Discussions
Does God Favor the Poor?
Posted by lotusb • 9/17/08 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: Belief, Bible, poor, religion, rich
I was on the 4 train home last night when a bearded man walked into our car and started raving loudly and passing out papers. He was obviously "jewish" although he had long since denied his faith. (I live in a neighborhood equally and densly populated with hasidic jews and carriabian-americans).
The man said that the rich are the reason for all the problems of the world. That their "sickness", their drive for power and money is ruining the world. That the poor are meek and in God's favor.
What do you think?
User Comments
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The problems of the world are not stemmed from people that have money or power. Sorry, that guy has it wrong. God doesn't "favor" anyone just because of their bank account.-
Ok. Do you think God is displeased with the hunger for power and money in the world?
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My personal beliefs are that God is "displeased" with any and all sin, the lust for power and money included.
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If i were a biblical Christian then I would observe that God has provided there is enough of everything to go around on this planet and it's up to us to distribute it appropriately, fairly and equitably. If I were a humanist or secular humanist I would make the same observation without attributing this abundance to a supernatural being.
We all know that if all worldly wealth were equitably distributed then no one would be hungry or lacking in medical treatment, shelter, etc. However, the competitive craving for more, more, more that drives people to profit at the expense of others, to accumulate wealth, and to refuse to share is problematic, for these behaviors are evidence of a lack of compassion and love.
Humanism is, in its simplest form, the belief that all humans are to be treated with a certain level of respect by their fellow human beings. Secular humanism says that this respect is deserved toward humans for rational reasons, while religious humanism says this respect is deserved because of the mandate of God ie. a supernatural deity.
The humanist seeks to make life better for all people. The secular humanist seeks to accomplish this through science and rational discussion, while the religious humanist seeks to accomplish this through their religion.
To feed and shelter the hungry and heal the sick - all we need is LOVE. -
Also FWIW scripture scripture does not say that God favors the poor here on earth. It reveals Jesus saying "the poor will always be with you" (John 12:1-12:11) and this is linked to Deuteronomy 15:4-11
See also:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.(Matthew 5:3)
Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God" (Luke 6:20). A few verses later is, "But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation" (v. 24).
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The words for "poor" used in the biblical texts did not possess the meaning of being poverty stricken ie. without money. The meaning they possessed in their original languages was "poor or weak or lacking in spirit". The words used for "meek" convey the meaning "humble" in their original languages.
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I'm using the crazy bearded guy's words. So beyond the specific words he choose, what is your opinion of the concept?
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I am not a Christian but I'm very well acquainted with scripture. The biblical concept is that God is to be the only one worshiped - no worship of idols, craven images or angels.
If you want me to point to biblical concepts then the text states that the love of money is sinful because elevating money and the acquisition of it is idolatry. The text further states in another location that one cannot worship both God and Mammon (money).
The New Testament stories and parables make it clear that to be a true follower of Jesus, one must give up the notion of accumulating wealth. What to do with the excess is also dealt with; it's charitable works. (God is love and true believers are the incarnation of God ie. LOVE. Feed the hungry; heal the sick. Love your neighbors as you love yourself, and pray for them as you pray for yourself).
My opinion is that there is no error of any kind found in the New Testament spiritual teachings attributed to Jesus. They are universal wisdom teachings that can likewise be found in other belief systems as well.
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God may love the poor, but he lavishes his gifts on the wealthy.
Dear God, Lavish me!-
Lol...
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This world is ruled by Satan and his ban of cronies.
Many Occultist sign pacts with these minor demons to supply them with the wealth of the earth,
so I would have to say that the wealth we see is being handed out my Mr. Diablo himself
and not directly from God.
Everything goes through Satan 1st in this world since he is presently ruling it.
When God is ready to take over and clean up this world, then all things will be supplied through God when he gets rid of the middleman (Satan) or so it's been prophesied.
My observation tells me that Poor people seem to be hid the hardest on this planet.
They always seems to be less fortunate when a natural disaster happens and they loose their homes and lives in major flooding and other catastrophies. We see it happening all the time in India
and other parts of the world, though we cannot say for certain that Mother nature is punishing
only the poor with financial disaster and loss of lives. Weather patterns are indiscriminate.
Also I find it quite ignorant that people continue to live in places where disaster has proven to hit several times in the past.
If you're in an area that's been know to overflood yearly, get the hell out and stop playing stupid.
Dont' build a house there, your property, safety and lives are in danger.-
To be fair, there are way too many places in this world that disaster can strike. I'm a San Francisco bay native, we have earth quakes every year (of course not all severe). My boyfried lives in Houston and had to evacuate last week. It's not practical to expect people to move just because the live near a disaster zone. With the eco system the way it is, the amount of disaster areas will be getting larger by the year.
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There are people today who own houses near the beach
but the high tides and errosion have destroyed the property value of that house mainly because they built the house too close to the tide and nobody will buy it since it's about to fall over the cliff and into the ocean. When you choose to live this way, you built your house on sand
and you were a big fool.
Then prepared for your natural disaster which will strike at any moment.
Many people do not and still depend on their Government for a hand out.
We saw what happened here in New Orleans. -
To be fair, and as somone with family in New Orleans, I have to disagree with you. That is an area that is highly populated with people of little or no means to up and leave their homes. I think in that case the government failed the people. With Houston there was more warning, preperation and help available. Those that stayed were asking for it.
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I'm not talking about that. I am simply saying
"prepared for your natural disaster which will strike at any moment".
Many people do not and still depend on their Government for a hand out.
We saw what happened here in New Orleans.
Those people and the Government were not prepared. -
I'm confused by your copy/paste. But ok.
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How did you know he was "obviously Jewish" was it the way he wore his yarmulke on a jaunty angle or was Jewish style penis hanging out the front of his trousers?-
Live in a "hasid" neighborhood like me and you can point them out very quickly. It's as obvious as me being a black woman.
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I don't understand how "sin" is calculated. No one is free from it. NO ONE. Are we all displeasing God? Shoudn't there be a "sin" chart so you know where you stand...?
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I'm not gonna get anything like that started. I will start like i did up there. My personal beliefs are that we all sin and are sinners according to what I personally believe to be God and His Word, the Bible. That being said, I'll go no further because everyone knows what Christians believe to be the remedy. I'm just commenting on my personal beliefs. (can I say that enough)
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A sin is simply this...
Ignorance of truth, or going against that which you believe to be true.
The solution...
Change what you believe. lol
And no...
I am not the Anti-Christ.
That would be Anok.
PS Sins are not calculated and no one goes to Hell. We're already there.
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Well, the bible does say the meek shall inherit the Earth...and it is generally taught that greed and worship of worldly things are sinful - or stepping away from God.
So, without getting into the God loves me more than you debacle - I would say that it is fair to say - the man on the train has a point.
Excessive greed is not Godly - and, for those of us not of the Judeo-Christian faith - excessive greed is still harmful to humans and society.
Does anyone here believe the Christian God would care for those who choose to harm his creations, or those who follow his teachings?-
Also excessive greed contributes to CONSUMING.
This insatiable hunger is never satisfied and that is why it's referred to as a beast.
America is the biggest consumer on the planet, which means that our natural resources
are depleting, we are stipping this planet bare. Too many people and not enough resources. -
Bingo!
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God is impartial.
Each serves an end.
If the human consciousness needs more suffering, more suffering will come.
But suffering is not necessary.
It is when we make the conscious shift and choose love over hate, light over dark, service over selfishness.
It is all a process.
Why shun the process?
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Of course not!
Only joking people. -
The rich struggle...
The poor struggle more...
Neither are in god's favor.-
ernestlobo...Thank you.
I just posted this on my latest discussion but heck I'll post it here too.
This is what Barbara and the Government thinks about you all.
"Why should we hear about body bags and death, it's not relevant,
so why should I waste my beautiful mind on something like that"?
Barbara Bush's own words in response to Hurricane Katrina.
Watch the Video and you'll see.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VayERCm6RU
Hell all I'm saying is prepare. Don't wait for these idiots in Government.
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doesn't the bible say, hmmm lemme think....
Matthew 6.6
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
whatever happened to good Christians following that? -
God doesn't favorthe poor or the rich, but been good person and do the pray on it's times as God told us is what will considered!!
sickness cleans your paper!
for those people who seeks truth, maybe you will find some interesting information on the link below. You can also post a question and get the answer into your email!
www.readingislam.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-AAbout_...-
Salvation does not come from being good. Humans can never attain salvation by merely doing "good works". There is my answer, I don't need to click your link.
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I have already found what is the truth to me, and it isn't here
*leaves thread* -
You can be rich and your personality can be meek.. In this respect, no God does not favor the poor over the rich.
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The poor choose to be poor.
In this context, God favors those who choose to be poor. If you choose to live not "of" the world and to not acquire material things, it is typically because you choose to be a spiritual being living higher laws. Then...it's obvious that you would have God's favor.
But being poor does not equal spiritual supremacy. There a many spiritually "wealthy" people who also have material wealth & who choose not to be poor, but that does not mean they are any less in God's eyes.
We are all equal, as we are all at a different spiritual maturity level. We have the potential to live a "higher" way of life. God knows this and does not discriminate.
In his case, he may be in the right proclaiming his truth, but you can't berate strangers and be seen as sane.-
@Duke "the poor choose to be poor."
Only someone who has never been poor could possibly say or believe that. Come spend a week with me in South Africa, the most affluent nation on this continent, with cities as sophisticated and worldly as any in Europe.
I will take you to Dunoon, Khayalitsha, Gugulethu, and Langa where you will see people living in drafty, tipsy shacks, carrying water from communal taps back to their hovels, and using chemical or pit toilets...and THESE are the ones who have come to the city to find work and consider themselves better off than the families they left behind in the Transkei.
How do the starving people in Ethiopia choose to be poor? Because they don't pack up and illegally cross borders into more fertile territory where there is enough rainfall to make their crops grow? How does the AIDS orphan begging on a street corner for enough money to eat one meal a day choose his poverty?
Tell me, those who have "chosen" to be poor...what affluent alternative did they turn down and what kind of reasoning would have led them to do so? -
Again - This goes in to my belief system.
If you could only accept that we do not have a single life here on Earth and that we in fact have many, many lives in which we choose the circumstances by which we live by.
How can there be wealth without poverty? How can there be poverty without wealth? In this Earthly 3rd dimensional life of duality, there is no escaping this condition. Light/Dark Good/Bad Right/Wrong Hot/Cold Rich/Poor etc
I am sure that even in these countries, there are those who are wealthy. Maybe not with material wealth, but wealthy in ways that people in New York or Los Angeles could not imagine.
Poverty is allowed to thrive because of our belief in it and/or our ignorance of the "real" underlying problems in our society. We could all choose, right this minute to end poverty. Eventually (and this is my hope), that humanity will address this "problem" and raise the standard of living around the world.
From what I understand of that region, poverty thrives because these people are subject to mercenaries and war lords. Yes - A tough life I'm sure. It is still my belief that they chose the circumstances of their life (in this century) in order to obtain a new view point in which to view the world, the universe, and the human condition.
Curse me all you want, but it will not change the obvious situation.
Until we all look at this "problem" with the intent to make it better, nothing will change. More children will be born in to that society and chain will continue.
Unjust? I'm sure.
The question is, where does it stop? -
You are aware that South Africa is a country and Africa is the continent it is on, right?
Whatever gave you the idea that South Africans have any dealings with mercenaries and warlords?
And your notion that people choose to be poor is a slap in the face of those who live below the bread line and struggle every day to have enough to eat and a warm, dry place to sleep. I personally know more than a dozen of these people and I can personally witness that not one of them...or their friends and family...choose poverty over material comfort.
Saying that this goes to your belief systems tells me that you would rather believe that which is untrue, if it serves you, than an objective truth. Do not condescend to me about "more than one life," either. My husband and his family are Hindu and, despite my own personal lack of belief, I am knowledgable about his belief system and respect it. I therefore know a considerable amount about karma, dharma, reincarnation and rebirth.
Come to Cape Town...let me take you to my maid's house in Dunoon, where she has no running water and no drainage and raises four children in a tipsy shack with holes in the walls. In a major, modern metropolitan city where the rich and royal of Europe come for their winter holidays, a city full of five star restaurants and hotels, a city of more than 4 million inhabitants, modern freeways, a thriving downtown full of skyscrapers, and more BMWs and Mercedes Benzes than you can shake a stick at. To say people choose to be poor displays a shameful ignorance of what real poverty is and how desperate people are to escape it, even taking into consideration multiple lifetimes. -
So shoot me and get it over with.
Curse me all you want, but you're not addressing the problem.
We (the human race) could change this condition if we really wanted.
There doesn’t have to be poverty in the world.
It doesn't have to be this way.
They are victims, right? They have no control? They have to suffer, they have to be poor, they have to starve, they have to live in cardboard boxes, there is no hope for them, they are screwed, they will starve, they will work, and then...they will die and that's the end - Forever and always Ahmen!?!
Ok!
That's how you choose to look at this?
That we are all subject to the conditions of our circumstances?
Dang! I'm sorry.
“The circumstances that a person is in does not determine who they are, it's what they make of it.”
Christina Pagliarulo
“Either you are creating your life or the circumstances are.”
Thomas Leonard
“We cannot choose our external circumstances, but we can always choose how we respond to them.”
Epictetus
I choose to think the opposite. That everyone has a choice and that they can rise above their circumstances. The only power that others have over us is the power that we give them.
Call me ignorant - Ok. But I'm hopeful, where as, it seems like you've given up all hope and that this is the reality that you concede to.
Good luck with that.
PS If the Americans had concede to the British, there would of never been an America. If the world had conceded to Hitler, then our world would be in even worse shape than it is now. It seems to me like you’re giving power to that which is poverty and that you would spit in the face of anyone who chose to rise above it, to anyone who said, “I refuse to live this reality“, “I want to make a change in the world“. Seems counter productive to me.
If you are a victim, you have no control, but if you choose to be a conscious creator, then you have options. -
"We who lived in concentration camps can remember those who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a person but the last of the human freedoms - to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances - to choose one's own way."
Viktor Frankl (1905 - 1997)
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God favours whatever we believe and create
Rub the lamp... your wish is my command-
Agreed
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No God doesnt favor anybody ... Atheists like acousticguitarist probably only believe in Money and Sex... maybe drugs too lol -
There are no gods, but if there were, it would stand to reason that those who are the most affluent are the most blessed.
We do not pray for poverty, we pray for wealth, therefore those who have the wealth have had their prayers answered. For those who believe in the magic of a god's favour, then they have been given the luck, the breaks, the strength, the fortitude, the opportunities to acquire the affluence that is at the heart of prayers of deliverance. Don't we, after, view gods as favour-dispensing, wish-fulfilling machines? If we give them the right coin (sacrifices, promises, adoration), they will bless us by granting our wishes for enough money to get out of the spot we are in, the love of a good partner, a child (or a miscarriage), our enemies destroyed, our loved ones delivered.
You don't get what you want/need if the god(s) are unhappy with you so it stands to reason that the poor are not the favoured. What father, after all, allows his favourite child to starve while showering the least favoured with largesse?-
Religion cannot be explained using layman's understanding of the world.. if you were to do that.. then we are all like pandas
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@SweetViolet
Going back to your question about the poverty in Africa...
"We do not pray for poverty, we pray for wealth, therefore those who have the wealth have had their prayers answered. For those who believe in the magic of a god's favour, then they have been given the luck, the breaks, the strength, the fortitude, the opportunities to acquire the affluence that is at the heart of prayers of deliverance."
Are you saying Africa is a Godless country?
And that by simply believing in God, we are wealthy?
There are billions of God fearing people around the world who are less than wealthy.
Is your wealth directly proportionate to your spirituality, religious activities and your sins?
Some of the poorest people I know are devoutly religious and spiritual.
"...they will bless us by granting our wishes for enough money to get out of the spot we are in, the love of a good partner, a child (or a miscarriage), our enemies destroyed, our loved ones delivered."
Do "enemies" not have loved ones?
What gives you the right to kill anyone? - - -Even your enemies?
What motivates these "enemies" to come against you?
Who leads these hordes of "enemies"?
You are missing an obvious link here...
Who has the control?
Who pulls the strings?
Who holds the power?
What makes it worth something for people to do "wrong"?
I would guess that wealth and security are strong motivators.
If wealth is used to fund “evil” causes, does that mean that wealth is bad?
Wealth is also used in the name of “good” causes.
Wealth - Money…is neutral.
It is given a purpose by the ones that control it.
But it is the ones with the greatest wealth that cause the greatest destructions in the world.
It is because of this imbalance of wealth world-wide that poverty is allowed to thrive.
It is not because we pray to God that we become wealthy.
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I suppose so. That's why there are so many of them. -
From a Christians perspective, I believe Jesus is most with the poor for they need him most. The implications of this are that the well-off and the well-guided do not have Jesus beside them the same way the poor do, perhaps sad to some, but intriguing nonetheless. To be like Christ, to be free from the influence of wealth, we cannot simply learn to hate money for in doing so we are simply defined negatively by it. We must become so free that money is simply no longer a concern except when it specifically stands in the way of a person's pursuit of discipleship. we cannot allow ourselves to show partiality to the poor anymore than we may be excused for favoring the rich. For, "Rich and poor have this in common: The LORD is the Maker of them all." (Proverbs 22:2) -
Those who are in suffrage and pray to the Lord for help and he listens too are in his favor.
It has nothing to do with being rich or poor but it does seem like suffrage, becoming humbled
by your own meek existence will bring you closer under God's wing.
Those who pray from the green heart chakra, a place where you are listened to and have direct communication with God.
However it does seem like the love for earthly things keeps us chained to this plane, so giving up earthly wants and holding on only to earthly needs (these things you need to survive) is a good start
on the right path to God.
Being able to give up wealth or anything that hold one bound to life is priceless
and your only chance of escape from this miserable planet. -
We are taught that God loves every one of his children with equal measure, or indeed further, as if each one were the only child. (Something which would be impossible for a human to do). This seems to suggest that God does not favour one over another, or by extension, one group (such as the poor) over another (such as the rich).
However many commentators have argued that the distractions of wealth tend to turn the rich away from a total surrender to God, and therefore away from a full acceptance of a life of faith. The rich tend to feel more self-reliant, less dependent on God. This may be why Jesus said that it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
If true, (and assuming of course there is a God at all), it would logically follow that, rather than God actively favouring the poor over the rich, it would be the poor who open their hearts to RECEIVE the favour of God more than the rich do. Thus the poor would get more favour.
Therefore God would favour the poor more than the rich.-
I agree with you. However, I believe it should be mentioned in the New Testament the word for "poor" is not in every case a reference to those living in poverty. In some case, it refers to the "poor in spirit".
www.semanticbible.com/hyperconc/P/Poor.html
Matt.5.3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matt.11.5the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.
Matt.19.21 Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
Matt.26.9 For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.”
Matt.26.11 For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.
Matthew 6:19-24 is the setting for these lessons: "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. The lamp of the body is the eye; if, therefore, thine eye be healthy, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If, therefore, the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and money."
Matthew 6:19-34 "You must also have the right view of wealth and luxury (19-24), then you must have the right view of necessities" (25-34). Next he deals with the wealth that we have, and then with our necessity to eat, sleep, have a place to stay, and have some clothing to wear.
In both cases the Pharisees had the wrong perspective. So, in every element of his message, he sets himself and his Word in contrast to the Pharisees,in essence teaching: "Your view of wealth and luxury must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees if you want to be a part of My kingdom. They have the wrong perspective. They are laying up for themselves treasures on earth -- consumed with greed and covetousness. That is not the standard."
Therefore those who are currently preaching and teaching the so-called "gospel of prosperity" are false prophets. That the prosperity gospel has a hold on a segment of American culture is not disputable. Time quotes its own poll numbers:
17 percent of Christians surveyed said they considered themselves part of such a movement, while a full 61 percent believed that God wants people to be prosperous. And 31 percent—a far higher percentage than there are Pentecostals in America—agreed that if you give your money to God, God will bless you with more money.
Of the four biggest megachurches in America, three—Joel Osteen's Lakewood in Houston; T.D. Jakes' Potter's House in south Dallas; and Creflo Dollar's World Changers near Atlanta—are Prosperity or Prosperity Lite pulpits.
For Joel Osteen, Prosperity Gospel isn't a pejorative term:
"Does God want us to be rich?" he asks. "When I hear that word rich, I think people say, 'Well, he's preaching that everybody's going to be a millionaire.' I don't think that's it." Rather, he explains, "I preach that anybody can improve their lives. I think God wants us to be prosperous. I think he wants us to be happy. To me, you need to have money to pay your bills. I think God wants us to send our kids to college. I think he wants us to be a blessing to other people. But I don't think I'd say God wants us to be rich. It's all relative, isn't it?"
Now, however, white, middle-class evangelical churches are starting to talk about personal finances and social inequality. So the question becomes whether Prosperity Gospel is as ascendant as Time suggests, or whether it's just an aberrant theology that's about to have an unprosperous future.
www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2006/septemberweb-only/137-41.0.html#prosperit...
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wrong spot
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I guess that guy got a mental disorderness.. -
I am Oz the Great and the powerfull...
We are the weak and the meak...
Just remember to follow the yellow brick road and you'll get there -
lol
Love it! -
@AlexGreat...Oh My Gawd...follow the yellow brick road.
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There is a dividing factor though.
Yes GOD (assuming there is a God) loves all his children equally
but this is deceptive as there are also children that are NOT of GOD.
I want to make clear that there are children of God and those who are NOT of GOD.
Those who are Not of God are selfish individuals who do only for themselves and care nothing
about mankind or the suffering of mankind and this planet and they fall outside of the house of GOD.
They do not DWELL in the House of the Lord, they ran far and hid themselves in the darkness.
These are the "ME" people who only think about ME an nothing else.
This "I" or "Me" is a great enemy, it is for the evil wicked, neither will they ever come to the full understanding of what God is.-
I would disagree on the point that those "Not of God" are simply, those who are out of purpose/desire with God, as I believe, we are all of God however dark or ill-natured.
The dark ones are simply Godlings on their journey back to source (God). They are simply embers who's fire has gone out. They will not forever be dark. Their intentions will improve and become more beneficial, as they journey closer to God and become lighter beings once again. -
I disagree because they will be destroyed. They destroy themselves, not the Lord.
Moving away from the source is a deadly move and in Revelations it says
"Outside are the dogs, those doing unclean things, will have no part in the kingdom of God".
SO NO they are NOT OF GOD neither will they come to the understanding of God. -
Energy - Souls...can not be destroyed.
After all, that's what everything is any ways - Energy.
Life - The universe and everything is simply an experiential experiment of consciousness.
Nothing more - Nothing less -
Again I think you are missing the point but that's ok
It's obvious Jesus can't save everybody, only those who believe in him are uplifted
And the black brothers believe in nothing.
Energy has it's own appointed time as even the SUN can burn out after time, many universes are being created and destroyed. -
LOL!!!
OUCH!
I'm hurt Jeunelle.
*Cries in the corner
I don't want to be in Heaven any ways.
I'd rather have a party in Hell. lol
- Doesn't matter either way, as I do not believe Heaven and Hell are real physical places.
They are only states of mind/consciousness. -
@Dukepro25...Doesn't matter either way, as I do not believe Heaven and Hell
are real physical places.
They are only states of mind/consciousness.
So what are you crying about...cry baby...lmao -
lol
Your lack of love and compassion for a lost soul. -
"Energy has it's own appointed time as even the SUN can burn out after time, many universes are being created and destroyed."
There is no such thing as creating and destroying energy.
Think of it more as, transforming and/or reorganizing of matter and/or energy in to another form. -
I can't feel compassion for something that has no life.
I do think of it that way but the energy is either there or it's not.
And even in the transformation some things are lost and dead.
You're not telling me anything I haven't already read. -
Oh good!
Then we're on the same page then. lol -
You insist on being married to me.
We sound like a married couple lmao -
I will not be satisfied until you say "I do!". lol
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Oh Lord we would have to discuss that in my other discussion.
The Marriage topic requires a separate discussion. -
lol
Just say "I do!" and we're golden. -
Not so fast...I'm smarter than you look...hahahahhaha
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LOL!!!
Ok...ok...
Sleep on it and get back to me in the morning.
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"God helps those who help themselves"-- Benjamin Franklin. It is not a matter of rich or poor. It is a matter of what you sow. The parable of the sower talks about how god rewards those who make the effort to improve their lot in the world even though people may start out with the same resources. Sowing is not hoarding, it is taking your resources and using them to create more resources for other people as well as yourself.-
Awesome!
Love the quote.
Very good. -
God helps those who help themselves
Where does this idea come from? It doesn’t come from the Bible; it comes from Benjamin Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Almanac. And Franklin and his contemporaries adapted it from one of Aesop’s fables—Hercules and the Waggoner (6th century BC).
In the story, a waggoner’s heavy load becomes bogged down in mud. In despair, the waggoner cries out to Hercules for help. Hercules replies, "Get up and put your shoulder to the wheel. The gods help them that help themselves." It’s rather ironic that a polytheistic tale appealing to Greek mythology has now made its way into what believers think is in the pages of Scripture.
There are, of course, those off beat Christians who insist that this thinking means that down and out people like drug addicts with no prospects should somehow all go out and find jobs. They use Ben Franklin's quote as an excuse to escape the responsibility they have to provide for those who cannot provide for themselves. And when doing so they expose themselves as not being the compassionate and loving believers that Jesus commanded them to be.
The correct response to these people is also found in the New Testament teachings.
On the last day, Jesus will say to those on His right hand, "Come, enter the Kingdom. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was sick and you visited me." Then Jesus will turn to those on His left hand and say, "Depart from me because I was hungry and you did not feed me, I was thirsty and you did not give me to drink, I was sick and you did not visit me." These will ask Him, "When did we see You hungry, or thirsty or sick and did not come to Your help?" And Jesus will answer them, "Whatever you neglected to do unto one of these least of these, you neglected to do unto Me!" Matthew 25:40
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Personally, I think if your god exists, I doubt he gives a crap about any one.
If he does exist he's laughing his ass of at the total screw up he made of the world-
@blackjava
Actually I don't believe in the Judeo/Christian construct of God. However, as a I have been educated in Christianity I have merely provided some reference material.
Due to the way I was raised I began with blind faith but when I learned to meditate years ago, and I experienced an entirely different construct for god I tossed all religious dogma and doctrine into the trashcan. I have no argument whatsoever with the teachings attributed to Jesus.
dana = authentic generosity (charitable giving of the self and sharing of possessions, donation)
metta = selfless love and good will toward all beings (loving kindness)
karuna = compassion (respect, acceptance, forgiveness)
mudita = altruistic joy filled with peace and contentment (appreciative joy at the success and good fortune of others)
sila = self discipline -abstaining from physical and vocal actions that cause harm to oneself and others
uppekka = equanimity (an inclusive state of open mind free of attachment, aversion, bigotry, craving, ignorance and intolerance)
These universals are the essence of teachings of both Buddha and of Jesus. They are also found in other traditions as well. I think they do constitute common ground for all people who are aware of their spiritual nature. And, it’s my experience that many religious people are not aware of their spiritual nature.
When I meditate and all the things associated with my "self" like greed, anger, hate, etc. dissolve is that there really is no self; there is no distinct being that is separate from the universal stream of pure consciousness -- quiet joy, peace, love ie. god.
Neither male nor female, neither good nor bad, neither light nor darkness but containing all there is and situate everywhere: the universal stream of consciousness flowing through all is god. Hence, god is found in everyone and in everything; god (the universal stream of pure consciousness) just keeps on is-ing.
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Yes, poverty is a good thing to make people believe in God. Or get angry with God.-
An astute observation. :-)
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Poverty has it's place.
It's not necessary, but it serves a purpose.
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if god favored the poor, they wouldn't be poor,=)-
Another astute observation but apparently it is written that God's favor for the poor is not manifest while they are living. ;-)
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So it is written, so it must be.
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Benjamin Franklin was a deist so he might not exactly read the bible the way everyone else does. I made a mistake in listing my opionion. It was The Parable of The Talents. It is rather cruel in a way, the man who does not invest in his talent is thrown out into the night. Talent can mean more than money in this sense.
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Greed is one of the seven deadly sins. I choose to make a career change to psychology because it is a calling from God. The devil has been known to fund even leaders of evil. We could make a case that the more money you have the more opportunity to you have to control other people. Can we say that Bill Gates, Donald Trump, Dick Chaney, and George W. Bush are all servants of the devil. Quite possibly. Greed is one of the seven deadly sins.-
BULL!!!
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@galtmilemedia
The devil has been known to fund even leaders of evil.
The devil made them do it! And you are a psychologist! How about the four mega church leaders in the USA. Could it be possible that the devil is funding them? Or, is it just the brainwashed members of their congregations that provide the funds for them to live the high life?
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GT wrote, "God doesn't "favor" anyone just because of their bank account." He doesn't favor anyone because he doesn't exist.-
correct -
Agreed
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god helps those who tries to help themselves. and it is valid for poor and rich both. and ur doings, ifone doesn't try to do anything then his work will not end by itself.
only doing is the answerfor everything.then doings can be wrong and right, and when we perform anyone of these then we get the fruit of it.
as seed of chilly will not give mangoes similarly works gives fruits. -
Bill Gates is a bad example he is giving most of his money away to help people. So is Warren Buffet for that matter. It is what you do with the money that counts.
Many people are angry with Warren Buffet because he chose to give most of his fortune away. It sets an example to counter the purity of greed.
Society needs leveling mechanisms to encourage people to give back. It should reward those who make it to the top and are willing to give back. I am not so sure about Donald Trump, or Dick Cheney. They don't seem to be giving much back except for self-aggrandizement.-
On the subject of giving money away, see my blog post "Should Rich People Give Away Money, and How Much?" on the blog Filosofia.
I don't drop links any more, by the way, I always think it looks desperate when people do that. Read it if you want to...
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Ya Sure God is always with the Poor to help Him
www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/bingo-bonus-deposit-1 -
define rich and poor? One person have so much wealth but doesnt have friends and family. Does that mean he is rich? to me he is just poor guy.
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Exactly my point.
We can be wealthy in more ways than one. -
I agree too.
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God favors no person. He wants us to be concerned about those who are poor, the down trodden, the addicted, the rejected, the widow, the orphan, the imprisoned and even the rich. He, Himself, does not favor one group over another and He directs us not to favor one group over another. -
Hmmm. I am not sure. The bible does mention that the meek will inherit the earth, and that whatever you do for the underdog you do in God's name, and when that one woman only had like a penny to donate to and everyone scoffed, Jesus pointed out that she actually gave more than anyone else as she gave everything she owned. -
If God favors the poor I don't want to have anything to do with that God.
Fortunately life shows otherwise. If you believe in God then you must believe God gave this life to you as a precious present and if you respect God you should treat God's present with care making sure you enhance and multiply it. Saying it simple making your own life as good as possible. That will help others too. If you hate yourself you might as well spend all your money on drug and alcohol and wait for salvation in some imaginary other world. I don't think that was what Jesus meant. Be proud, be rich, be happy in this world that's the best and only way to honor God and the gift of life. Blessed are the meek means that if you feel down you shouldn't despair. As for the question of money: money are the best human invetion ever. Thanks to money we are civilized people shopping at supermarket instead of splitting eacho others' heads with stone axes which is the alternative means of distribution (known as communism in modern times). And yes greed is stupid. If you can share by any means do it: it will make you feel good. But if you have just one shirt keep it to yourself. -
I don't think that God favors the poor over the rich, however the pride of most rich people makes them feel like they don't need anyone including God. There is a great sense of pride and power in being wealthy, and that is what I think is being referred to. -
i think God favors the good in us
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There is no god. Get over it!
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I love how no one on this thread that believes in God can actually form a coherent statement about what God actually does because none of them know him/her/it/them.
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It's called faith and belief.
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Well I don't like to brag, but I am one of his Chosen People.
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I know some poor people, and I'm pretty sure god doesn't like them. Otherwise he'd give 'em some money, or stop sending Tsunamis and earthquakes and wars their way. -
I dont usually talk religion but if he did favor "only" the poor than the bible contradicts itself because Abraham, David, and Solomon were all wealthy at one point
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Which god? -
The reason why we all the sickness, and the problems in this world is because of satan. he has come to steal, kill, and destroy. -
Yep, you got that right . Good old satan. I love that guy
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