I think back to the Government support my father received after serving in the Navy during World War II. He and my mother first lived in “vets village” until they could afford to buy a bungalow in which they started a family with four children. He was able to go to college on the GI bill and got a degree in Business. Those programs enable our family to build enough generational wealth that all four of those children have done well in life as have our offspring. Responsible governmental programs and policies can change lives and can give folks a “leg up” from which they can build. It is expensive to be poor; systemic poverty drags us all down. Thanks Bob for your advocacy.
Wow. In this column, you just said more than most preachers/pastors/priests/men and women of God say in a lifetime of sermons and homilies. You also nailed the reason I quit going to church - the overall hypocrisy of the generally good folks sitting in the congregation, feeling good and pious about their presence in a place of worship. Then, as soon as they start their engines in the parking lot, the lesson is forgotten until next Sunday. It's business as usual.
Unfortunately President Ronnie Reagan’s Welfare Queen is still with the Republicans except when it comes to corporate welfare for Trump, Musk and their team.
Excellent take on both subjects, Bob, and I agree 100% with you.
The fact that conservatives believe the poor need only get of their duffs and go to work in order to succeed is utterly ridiculous in the face of the minimum wage almost all of them could make if they are not currently working and did go to work. Like you, I have not noted double the prices of goods and services in my travels to European countries with livable minimum wages. The highest prices I noted for basic goods were in 2 of our United States, Alaska and Hawaii. There have been many factual articles written about how much it costs one person to live in the United States, all of which prove the minimum wage doesn't even come close. I challenge everybody to put together a basic budget of the absolute minimum income on which they can live and then compute the minimum wage necessary to achieve it. We can't have it both ways - we either have to pay people enough to live or live with the status quo. Certainly prices would rise, though not in proportion to the increase.
And, speaking of inflation, track consumption over the past year when inflation was rising and note how marginally consumption went down. We, as a nation, have pretty much proven we will pay for the same level of consumption no matter what the cost. So, we complain about inflation, but we keep on consuming and what does Econ 101 tell us about that? If consumption drops, so will prices.
If churches are willing to compromise their basic principles to retain congregations they might as well not exist. If they retain their principles and lose their members, so be it. There are plenty of other churches perfectly willing to preach whatever their congregants want to hear and they should be honest enough to admit that's what they are doing.
Every person who has ever lived, is living or will one day live is a child of God. Therefore, we are all brothers and sisters. God calls us to love one another as we love ourselves. When we do anything that is less than loving and merciful, we not only harm others, we do harm to ourselves. Ignatius of Loyola said that whatever brings us closer to God is of God, whatever does not bring us closer to God is not of God. Jesus’ message was one of love and healing. When we try to make that message about anything other than love and healing, we are not drawing closer to God, but rather turning away from God. May we see the light of Christ in ourselves and others and be true to what we are created to be - full members of the One Body of Christ.
For those wishing to read my entire talk at Rayne Memorial UMC, here’s a link to it: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/a5u31bhjzi01dc5s31thf/Rayne-Memorial-talk.docx?rlkey=jdg2tm2h87tqzwn9ad7suqze4&st=ktr26zhx&dl=0
I think back to the Government support my father received after serving in the Navy during World War II. He and my mother first lived in “vets village” until they could afford to buy a bungalow in which they started a family with four children. He was able to go to college on the GI bill and got a degree in Business. Those programs enable our family to build enough generational wealth that all four of those children have done well in life as have our offspring. Responsible governmental programs and policies can change lives and can give folks a “leg up” from which they can build. It is expensive to be poor; systemic poverty drags us all down. Thanks Bob for your advocacy.
Wow. In this column, you just said more than most preachers/pastors/priests/men and women of God say in a lifetime of sermons and homilies. You also nailed the reason I quit going to church - the overall hypocrisy of the generally good folks sitting in the congregation, feeling good and pious about their presence in a place of worship. Then, as soon as they start their engines in the parking lot, the lesson is forgotten until next Sunday. It's business as usual.
Well said, Bob, on both accounts.
Unfortunately President Ronnie Reagan’s Welfare Queen is still with the Republicans except when it comes to corporate welfare for Trump, Musk and their team.
Excellent take on both subjects, Bob, and I agree 100% with you.
The fact that conservatives believe the poor need only get of their duffs and go to work in order to succeed is utterly ridiculous in the face of the minimum wage almost all of them could make if they are not currently working and did go to work. Like you, I have not noted double the prices of goods and services in my travels to European countries with livable minimum wages. The highest prices I noted for basic goods were in 2 of our United States, Alaska and Hawaii. There have been many factual articles written about how much it costs one person to live in the United States, all of which prove the minimum wage doesn't even come close. I challenge everybody to put together a basic budget of the absolute minimum income on which they can live and then compute the minimum wage necessary to achieve it. We can't have it both ways - we either have to pay people enough to live or live with the status quo. Certainly prices would rise, though not in proportion to the increase.
And, speaking of inflation, track consumption over the past year when inflation was rising and note how marginally consumption went down. We, as a nation, have pretty much proven we will pay for the same level of consumption no matter what the cost. So, we complain about inflation, but we keep on consuming and what does Econ 101 tell us about that? If consumption drops, so will prices.
If churches are willing to compromise their basic principles to retain congregations they might as well not exist. If they retain their principles and lose their members, so be it. There are plenty of other churches perfectly willing to preach whatever their congregants want to hear and they should be honest enough to admit that's what they are doing.
Jennyhastings@cox.net
I enjoyed reading this thought provoking article and would like to read more. My email address is lbarousse@aol.com Thank you.
Thank you. Would like to read your complete presentation. nluttrell@aol.com
Thanks. On the way to you!
Here’s the link to it: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/a5u31bhjzi01dc5s31thf/Rayne-Memorial-talk.docx?rlkey=jdg2tm2h87tqzwn9ad7suqze4&st=ktr26zhx&dl=0
Every person who has ever lived, is living or will one day live is a child of God. Therefore, we are all brothers and sisters. God calls us to love one another as we love ourselves. When we do anything that is less than loving and merciful, we not only harm others, we do harm to ourselves. Ignatius of Loyola said that whatever brings us closer to God is of God, whatever does not bring us closer to God is not of God. Jesus’ message was one of love and healing. When we try to make that message about anything other than love and healing, we are not drawing closer to God, but rather turning away from God. May we see the light of Christ in ourselves and others and be true to what we are created to be - full members of the One Body of Christ.
Bob, I would love to have a full copy of your talk in NO. Thanks, Jenny
Here’s the link to it: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/a5u31bhjzi01dc5s31thf/Rayne-Memorial-talk.docx?rlkey=jdg2tm2h87tqzwn9ad7suqze4&st=ktr26zhx&dl=0