The Poor...and Ultrarunning

From Avedon Carol on 26 Jan 2014:

 

I'm not a Biblical scholar, but empirically speaking, Jesus said a heck of a lot more about taking care of those in need (dozens of texts) than he ever did about gays (0...nada).  So the move by conservative legislators to reduce even further the benefits available to the poor infuriates me.

 

Here's a truly great read about the Bible and poverty:  

 

It is hard for us to come to grips with just how different the Bible's assumptions about poverty are from that of the average American Christian. We tend to assume, often subconsciously, that wealth is a sign of God's blessing. In contrast, the Bible is constantly warning about how dangerous it is. We also assume, again unconsciously, that the poor are to be pitied. In contrast, God has made it blatantly clear that he is on the side of the poor, so much so that he decided to give them spiritual resources those of us who cut ourselves off from the poor know nothing about. 

It is hard to wrap my mind around these things, blinded as I am by my privilege, wealth, and unearned power. It reminds me of this: 

The rich are wise in their own eyes;  one who is poor and discerning sees how deluded they are. (Proverbs 28:11) 

It is all well and good to be charitable. It is another thing altogether to go deeper into the meanings of the Gospel and join in the sufferings of the poor, not because they need you but because you need them.

See, we keep getting back to the old guns versus butter discussion.  Surely this nation could scale back its global militarism just a tad, and instead feed poor children here and around the globe.

The link to Ultrarunning, of course, is that our passion is largely is a first-world issue.  We take for granted food security and free time and the affordability of our gear, all for the sake of a leisure pursuit.  Not to say that Ultrarunning is is not important to us--because it is--its just that we must keep in perspective that it is an enhancement, not a strict necessity.

 

"Hell" and "Handbasket"

(Photo credit here)

The words that come to mind are "hell" and "handbasket."

I am of a scientific mind, where anecdotal data about the economy is compelling, but where data is king. So I was absolutely dumbfounded to read these numbers just a few days ago. I will excerpt the handful that were true shockers, but you should go here to read the entire list of 15, with much more explanation:

#1 Approximately 45 million Americans were living in poverty in 2009.

#3 The U.S. poverty rate is now the third worst among the developed nations tracked by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

#5 The number of Americans on food stamps surpassed 41 million for the first time ever in June.

#7 One out of every six Americans is now being served by at least one government anti-poverty program.

#8 More than 50 million Americans are now on Medicaid, the U.S. government health care program designed principally to help the poor.

#10 Nearly 10 million Americans now receive unemployment insurance, which is almost four times as many as were receiving it in 2007.

#15 One out of every five children in the United States is now living in poverty.

I don't know what's to be done, but I sense critical mass approaching.

Wait a minute--I DO know what's to be done.  I can't influence Washington but I can help those around me who need a helping hand--donations of food, cash, goods, and volunteer work. 

Any one of us could experience an event that could catapult one's family into dire financial straights pretty darn quick.  Friends, neighbors, and family are what works on the ground.