Even though Jesus famously said that a rich person has a hard time getting into heaven. some modern folk have this weird idea that rich people are the chosen people of God. This is especially true in America, where we have a lot of Christians who believe and loudly proclaim that God rewards us in this life if we are obedient to him. They say things like "God wants to prosper me if I obey him."
Conversely, they believe that anyone who is poor has not been "prospered" by the Lord because they have NOT obeyed him. This Biblical bastardization amounts to an excuse to despise poor people and blame them for their troubles. After all, if they weren't "bad," God would have prospered them, right?
Wrong.
"God did not create poverty. We created poverty
because we do not share with one another."
~ Saint Teresa of Calcutta ~
The Bible and our Christian tradition very clearly teach, over and over again, that the Lord gave us free will when he created us and it is human beings who cause each other grief - not the Lord. If we do not obey the Lord in this life, he will not accept us into heaven when we die. In the meantime, we exercise our free will. We can torment one another or love and help one another. It is all up to us.
If people are poor, it is because others are too selfish with the largesse of resources with which the human race has been gifted. Millions of people have nowhere to live because a few people think they deserve to have gold plated toilets.
Donald Trump's gold-plated sink on his airplane
(There is a toilet to match.)
Lately, I have watched good, sincere and motivated Christians, twisting themselves into knots, in order to put a good spin on some really awful life circumstances - trying to figure out what "God" is trying to teach them by the unrelenting stream of sorrows in which they nearly drown. Because of the bastardization of the Christian message, they are traumatized with self-loathing and blame themselves for their inability to pull themselves out of a crushing socio-economic corner. They do not realize they are trapped in a massive pyramid scheme, along with millions of other struggling people, who have been brainwashed by the incessant propaganda of the wealthy and those in collusion with them.
There is no dearth of resources on this wonderful planet of ours. There is more than enough for every human being to eat and live and thrive and have a little fun while we do it. The lie of scarcity, created by the rich as a tool to dislodge all the wealth and send it hurtling into their always-open maw, is a vulgar insult to the good God who made us all. It is NOT representative of the message of Jesus. In fact, it is the opposite.
"Sell your possessions and give to charity; make
yourselves purses which do not wear out, an
unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief
comes near, nor mother destroys."
~ Luke 12:33 ~
Entire books have been written about how the guys at the top of the pyramid create and cultivate the systems that serve to impoverish 99 percent of humans while 1% take their morning constitutional on a gold plated seat. That is not my specialty. I am a lone voice in the wilderness of the world, with no resources to speak of, either financially or physically, and few people will even read this blog, but advocating for the poor in this small way is all I can do on my short term on earth.
I never expected to be in this position. I am, myself, one of the millions of disabled, poor seniors in America. Ending up this way was a surprise. In addition to my "plan" to make money from my art ( admittedly, an iffy proposition), I was expecting to inherit at least enough to get me through my "golden years" without going hungry. My whole life, my father told me countless times, "when I die, kid, you're gonna be rich!" Somehow, after he got dementia and tried to start his car with a credit card, instead of his keys, I was written out of the will. You can draw your own conclusions about this fairly obvious set of circumstances.
"Open your mouth for the dumb, for the
rights of all the unfortunate. Open your mouth,
judge righteously, and defend the rights of
the afflicted and needy."
~ Proverbs 31:8 ~
It is because I have been the target of greedy, unprincipled people and then smashed into the corner at the bottom of the pyramid, that I am able to empathize with poor people, as a class, throughout the world. I have experienced, first hand, the greed of those more comfortable than me. I have been the subject of countless lies and misrepresentations, because thieves usually have to lie about the people that they crush under their feet in order to justify stealing from them.
Many thieves camouflage themselves as highly religious people. It is part of the long con.
"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth,
where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where
thieves break through and steal."
~ Matthew 6:19 ~
Donald Trump's gold toilet
Silver Rose
Dear Sister,
ReplyDeleteThe Holy Spirit moves me to read your words and know how true it is. Regarding inheritance greed: I too, was told each of us of(2) would receive half, because I lived in another state away from California I became the demonized child, when in fact my poor brother had a drug problem, yet I forgive everyone and I did receive 20% unlike your cruel situation. I say no matter what, each soul is sensitive to cruelty from family and society and a strong heart, valorous, not hardened but open to the Holy SPirit helps us to accept poverty. I was amazed at our food bank, I had not had to go for a few months, but when I returned what I had to do to get some pet food and food for my family from a Church!! all most all the volunteers want to preach and direct/correct you as if you are a child, like you I am educated and life circumstances got me there. I am blessed as a meek member of the 99% I am grateful for all I receive, especially your inspiring words, thank you Silver Rose, you make my simple life shine and like my confirmation name saint, St. Teresa Martin of the Roses you give me the courage to do my chores and my writing as an act of LOVE. GOD BLESS YOU
Dear Teresa -
DeleteI just LOVE the response that you have written here. Many people do not realize how easy it is to fall into poverty. They also do not understand how cruel friends and relatives can be when it happens.
I, too, have been humiliated by the number of people who think that, because I am poor there is something wrong with me or my life choices and that they need to correct me or direct me, when I actually need neither thing.
Jesus tells us to feed, clothe, house the poor and lend money to them when asked. He says that when someone does this, they are doing it to and for Him!
I am tremendously lucky to have a Catholic church community that helps me with many things. One woman has given me some beautiful furniture for my apartment. Another regularly supplies me with food and paper goods and all sorts of other things. Another supplies vitamins. Some of my Facebook friends have also helped me. I am blessed, because, even though I have been abused and abandoned by the small number of family I do have - my Catholic brothers and sisters and stepped into the breach and helped me.
May you also continue to be blessed in your life, with acceptance of our lot in life, and gratitude for our shared ability to write as an act of LOVE.
God bless you, my friend!
Silver Rose