jesus probably existed. There are many non-Christians who believe in the existence of a man called Jesus sometime in the past. The question is more about whether he was divine or not and how reliable all the details of his life are in the Gospels (which usually tend to be not very so)

http://www.secularnewsdaily.com/2010/11/04/did-jesus-exist/

 

Sorry, but you are 100% wrong. You're assigning an anti-belief status to me as you cannot see all the possibilities. But try Occam's Razor. I just do not care if there was or was not a Jesus. Or if he did or did not do notable things. My point is that I will not allow an unprovable religious belief to hold sway in a discussion. Just as I don't allow quotes from the RNC or DNC to be factual statements of the other sides position. Your info is biased and I do not accept it because it is biased. Not because I'm anti-Christian. You made your choice, ALLOW me to make my choice. And all these FAVORABLE biblical quotes. Why don't I see any quotes from the very ruthless and bloody Old Testament? Is it just that the New Testament fits your agenda? And the Old Testament reflects reality?

 

Jst depends on what type of lifestyle you are cmfortable living. I know many people who are happy living a meager existance. They prefer it. You can literally live on a few $ a day without ever having to work. Would not be the a life of luxury by any means, but it could be done.

 

This from "Til the Last Drop"?

 

What gets lost is that recent studies show that very few rich people are born into wealth, and those who come into wealth (let's say joining the 1%) don't all stay there. In spite of the claim that we have no social mobility, we have more of it than ever before, where riches follow hard work, ambition, and the willingness to take a risk. More than ever, people are in charge of their own destiny and the caste system is a myth.

 

Definitions morph. With the wealth gap, staggering wages and economy, the middle class are now millionaires. I don't know anyone making 60-100k a year who'd fancy themselves rich, yet they are probably worth a few mil when all is combined. Must also take into consideration the fact we have 300 million people. 99% of the top 1% are a joke to the .01%, and so on. The wealth gap is a direct result of fiat currency. Not so much a gap in skill sets. Not so much a gap in drive and ingenuity. With sound money you simply don't have trust funds in the billions while a huge chunk work full time for 15k. I'm not saying there aren't people at the bottom who love back stroking in puddles of mud, for surely there are. But to suggest getting rich is some easy thing to do that 300 million simply aren't choosing is laughable at best. The system is broke. National capitalism the answer, but being globalists rule the planet, people have no clue there is such an option. We have either "let the elite play the globe while American workers get (*)(*)(*)(*)ed", or socialism. It is no wonder so many have given up if born with the brain power to see the big picture. Not just as to economic growth on a personal level, but politically as well.

 

Being Poor is NOT a virtue!

Except for Christians, so it won't come up much in the US.

 

Stop vilifying the unfortunate. You sound like a big bully, lacking reasonable compassion.

 

Just a few observations:

1. The touted "wealth gap" is always going to be skewed by the fact that we have uncontrolled illegal immigrants, an incessant influx of people willing to work for tacos.

2. The global market has not proven itself to be a hinderence to individual entreprenuer opportunities. There's plenty of chance for success for those who haven't surrendered to the notion that the whole game is rigged.

3. I agree with what I think you're saying, that it's unprofitable to hold large reserves of money uninvested. Expansion equals jobs and opportunities up and down the income scale. Right now we're having a problem with money being held in stasis, although recent reports say that is changing. The Obamacare decision may provide some temporary relief. Regardless of which way it went, it provides some sort of certainty as to what to expect down the road. If businesses can somewhat quantify how much they're (*)(*)(*)(*)ed, they can adapt and change their business model to suit, passing all the costs on to us here on the bottom. Thanks Obama.

 

If the mandate goes through, the government will have to build 1000 more prisons. No exaggeration. I can't afford to have any more taken out of my check, and I can't afford 1200 at the end of the year. 10s of millions are in the same boat. Those who get 4 grand back will just see it drop, but those who don't are up (*)(*)(*)(*) creek. Those of us at the bottom choose to die rather than pay gouged prices. Government forcing people to pay the gouged prices is just evil on top of evil the likes I have never heard of in respects to national policy. More evil than capitalism and communism combined. Oh wait, that's what it is. Thanks globalists.

 

No. None of this is accurate.

 

And what's not accurate? Sorry, but I''l take my prediction over what the outcome those who screw us time and time again say is going to happen.

 

I agree with that. But if everyone learned how to live without welfare, the next thing you know we'd be living without liberals in political office.

 

Your cynicism is fully justified. I hope you can also see we got some good people in government trying to make a difference and turn back the tide of statism and globalism.

 

That's about right. Lacking empathy and an ability for complex thinking seems to be lost on these people. I don't understand how Christians are okay with displaying themselves here as the selfish, uncharitable people they show themselves to be. Perhaps they only became Christians in a bid to attempt to compensate / HIDE their mean-spiritedness. Maybe they think they'll pull the wool over God's eyes... but God will see through them... right through to their hearts... and these selfish, thoughtless people will find themselves on the WRONG WRONG side of God.

 

According to Jesus being poor is a virtue.

 

most were either born rich or born poor, for both it would be a struggle to become the other, but most can survive with a modest living if they are physically and mentally able

Mexico has the richest Man on the planet and some of the poorest, was that by choice, I hardly think so

.

 

Oh, goody! I hope this isn't some black and white reduction...

If you cannot afford fresh or whole foods for any children you have then you shouldn't have vices, true. But a) not all poor people have children, and b) not all poor people smoke or drink.

Also, rich people also drink, smoke, and do drugs. How is this the purveyance of the poor?

Some poor, true. Not all. Rich people also live off of credit (Lindsay Lohan, Donald Trump), but we seem to forgive them when they do it. Walt Disney declared bankruptcy before starting over and becoming the man of epic fame.

(*)(*)(*)(*) straight, skippy. I'm with you on that one, but this isn't just a "poor" thing, either. That's a "Western" disease.

I don't see poor people blaming the rich and I lived among the very poor. I see people on forums complaining about the rich. Most poor people are out there having a lot more fun than you think and (*)(*)(*)(*)(*)ing less than you think. They're hanging, chillin', carrying on, etc.

What person with a $25k a year job qualifies for a mortgage?

Good for you.

Smart poor people stop being poor at a certain point. Above average people will always be above average. The thing is...what about the people with below average IQs, below average talents, below average skills? You put those people in a poor family and they will stay poor. Put them in a rich family and they're starting their own line of shoes or getting the Republican nomination. You put an above average person in a poor family and they will get out somehow.

It's not all about will or character. I know a lot of rich people who would throw their mothers in front of a bus if it would positively affect the bottom line, but somehow we reward their vices as virtues.

I don't believe in long-term welfare, but I also don't believe in demonizing the poor. I'll love them because that's what I'm supposed to do. It takes no character to love the lovable, a lot of character to love people that (*)(*)(*)(*) you off.

Alas, the poor are with me always.

 

That's not what he was implying. Poor people more often than not are just doing what they have to, where as rich have a lot more options. All are humans. He was speaking from the perspective of God, as in a man who commits crimes to put food on the table won't reap half the wrath of a man who commits crimes from a mansion. Simply put, the better off one is, the more scrutiny from above he will receive. That's where the eye of the needle stuff comes from. IMO