Good post, Prax. I read an article some years ago on the homeless. They studied the various facilities and found out that many of the homeless don't want to be dependent on the shelter. They want to be on the streets.
I am all for helping, but I am not for enabling.
It makes people selfish and greedy.
I think that’s half the story. Studies I’ve read have shown that psychosis and depression, deep emotional problems due physical abuse, and drug/alcohol addiction plague the homeless community. From personal experience, I also wouldn’t rule out demon possession. The vast majority of the homeless aren’t just “lazy bums”; they’re bound captives.
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"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11 (English Standard Version)
All this "Jesus Asking" business is just plain tiresome.
Fact is, as Christians (not Americans) we are required to help those in need.
Secondly when we as Chirstians support policy that forces the poor into a kind of servitude to the state, we rebel against the Word of God!
help for the poor ought to be in the form of helping them get jobs so they can take care of themselves. And in the cases where they refuese to help themselves, help should be in the form of tuff love that forces them to take care of themsleves.
We will will always have the poor with us. (I have been poor myself on more than one occasion). We should treat them fairly and with respect. we should not build cheep houseing and give them handouts that force them into terrible situations and steal their one personal drive!
What we have done to the poor in America is make them dependant and rob them of their own free will and drive to succeed!
If there is anything that deserves the ire of God, it is this.
I can respect that Ferd. My mother and I were evicted from our apartment when I was 12 years old and we spent a short time homeless and then landed in emergency housing and then the projects.
I think that in our society today much more is needed for struggling families than charity. I can see the church helping a family with groceries, clothes, etc. in the short term in the event of a job loss or house fire. But most churches can barely pay their light bill and most Christian families are living paycheck to paycheck just paying their bills.
In the OT the third year’s tithe went to stock the storehouse for the poor and needy. From there food and goods were distributed to the poor, needy, fatherless, widows, and strangers of the land. In addition to this the Law of God allowed these individuals to glean from the fields of landowners. This wasn’t just private, voluntary, periodic charity…Israel was a theocracy and this was their social system of entitlements. Many Zionist rabbis have pointed to this to theologically support social services and the current universal health care system in modern Israel. This is also why so many Jews disproportionately identify with liberal Democrats over conservative Republicans in America.
I do agree that America’s system hasn’t delivered. I think that social services should have common sense requirements. Those receiving assistance should be required to work at least part time in community service and attend classes and/or job training to build job skills and experience. I don’t believe one should be allowed to receive benefits without working unless they have children who are not yet old enough to go to school. I also believe in a cap on benefits…none of this having more and more kids to get more and more money.
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"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11 (English Standard Version)
Further, I really find this line about fox news to be a bit ignorant. It was ABC that ran the story and brought it to prominence. NOT Fox news.
Sean Hanity was the first to talk about it, but that isnt "FoxNews" that is one of its talking heads.
Further, having viewed the piece offered in this thread, and agreeing with you that it provides context, I saw noting from FoxNew (or ABC for that matter) that is diametrically opposed to what I saw in the opening post of this thread.
there is no lie. there is no misdirection. there is only the words of one man, in context that show him to be a proponent of Liberation Theology and a bigot to boot. (and B. Hussain Obama sat under this guy and learned the lessons for 22 years)
Ferd, I agree, that Jeremiah Wright is a proponent of Liberation Theology…but I don’t think he’s a bigot. His theological position calls him to address racial social issues, not outright hatred. Their church has an associate minister who is a white woman dude. I may not agree with everything he says…but he’s a preacher and preaching what he believes.
Could you imagine if an Apostolic ran for President? I can see all the crazy news stores mischaracterizing what we believe, classifying our dress code as oppressive to women, equating interpretation of tongues as psychosis, and our position on alternative lifestyles as bigoted.
In my opinion there are just some things that shouldn’t be an issue in a political campaign. How far should we scrutinize a person’s religion in public discourse?
I still want to know how the sermon ended. How did the sermon end Ferd?
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"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11 (English Standard Version)
I still want to know how the sermon ended. How did the sermon end Ferd?
Chris, the sermon, or at least the part I saw on here ended with JW recounting his need to introspectivly review his own personal relationship with God.
however the little diddy in the middle happened in what the right reverend called a "faith momenet" or some such. it had a beginning and and end and it was in context.
dude pretty much blamed white america for everything from apples rotting to lions eating zebras.
bigot. biggotry. biggotted comments.
PS there is no differnce between biggorty and liberation theology.
__________________ If I do something stupid blame the Lortab!
Well, if Obama is "conceding" he is either acknowleding that the comments were inappropriate, or lying. If he's acknowledging the comments were inappropriate just for the sake of political expediency (and not b/c he truly believes they were inappropriate), that's called "lying" too.
If the context of the comments justifies what Wright said, then Obama should explain the context of the quotes, and why he feels they were justifiably "right" enough for Obama to continue membership in the church. If he just says the comments were "wrong" and moves on, he either believes them to be wrong, or he just wants this issue to go away so he's willing to say something he doesn't really believe.
Preachers who use their pulpit to "radically confront political issues" are abusing the power of the pulpit, whether it's Democrat or Republican.
Did preachers ever confront kings and political systems in the Bible? Should preachers not preach on issues relating to homosexuality and abortion from the pulpit? Any preacher worth his salt will address something he sees as an injustice, rather they be liberal or conservative.
Bro...Obama just wanted to accept that the comments were over the top and move on. But I don't see any reason to crucify him over this. It was a sermon...a sermon I didn't hear in it's entirety.
Did you?
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"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11 (English Standard Version)
I do agree that America’s system hasn’t delivered. I think that social services should have common sense requirements. Those receiving assistance should be required to work at least part time in community service and attend classes and/or job training to build job skills and experience. I don’t believe one should be allowed to receive benefits without working unless they have children who are not yet old enough to go to school. I also believe in a cap on benefits…none of this having more and more kids to get more and more money.
Liberals call anything that approaches common sense as racsims by conservitives.
liberals have blocked any and all forms of real reform. yet folk still want to vote for liberals. dont make no sense to me.
__________________ If I do something stupid blame the Lortab!
There's more on the Democratic position out there. I suggest researching Democrats actually believe about welfare...not what Republicans say they believe. Much has changed from the failed welfare policies of the 70's.
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"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11 (English Standard Version)
Those Black men are in prison for a reason. They are committing crimes. If Black civil rights leaders spent half as much time teaching the Black community to develop a value system that embraced education, a work ethic, ambition, goals, etc as they do perpetuating the victim mentality perhaps there would not be so many young black men in prison.
Black on black crime is endemic not to mention black on white crime that you don't hear reported as such much of the time because of "sensitivties". This is a horrible problem for the black community but it is not the white man's fault. At some point they have to take personal responsibility. I applaud Bill Cosby for finally addressing these issues, because as you point out it has to come from within. People like me are just some honkey they don't listen to.
The reason that there are more blacks in prison than whites is because they get longer sentences for the same crimes. They are subjected to the racist mindset that refuses to see them as equals. It is easy to sail through life never questioning the real reasons behind many social/political issues instead of stepping out of our comfort zone and evaluating a different POV.
American society devalues Black life, and every Black child knows it. Criminals operate within the parameters of the society in which they live, just like everybody else. They weigh their chances as they roll the dice. Every African American citizen in the nation understands that the dice are loaded mightily against them if they are convicted of a crime against a white person. It is only logical that the criminal-minded would choose Black targets of opportunity. After all, that's what white criminals did during Jim Crow. They were confident of impunity, when committing outrages against Black men and women. Why should Black criminals act any differently?
Black-on-Black crime is a product of white racism, which sees African Americans as less than full human beings. The Black criminal takes advantage of that fact.
from The Black Commentator.
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Isaiah 53:5: "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."(KJV)
"God sends no one away empty except those who are full of themselves." Dwight L. Moody
Liberals call anything that approaches common sense as racsims by conservitives.
liberals have blocked any and all forms of real reform. yet folk still want to vote for liberals. dont make no sense to me.
Ferd, after looking into it...you're approaching Democrats as a stereotype. Democrats, especially the DLC have applauded many of the welfare reforms performed in recent years...in addition...they wish to make them better.
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"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11 (English Standard Version)
err.... uhm.... once again, it get part way thru a very looong thread and my ADHD kicks in....
I got this far, and had to stop. and pontificate.
first of all it is a terrible reality that so many young African Americans are locked up in prisons. It is a terrible blight on our country.
I would suggest to you that first, the vast vast vast majority are guilty of the crimes they were convicted of.
second, I would suggest to you that modernday liberalism is the catalyst for this sad reality.
You should have kept reading a little further down. Here, I copied it here for you to read, friend.
-Longer prison sentences for the same crimes for black men and a disproportionate willingness of our government to kill these men when they are on trial for murder.
I have to log off for awhile, but I'll be back later this evening. God bless all my neo-conservative, conservative, independent and liberal friends!
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Isaiah 53:5: "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."(KJV)
"God sends no one away empty except those who are full of themselves." Dwight L. Moody
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