Why We Can’t End Poverty

Thank you for your post. It is plain that Jesus told us we always have the poor with us. I am saddened to see untruths being championed. I also see God being blamed for poverty. When God created the world, He declared it very good. THAT is God’s work… now the destruction and havoc and suffering we see is the result of rebellion and refusing to follow the Father’s loving commands.

Amanda’s post about being sure the Holy Spirit is directing our actions is important to keep in mind. We need to stay close to Him to avoid getting “in the way”. We should remember too that God is bigger than we are and he can and does intercede to accomplish His purposes. We are not in a position to judge God or question His goodness and love. He has plainly told us that He loves us and Jesus went to the cross to prove it.

I share your concern about ideas like “ending poverty” leading Christians away from our true calling… to walk with Jesus immersing ourselves in the good works He prepared beforehand for us to do by the power the Holy Spirit.

For my part I pray I will continue to care and give as He wants me too. Most important to me is God’s love for me and the salvation He has brought me. I am interested in others receiving all I have received… firstly peace and companionship with God and all the blessings that come with that including my physical needs which He amply and generously has provided all these 52 years of my life. I owe Him everything. God is good… we are not.

I realize I’m coming to this post a bit late, but many of the opinions here really struck a chord with me.

I’m also coming from a different angle with regards to faith at the moment. My faith is pretty shaky at the moment though it’s better than it was even 6 months to a year ago. I was raised in a very judgmental, controlling, rule-based church. I was also severely abused by someone from that church (NOT my parents, thank the Lord) within the church building.

I only bring that part up because a year ago, the words that “God allows it” would’ve totally enraged me. I still have a hard time with that piece of it. That he “allowed” it to happen within what’s supposed to be “His” house.

I often think about Job and wonder how he did what he did and survived what he survived without turning away from God. I certainly don’t have that kind of faith.

I know that God provides because I’ve seen it in my own life in that my father was often out of work when I was a child and many times the only reason my parents were able to keep our house is because someone in the church provided
a check for the payment. So I’ve seen that, which I guess is part of where my own desire to give come from. I want to “pay it forward” so to speak and help others.

Also, the church my parents attend now is much much more compassion-oriented than the church I grew up in and that’s made an impression on me as well. Most of their ministries involve the poor among us, single Moms, the homeless, etc. The other thing that has made an impression on me there is that they do allow those who don’t attend services regularly to help out with ministries. That would’ve never happened in the church I grew up in.

I think we need more people like that in this day and age. People who are willing to LOVE people and bring them to Jesus that way and not judge people which only fosters hatred and animosity towards each other.

I look at organizations like American Family Association and others whose “Calls to Action” incite so much animosity and hatred and I can’t help but wonder if there’s a better way. I’m not saying we need to condone the sins of others, just that it seems to me that Jesus would want us to find ways of lovingly reaching out to these people instead of just attacking at every turn.

The same can be said with regard to poverty. So many people tend to blame governments or the people themselves for their poverty and yet, Compassion and others have shown that by showing LOVE and acceptance to these people, you CAN change lives.

LOVE is the key. Sometimes I think we lose sight of that. I know I do.

I know I’ve rambled a lot but hopefully it makes sense to someone and perhaps even provokes some more healthy discussion.

@Valerie – Thanks for a great post! I couldn’t agree more.

What happened to you, Valerie, breaks my heart to hear about it. And my heart has been broken up a lot lately by similar things that have happened to people I know. I have been wrestling a lot with the questions of why some are allowed to happen. I will share some thoughts here but I feel that I can barely say what I want to say, or all that I want to say. Some of the stuff that I’ve been reading lately has really been transforming my view of God’s heart, and I’m starting to experience what I’ve been reading about and it’s been hitting me that much deeper…but it’s too much to express or to talk about in just a few words.

My first instinct is to share with you something I also tried to share with a friend of mine recently, a girl who is going through a lot right now. (It was something that had helped my heart, which I was hoping would comfort her too.) I told my friend that God is grieving with her right now…but she found this really hard to accept, since God can do anything and He is “allowing” this to happen, He knew it was going to happen and He hasn’t stopped it. And while God hasn’t stepped in yet to alleviate this particular suffering (it is a terrible physical affliction), yet I know that His heart towards her is such that He does not desire her pain. “For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men,” Lamentations 3:33. God would never wish a bad thing to happen to her. God loves us intensely to an unimaginable degree, and everything that hurts us hurts Him because it hurts us.

So why does God still “allow” terrible things to happen, even to us who look to Him for shelter? Can we really trust a God who doesn’t always (seemingly) step in to save us? What is He doing when He doesn’t appear to be actively defending us? Is He still defending us? Is this really God’s Will that we suffer so much? The following thoughts may be just the beginning of an answer, but they have helped me to gain some perspective.

John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy…but I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” What God wants and what the Devil wants are complete opposites. Satan wounds, God heals. Satan takes captive, God sets free. And although God does not step in every time to prevent every instance of harm that the enemy causes, His activity against the Devil’s works does not cease and God’s hatred of what Satan is doing is never less. Abuse of His loved ones is never “okay” with God. The source of this grief is not God. If God “causes” us any pain, He is only setting the broken bone, or cleansing the wound. It may hurt, but it is the best and only way to heal the fracture or the cut. (And He’s sorry that it hurts. But He won’t let it go unhealed and let it hurt you even worse.) Satan is the abusing one…God is the healer, the kind and compassionate and repectful lover of our souls.

It is true that God can “technically” do anything. But that does not mean everything that happens is His desire or what He wants. We know that God’s Perfect Will is not done on earth right now…His desire is not done by fallen angels or evil men, quite the opposite. And it angers God, and it grieves Him greatly. We know God’s ultimate goal will come to pass, and that He is bringing it to pass even now despite everything that the enemy is doing. But God does not bring a good thing into being by questionable means, using shady methods. He has a blameless heart. Satan attacks…but God arms us to fight. Satan steals…but God restores, and meanwhile He calls to us through our losses, pleading with us to know His heart (that He doesn’t want to lose us…and we don’t want to lose Him).

The simple reason we have pain is because God is allowing all of us the freedom to choose…angels and human beings…and we can choose to love or to hate, we can take sides with good or evil. And with that freedom comes a world in which evil is often chosen and all are made vulnerable to a great extent of pain. But God is suffering too. He suffers more than any of us because of all the evil that is happening. He alone knows the full extent of it, He sees it, and feels it all. It is painful, this evil that God can’t stop without sacrificing his greater cause. But freedom MUST be for a good cause, for the best cause…it must be worth it, for us and for God (because it is God’s nature to be totally loving) or He would never have allowed it to be. It must be worth it, despite everything, for us to be able to live free, for people to be able to choose freely to love or to reject God (and all that is good which comes from Him).

So I ask, God, how do you cope with this? So many that choose to reject, choose to hate? All of this loss? All the evil that you see? Your precious ones spitting in your face, despising you…working to hurt, to wound, and attacking those that you love? Ignoring one another, harming one another, robbing one another, killing one another? Your treasured ones not caring about all the wonderful things you do and desire to do for them? You’ve only ever wanted to bless them, to love them beyond their wildest dreams…Lord, is it really worth the grief? Is it worth it to love, if there are so many who turn away?

Is there a joy that pain cannot touch, a joy no loss can truly dampen? Is there an end worth so much struggle? Is there a joy and a delight that is worth all this to bring it into being…worth the cost, worth the fight? Is the reward of loving truly bigger than all of this suffering…so much so, that as the scriptures say, we will later forget these things as light and momentary troubles?

And I know what the answer is, but it can be hard to see when the pain is fresh. But it is worth it. God is worth it. He will show you it is worth it. God’s love is worth it, having Him is worth it…and all that we gain in Him and in letting Him love us, and teach us to love, is worth it. And all that He’s bringing to us later on will make all the worst that Satan can throw at us now seem small in comparison. The Devil wants us to doubt God’s love so much…but it’s real. God works unceasingly for our good and we are never abandoned, never without His caring. He will make up for the wrongs done to us, make up for the love lost, He will more than make up for our losses and all the griefs we’ve endured. In the end it will be worth it. It is worth it right now…right now what we can have on earth is worth the battle to have it. God’s love is poured out…He is coming to save…and He does not leave us comfortless. His love is always reaching out to us, touching us in all kinds of ways. We need our eyes opened so that we can see. There is peace and joy to be had, here and now. There is hope. There are better things coming, better than we can imagine, and everything we truly desire. Satan tries so hard to turn us away from the love of God, but our God will not let us go. If we will let Him show us and realize that He is everything we desire…then He shall have His desire for us and we shall have all that we desire in Him. God is determined that as many as are willing shall live gloriously with Him, enjoying His love and favor, flourishing, together, blessed forever. It begins to come to us now, and one day we shall have it in full.

As I finish writing this I realize…outside my window the sun is rising. How fitting with how I feel as I think about what is coming, what is already on its way. And end to the night of trouble. The day is coming.

@Sarah K –

Sarah, thank you for your kind words. It’s like part of me knows that it’s because of man’s free will and God didn’t really want it to happen. I think the hardest part for me to accept has been the fact that it happened AT church. I honestly don’t think my faith crisis would’ve been as bad as it’s been had it not been AT church.

But as I said in another post in a different discussion, the 7 months I’ve been a sponsor and been reading this blog and other stories on Compassion’s website, they’ve done more to help me restore my faith than the mountain of people I know have been praying for me over the last 10 years.

I have a LONG ways to go yet, but I can tell things are different. As I said above, a year ago I would’ve been completely enraged if someone had said “God allowed it”. I don’t feel that anger so strongly now. So it’s a start.

I’m currently reading the book “Too Small To Ignore” by Wess Stafford and it has made me think about the same things I was talking about in my other post. What happened to the love and compassion we had for each other as a community?

Why do we as humans think that by forcing our agenda on others, we’re going to change them? When has that EVER worked? Do suicide bombings really work to change people’s minds about religion? Not usually. Does bombing an abortion clinic or shooting a doctor change anyone’s mind on abortion? Not usually. In fact, a lot of times, it just helps solidify people’s arguments who were against you in the first place.

But as Compassion and their ministries and others like them have shown that through LOVE, anything can be accomplished. Actions really do speak louder than words and it’s only through showing people Christ’s love that anything really changes.

And I know I lose sight of that just as much as anyone else which is why it’s so great to have posts like this one to remind us.

Meanwhile,

we enjoy the benefits of imperialism and the poverty, whether we want to ‘accept’ this truth or not. We, the People, are responsible, its not like we live under a despotism, absolutist monarchy where we have no say so over foreign policy,

we Do, and the truth is, we, our former generations, have been more than happy, in moral superiority, to support politicians and capitalists, who prop up despots, who prop up and maintain through military and police terror, to keep the infrastructures, through petro dollars and free trade, that Cause poverty.

We should be Appalled, there Was a time, in the west, where Christians, were socialists, where Christians, fought the class structure of both slavery and imperialism,

today, its ho hum, lets just give a little, and feel ‘good’ about our offerings.

As one, who has been poor,pregnant, alone and homeless in THIS country, as well forced to prostitute, I relate, to the poor, and, I seriously, can’t see, how we can just sit and think, that putting a Band-aid on the problem,

when 80% of our goods ARE BLOOD GOODS, and think, we are ‘spiritually rich’?

hardly, we are spiritually wretched and poor in this nation.

There ARE, many, who yes, give and give of themselves, sadly however, there are far more, who live in utopia suburban bubbles, all wrapped up in the gospel of marriage, family and prosperity and of course, those moral fascist police who would install a theocracy here that would be just as ‘moral’ as Hitlers, lets not forget, he didn’t smoke, drink, or sin either, but he killed six million plus some…

so, we feel good, because God is merciful because we have philanthropy,

but dare we, Ever think, of changing anything…to rid the world of poverty, and What? Put those ‘savages’ equal with us! Oh my, couldn’t do that could we,

the typical poison of the Christian and Western Imperialist influence. And we wonder, why they hate us,

well, gee, duh…

no, we Can’t rid the world of poverty or injustice, but, we need to do more than just offer a band aid,

Jesus didn’t say, just give a little, no, He said,

Give All you have, to the poor, many times. I am guilty just as much as anyone else, and I’m low income and in debt up to my ass [student loans],

but, I do know this, there is NO EXCUSE, for us, in any way, even accepting, poverty,

even if we can’t rid the world of it, we should be doing all in our efforts, to try. Especially, with the wealth, the stinking wealth and the IDOLATRY we have in this country,

and that, includes the IDOLATRY in the church. We ask, why does God allow,

no, ask instead, WHY DO WE ALLOW?

We in this nation, fought so long to keep free trade, we opened the doors to China, never mind, that we also, sold more taser guns, that are used to torture our brothers and sisters, than any nation in the world,

and we, live off the fruits of that profit.

That is just but one example, we live off of the fruits of child slavery, of trafficking of women, including sexual,

we have one of the poorest nations in our own Hemisphere, Haiti,

it is inexcusable.

No, I do not agree, that we don’t have a responsibility, to end poverty,

whether we can or not, is not the point…Jesus, died on the Cross, doesn’t mean everyone is saved or receives,

but, He still died for us, for the world,

same with us, doesn’t matter, if we can end poverty or not, what Does matter, is that we lay down our lives.

We can’t even, take care of the poor homeless women with children in THIS country, but oh we are so good and noble in demanding no abortion and no birth control and controlling sexuality,

but I’ve yet, to see a band of Christian men in this nation, march for Child Support.

NO, America, our day is coming…if you don’t think so,

pick up the Bible, and read Amos,

because, That is us.

And to the world, so sorry, we don’t, do more….that we don’t, and haven’t, been willing to die, to end, the corruption, the imperialism, but instead, we played ‘church’, while we feasted on the food and clothes and wealth

that cost millions, with their blood.

God forgive us….

JaneDoe
Leftist Christian–even Marxist, and will Never, stop fighting, to end capitalism and injustice and poverty, even if,

it is human nature.

@Tim Glenn – @jane – Jane,

You made a lot of points that were right on! I think a lot of your reasons and truths you mentioned is why the bible tells us to in Galations 6:9-10 to never give up in doing good.

Galations 6:9-10 “And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.

So then, as occasion and opportunity open up to us, let us do good [[i]morally] to all people [not only [j]being useful or profitable to them, but also doing what is for their spiritual good and advantage]. Be mindful to be a blessing, especially to those of the household of faith [those who belong to God's family with you, the believers].”

Tim what do you think about this thought…Jesus died for all, so all you sincerely believe have an eternal inheritance. So many “poor” have more wealth than all the “wealthy” in this world combined. I agree with your statement “we can’t end poverty” b/c it is like saying “we can’t end lying”

But what do you think about this Tim…”I can end poverty” What I mean by that is I can save this star fish and that star fish and that star fish over there. I am trying to make the anology that I do not have the omnipresent capacity to end our worldly definition of poverty for all the people living it but, just like Galations 6:9-10 says I can do good as much as I can!

Tim I like this analogy or these analogies rather.

Police officers will never be able to stop speeders, one b/c I like to drive fast and am amazing at spotting speeding traps and slowing down in time for them, but speeding is not bad but speeding is often the result of anger, being drunk, or just plane unsafe driving. So by having the law of a speed limit we can try to make the roads safer.

In terms of poverty or not having enough to eat or not even having basic medical needs that would save millions of lives. We cannot ever achieve it b/c just like speeding there will always be people who speed like me. I don’t think living in poverty is the problem I think the problem is the people that have enough like me are not giving enough and willing to help enough to end it. Now that I am starting to think, I believe we can and maybe actually end poverty as I am understanding it as a standard of living. B/c when we are talking about poverty from a defn as not having clean water and living on a certain amount of income I believe one day we can move above the bar that the world has set as living in poverty. Just like Compassion reached its one millionth child I think poverty can be eradicated b/c once everyone is above our set standard/bar of poverty then we have ended it. But Compassion isn’t in the work of ending poverty from what I understand, Compassion is in the business of creating Spiritual Trillionares or more correctly Infinitillionares. So I believe we can and will end poverty but that is irrelevant b/c I do not think that is Compassion’s goal. Compassion’s goal is to release children from poverty in Jesus’ name. If we released all CHILDREN from poverty in Jesus’ name that would not end poverty it might, but I believe many adults would still be living in poverty. Also if poverty was ended we could not release them from poverty in Jesus’ name, just like if we ended speeding we would need not police officers to ticket speeders like me. I think we can still end our definition of poverty as an income amount but still have poor as the bible talks about.

So Tim when you say “We can’t end poverty.” I would have to know what you mean? If you mean everyone is above a certain income amount so they can buy this and that I think we could reach that. But I am thankful Jesus made an internal investment in all of us so I don’t have to!!!!!!! And I look forward to sharing with you some pictures from the Philippines when I return June 18.

@Tim Glenn –
James 4:17 “So any person who knows what is right to do but does not do it, to him it is sin.”

“While crime is a sin…poverty is not.”

Tim wouldn’t poverty be sinful b/c we are choosing to let things be wrong??? We are not acting like the Good Samaritan but like the other guys who passed by. For example we have the resources to end poverty but because we choose not to use them to help those who need them we are being sinful. If the man on the road represents poverty and the people who pass by are we who are not ending poverty like we could and should then that would be the sinful part…not doing what we know is right and Godly: helping those who need help. Releasing the captives and binding up the broken-hearted. Great post! I think it is a question we can get the best answer in heaven when we ask God…if we remember!

So, this post is almost a year old now! Some big things have changed in my mind very recently, so I thought I’d chime in again.

80 comments, and very little on the question that I think should arise in one’s mind immediately on reading the phrase “Why We Can’t End Poverty”, which is: “What is poverty?”

Also, very little on politics. There’s a LOT of stuff about politics in the Hebrew scriptures. Anyone ever read 1 Samuel 8, very carefully?

Shockingly, not a whole lot of discussion here about the connection between poverty and slavery. I think the whole bible is about God progressively eradicating slavery from humanity, and teaching people about freedom.

Who is poor? The one who owns very little. Who is a slave? The one who owns nothing at all, not even himself. But even if someone “legally” owns you (like the U.S. government “legally” owns about 25% of my personal economic output), ownership is in the mind.

Romans 13 tells us that God instituted “authorities”, who were put there *in order to restrain evil*. He did not put “authorities” there in order to fill up every individual’s field of vision, so that nothing can be done without their say-so. The time has passed when the only way that order can be kept, is through a taxing state.

Re-read “render unto Caesar”, and tell me if you really believe that Jesus’ cryptic response represents an endorsement of governments.

Anyway, government is the very LAST place we should be looking, for an “end” to “poverty”.

@Joel Laramee –

Hi, Joel,

A couple of points that I wanted to throw out.

1. I agree with you wholeheartedly that the Bible has a lot to say about many topics, including politics, economics, sociology, psychology and even topics like Physics. (stating that the earth is a sphere, before it was known in Isa. 40:22).

I have a little bit of a difficulty with your statement that “the whole bible is about God progressively eradicating slavery from humanity, and teaching people about freedom”. That’s not the main message of the Bible. I will admit that it talks about that, but it certainly isn’t the main message. The Bible is instruction how people can live a life glorifying God. As a matter of fact, there is quite a bit of instruction, how people can live a life glorifying God in the midst of slavery. Also, that instruction is both to the slave owner and the slave. The instruction isn’t to set the slave free. That’s more of a modern westernized message. (BTW, I’m not saying that I’m for slavery)

Yes, Romans 13 states clearly that the purpose of government is the bearing of the sword. You might also want to read the books of Leviticus through Deuteronomy. Although these laws are given to Israel, it is the only example of a National law that God gave to a country and what types of laws, He instituted. It is very interesting to look through which realms that the government gets involved in here and where not and what are the consequences for not following these laws, etc…

Again, I’m not stating the church should live under Old Testament law, because the church is not a nation like Israel was. I would not suggest the church to start carrying out capital punishment for instance, like Israel was instructed to do. I know this is whole other can of worms I’m opening here.

Kees

Uh oh! I’m sorry I brought up politics and “what the whole bible is about”! NOT!

Seriously- thanks for your comments Kees. But this post is about “why we can’t end poverty”, so maybe another place (“Your blog or mine?” ) would be appropriate to discuss what God has said and is still saying, about the ruling of men over other men…

I think politics DOES play a role in poverty – such as in aid that’s meant for the people never GETTING to the people. But, I think that it extends beyond that.

I live in Michigan and I know that I’m VERY blessed to live in the USA. I’m blessed that I have a roof over my head and food to eat and access to education. But I think that some of it is the “out of sight, out of mind” concept. Many who live in the USA, including myself sometimes, get insulated away from the rest of the world. We get so wrapped up in our own issues, which may or may not be important in the grand scheme, that we forget just how blessed we are.

I’m learning more and more as I grow older. When I was young, we were incredibly poor, by American standards. My dad had his own business but lost it during the early 80′s recession and since he was the owner, he didn’t qualify for unemployment benefits. While my parents tried to shield me from the realities of our life, I was smart enough to make connections such as “If we don’t have money for this $1 book I want, how can we have money for food/clothes/etc.” My parents told us that people in our church gave us money and we (my brother and I) know that the first Christmas after my Dad lost his business, we wouldn’t have HAD Christmas if not for family and friends.

But even amidst all that, looking back now, we were still better off than so many people in this world. My parents, through the support of family, friends and our church were able to hold onto our house so I never even knew just how close we came to losing it until about the last 5 years. So I never had to deal with sleeping in the shacks that the children Compassion works with have to sleep in. There was always food to eat – though sometimes it wasn’t much, it was more than what many Compassion children live on each day.

All this to say that even with my upbringing, sometimes I know I lose sight of just how blessed we are in this country. And I think that DOES play a part in poverty throughout the world. If it’s not in your face day after day, it’s easy to get ensconced in our comfortable lives and just think that everyone has the same life we do.

Part of what I love about this blog is that with it, the poverty and neglect in the world ARE in your face and my face everyday and it helps remind me of just how blessed I am and renews my commitment to do all I can for my sponsored kids.

So I think the “out of sight, out of mind” definitely plays a big role in it too.

“The poor you will always have with you…” –Mark 14:7 (NIV)

I believe we can end poverty b/c it is defined by a certain standard of living, however with poverty eradicated there will still be poor people just not under the poverty line. I think ending poverty would be like trying to end AIDS even if it was done there are tons of diseases I have never heard of that people are working tirelessly to end. I am not suggesting that it is not worthwhile or hopeless but somewhat insourmountable when looked at as a whole. But just like taking one child and releasing them from poverty makes a world of difference to that one person and that one family and that one community and that one country and inevitably that one world so does helping one person with AIDS or any other disease. So by ending poverty for 1 person we have ended poverty for the world. I will never get tired of hearing the starfish story b/c it is so profound especially when you are the starfish or have been the starfish in a certain situation!!!!!!! I believe when one sponsor helps end poverty for one child that poverty has been eradicated/ended b/c to that one person poverty no longer exists to them. So a world of poverty has been eradicated from them. It exists for others but not them. I don’t think the issue is poverty. The Bible says life is a mist and our inheritance for eternity is in heaven. So do I want a trillion dollars right now for maybe 77 years of my short life on earth or 1 penny doubled everyday for eternity in heaven? It is easy for me to say this b/c I have way more than I need!!!!!!!

I like how Compassion defined poverty with the wheel with the spokes or characteristics. I sometimes think of them as ingredients in an applepie, if one of them is missing, the whole pie tastes bad. One of the main ingredients, probably in the above simile the “apples” is the spiritual aspect of a person. If that is missing, they are very poor, regardless of how much money they have. If you have Christ in your life, you’re very rich, regardless of how little money you have.

So, in that sense, we won’t ever end poverty. There is so much poverty even here in the Western countries. And if you really look at it, the very financially successful people and rich people are many times even the poorest of the poor, because they don’t realize how needy they are. (I’m generalizing very much here. I don’t believe that every financial rich person is lost)

Kees

A thought to consider in the debate of poverty is my summation that Jesus was declaring that we will have the poor with us always is because in order to be poor one must doubt.

If I as a Christian doubt what God says He will do for me, am I to expect anything from Him in return? The word says no. So will I be poor? Yes.

Some register “being poor” as being humble, humility though can show it’s head the best in the head and heart of the rich man then in the head and heart of a poor man or woman; wouldn’t you agree?

Something to think about.

I very much agree. Won’t be throwing any stones.

We can only reduce poverty. The rich and the poor HAVE to exist–just like night and day. They should exist to complement each other, and thus, create balance in the society.

Look at the church in Acts, where nobody goes without need. Then tell me we aren’t supposed to do something about poverty. If every Christian took care of the poor, poverty wouldn’t exist. Enough said. So yes, maybe we aren’t called to end poverty, but the end result of taking care of the poor and fighting injustice is a world without poverty.

I read your words and i think that the quotes you highlighted are open to interpretation. I think the word poor can be many things. Poor can be seen as someone who isnt religious or spiritual. But when it comes to poverty that issue can be solved. The quote i think doesnt relate to the physical environment and the people who inhabit it. Since these words come from a religious take on the subject it would be fair to take it in the religious sense. But in the physical reality that we are in the matter of poverty can be fixed.

I totally disagree with this. In fact, extreme poverty could be eradicated easily in under five years if governments just funded plans and efforts against poverty. It’s actually damn simple, but the US goverenment won’t even give the tiny fraction of it’s wealth that’s needed to end poverty forever. As far as you saying we can’t end it, but we should still ” let no child starve to death”. Are you aware that over 18,000 children starve to death everyday!!?! (UNICEF statistics). Get your head back on your shoulders and stop coming up with stupid ideas. Take action and easily end poverty now.