Somehow we find ourselves in a society which thinks that the most important source of power – the control of money and land – is too difficult for most people to think about. Economics is a special field that you have to be an expert to understand.
Few connections are made between economic issues and matters of faith – except perhaps the obligation to give to charity or to butter the mouth of the downtrodden, the have-nots. Faith is regarded as personal and spiritual only, while economics belong to the realm of politics. So when remarks are made about poverty and wealth, people are chastised and fear to advance debate on those issues. Those who muster the strength, show wisdom and are fearless to inform the public on matters of national import need our praise and sympathy for so doing.
Growing numbers of people in underdeveloped countries don’t have the luxury of thinking that economic theories are boring or neutral. They are becoming experts at the sharp end, where economic policies of governments, World Bank, and IMF are having a daily and devastating impact on their lives. Families all over the world, who used to be able to manage their own lives and feed their children, are finding that now they can’t.
For them, those policies, which are supposed to lead their countries into economic health, translate into urgent questions. Can they afford medicine any more? Or schooling for their children? Does the market price for their crops make it worth the effort of harvesting them at all? Why are a few continuing to amass riches, while the majority is grinding becoming poorer? Why are the Kalinago people, who discovered this land Dominica, who were protected by its natural, physical environment, that they so cherished and survived on, fought the colonialists and shed their blood to ensure today its ‘Nature Isle’ status, are in this 21st. century so indigent (extremely poor)? About 50 percent of the Kalinago people, our first peoples are poor. Why are these things happening?
So economic policies are neither boring nor morally neutral. They have a human impact which is crying out to be addressed. . The bible has always known this. Its teaching about wealth and poverty is extensive – a great many parables, laws, prophetic sermons and dire warnings, both general and specific, are found to deal with economic matters.
Jesus is known to have made several uncomfortable remarks about wrongful acquisition of wealth. In the same vein, many early Christian writers agonized about whether or not the rich people in their communities, especially those who exploited and stole from the poor, could be saved at all. The tradition of moral neutrality towards the use of money is actually an odd modern phenomenon.
Morality applies to both institutions and individuals. Old Testament laws always apply to the moral sickness or health of a whole society and calls for a transformed community on earth. If we accept powerful financial systems to further impoverish small island states or those with political and/or economic ‘power’ to enrich themselves, through dubious actions, to rule as they wish, without questions, we are betraying our country.
The bible constantly offers visions, articulated by those who are poor or persecuted by present reality, about how things could be different. So while we are told to sacrifice, be patient, God will take care of our well-being, the meek shall inherit the earth, the few are exhibiting impatience and greed and doing anything and everything to become rich overnight, very often through controversial means. They can’t wait. They have long thrown the biblical saying, ‘By the sweat of thy brow, thou shall eat bread,’ out of the window. Meanwhile, the majority is getting poorer and poorer. Their standard of living is declining day in day out.
Lizavier4Jesus Why is it you can’t comment on something without espousing your religious beliefs. What ever religious beliefs you hold or what your religion teaches is not necessarily the truth.I have always told you that you’re entitled to believe what ever you want but what you perceive,your observations, feelings interpretations, are all true for you. Yet it is not the truth. You must also remember arrogance diminishes wisdom
You made mention to salvation, saying it is the exact truth. Do you know the meaning of the phase “exact truth”? What your religion teaches does not mean it is the truth and no where close to what is the truth. and no one is obligated to believe in such teachings, and it is very laughable making reference to Satan if someone does not believe in your religious beliefs, that is the kind of absurdities I’m talking about. Not believing in what you or your religion ascribes has nothing to do with disobeying God, what foolishness is this. You made reference about Adam and Eve being our first parents, and we were born in sin , is that really true. One of the things i question is, before they ate from the tree they were quite happy to be naked, afterwords they were ashamed Does this mean that with their newly acquired knowledge they suddenly knew naked equals evil? If naked equals evil why did God not create them with clothes, Was God being evil when he created them naked? Your interpretation about Adam and Eve is so laughable but again you ‘re entitled to believe what ever you want. It’s no wonder that truth is stranger than fiction. Fiction has to make sense..
I’m not there to have any confrontation with you, I’m not there to tell you what to believe ether. You must learn that the religious beliefs you have, the religion you follow, or the God you believe in is not the one you should want every one to follow or believe and if they don’t agree with you, what authority that gives you to past judgment. The belief that there is only one truth, and that oneself is in possession of it, is the root of all evil in the world. and finally when we blindly adopt a religion, a political system, a literary dogma, we become automatons. We cease to grow.
Religion may have had its fair share in many problems throughout history, but the problem is not scripture but man. Scripture is the best life book manual to solve our many problems presently. There may have been and are many false prophets and as it is written we see them by their fruits. God will deal with them as it is written “Vengeance is mine”. Oftentimes we plan, we have templates of what we want in life, we do not include God in our plans, when we get shattered we then blame God. We as individuals have to take responsible as everyone has to carry his/her cross. We ought to sit and examine ourselves, Many folks now have forgotten scripture and are living like there is no Judgment. We may steal from the poor but we can’t steal from God, he is looking. Many times when we get into positions of authority we take advantage, because our salaries are so small yet we want to drive SUV’s, have mansions. Time will tell because we cannot steal from God. We should humble ourselves, pray ask for the guidance in our lives and not only be Christians in church but Christians in our lives to make our country and society a better place
Karl Marx lamented that ‘religion is the opium of the masses’. In this regard it is important to look at the height of the religious pulpits in society as well. Under the disguise of religion, so called ministers of religion are bleeding the masses to the skin in return for salvation. This is the greatest moral malady in society today. I am always greatly disturbed when I see pastors sunning their buns in sunny Florida, living in mansions and driving the most expensive cars, their children attending private schools, their wives, decked in luxuriuos jewelry all having been paid for from the sweat and tears of their members in the church. You don’t have to pay someome for salvation. Jesus Christ died on the cross. Salvation has already been paid for with blood. Jesus Christ is not a capitalist.
“YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY SOMEONE FOR SALVATION. JESUS CHRIST DIED ON THE CROSS. SALVATION HAS ALREADY BEEN PAID FOR WITH BLOOD” That is the exact truth; except that the majortity of mankind do not understand this truth, as they continue to allow Satan to skilfully plague their minds with lies. He spoke one of those lies to Adam and Eve, our first parents, and they quickly believed him. But they suffered the consequences for disobeying God Almighty, their Creator.
Satan told Eve that she would not die, if she ate of the forbidden fruit, which God had commanded her not to eat. God said to Adam and Eve: “For on the day you eat of it you shall surely die”. Satan told Eve: “You will not die.” Genisis 2: 15 – 3: 4
Did Adam and Eve not die? Yes, they did! They died spiritually, meaning that they became separated from the presence of God Almighty and His Holiness; and they continued to exist with the many curses of God, instead of His Grace–the many blessing of His Love, which He had previously planned for them.
Through the Grace of God, Adam and Eve would have worked to extend the Garden of Eden, by the authority and power of His Love in them. Instead, Eve was sent out to bear children in pain and to desire her husband, who rule over her. Adam was sent out to toil the ground with sweat on his forehead, for his daily bread. Mankind is still suffering the consequences of this curse of God, because of the disobedience (sin) of Adam and Eve–our first parents–against Him.
Adam and Eve brought us, their offspring, into this world with the same condition of death, and the curse of survival, without awareness of God’s Love. The functions of our flesh, processed and produced through our human minds profits us nothing as we continue to exist in the bondage of sin–being fed on corruption, vile, discord, disdain; not knowing how to fight against the temptations of God’s enemy, who is Satan–the thief, the killer, and the destroyer of our existence.
One commentator of DNO named GARY, who seemed to be stalking all my comments, accused me of ignorance and absurdity, because I said that man is not a holy being, for he exists with a “sinful nature” which separates him from the Holiness of God Almighty. This person does not understand what I mean when I say that as human beings we have a “carnal mind”, which must become transformed or renewed, to function like the mind of Jesus Christ, by our faith in God’s Love and authority.
It is obvious, based on the situations of this world, that a vast number of mankind continue in this same state of foolish pride, haughtiness, and ignorance of Life, just as this man. They do not understand the depths of Jesus’ teachings which says: “The thief does not come, unless to steal, kill, and destroy. I have come that they might have Life and that might have it more abundantly.” John 10: 10 Those people are simply living in darkness and does not realize the possibility of the existence of Light–the Life that we receice by faith in the suffering, bleeding, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Pride has contaminated their minds as they continue to accept Satan’s lies.
Unless human beings realized that Life is the stature of Love, which can be acquired by faith in God, through His Person, Jesus Christ, it does not matter how fat the bankbook, how huge the lot or area of land and great the mansion, or how powerful the role in the office place, we are still poor! And we will continue to become poorer. For all of those things are passing away, but the one who lives his Life by faith in Jesus Christ lives forever. That is all that matters!
My needs are satisfied, as I have learned that I must call to Almighty God for the thing I hope for, through sincere prayer and by faith. I also know that God will not give me more than I need. But that is okay as well; He does not allow me to go without. And as for peace and joy of God’s Love, that is the energy that moves me.