[Johny Joe Hold]

Re: The Function of the Poor in a Christian World

For those of us here at Landover Baptist Church, society's 1%, there is an obligation to make poor people feel better about their lot in life. One place we can help is with Uber drivers.

If you don't read the Wall Street Journal you may not be aware the the Uber company is losing billions of dollars each year. That is unfortunate because sometimes I like to just tap the Uber app in my phone and have a car appear instantly. But, I don't want to pay much for this.

That is why the poor should consider themselves important. Uber drivers often live in their cars because they can't afford an apartment. I don't want to pay more for an Uber ride and the company is losing money. The only way to make the Uber system work is keeping the drivers poor.

There was a popular song in the early 2,000's written for Uber drivers, "I Love You Just the Way You Are." You Uber drivers out there, keep up the good work.

https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2019/11/15/new-jersey-seeks-640m-from-uber-for-misclassifying-workers/

[Brother Gonzalez]

Re: The Function of the Poor in a Christian World

Well, poor people are always asking for money, but what have they given? Quid pro quo is word very used in this days. But not for the reasons it should be. Quid pro quo: I will give you some money, but you have to give back something.

Uber drivers are poor because they want to. They could be working more and sleeping less, they could be working more days a week. Have free time? Look for another productive thing to do.
They all want to be rich without working for it. If working 14 hours a day is not enough, the work 16 or 18. Unless you are lazy.


Think of Trump: as a world leader, his job is 24/7. Your average Uber driver is sleeping at 2AM in New York while Donald is already calling leaders from the other side of the world, where is 9AM already, to ask for very normal and very regular things, just business as usual. Poor president from shithole country wants something, Donald says ok but give back something in return. THAT is a healthy way of having a relation with poor people. Not saying Donald has asked for something, because he did not, but in any case, that would be an ideal situation.

[MitzaLizalor]

Re: The Function of the Poor in a Christian World

Sometimes wretches suffer indignity not because they sinned in a previous life

John 9:1-3 As Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

but for a lesson to be made clear. This is not a boy born blind or a youth but an adult. Allowing for an age around that of Jesus we'd have 3 or 4 decades of indignity, a little charity, perhaps some teasing, a dog bite or two; who knows? He was made blind to suffer for a reason, so that others would see the works of God. One such group was the Pharisees. They interrogated this wretched (but now sighted) man and decided — GET THIS — that Jesus was a sinner. Wow!

Their conclusion was that Jesus should be murdered. The man himself didn't mince words and didn't proclaim Christ. The message was not for him: it was for others. The man did express surprise that the Pharisees would have questions at all under the circumstances but they doubled down, contradicting Jesus outright

John 9:34 [The Pharisees] answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sinsv.s. and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.

This man was not rich. Yet his life thitherto was not without function. He was poor, blind, wretched and forlorn. All alone in darkness so that others (except the Pharisees) would see how fantastic Christ Jesus really was. And still is. Today.

[Johny Joe Hold]

Re: The Function of the Poor in a Christian World

Poor people are such as asset in a Christian world. Here at Landover Baptist, we want our members in church, not going around town digging in dumpsters for cans and bottles to sell.

But someone needs to pick up that stuff. That's where poor people become valuable. While LBC members are enjoying coffee after the sermon, poor people are hustling for 5 cent cans. Good for them.

[Basilissa]

Re: The Function of the Poor in a Christian World

I never fully understood the purpose of the poor, but now I get it. Someone has to go to the store, pick up my groceries, and deliver them to me. They have to be able to do so very cheaply, and they have to be easily replaceable if they get sick or something.

Thank you Jesus for the poor - they are truly a God's gift in these turbulent times!

[Joanna Lytton-Vasey]

Re: The Function of the Poor in a Christian World

I never fully understood the purpose of the poor

I had assumed until now that we still had them to illustrate the truth of Matthew 26:11, Sister. But you are right.

Thank you Jesus for the poor - they are truly a God's gift in these turbulent times!

Amen! And ditto the immigrant. It is slightly worrying that this may make them uppity and unwilling to leave when they are no longer required, but in God (and Trump) we trust.

[Alvin Moss]

Re: The Function of the Poor in a Christian World

Jesus warned that we will always have the poor with us in Mark 14:7. He seemed ambivalent about poor people. He said we could help them when we will, but that's not exactly a ringing endorsement. Jesus knew they were poor because they were slothful and spent their days wine bibbing. He wanted them to repent their sinful lives, but I guess He knew they were all going to Hell so he wasn't really all that enthusiastic about their possible salvation.


Today, the poor are pretty much the same. They are still slothful wine bibbers, but now they smell the cocaine and watch big screen color TVs. Also, there are now high schools, which were unknown in Jesus's day, to drop out of.


Their main function now seems to be giving the police something to do.

[MitzaLizalor]

Re: The Function of the Poor in a Christian World

Jesus was right, too. Something the way-out socialists cannot understand. Somewhere during an election or a policy statement a gauntlet was thrown down concerning the poorest 10% in society. Or 1% whatever, it makes no difference.

In their delusion they imagined something could be done – should be done – to address the plight of such disadvantaged groups. Jesus knew that whatever was done would only be effective in Him.

Matthew 25
29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath…
31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory
32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats…
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world
35 For I was an hungred and ye gave me meat, I was thirsty and ye gave me drink, I was a stranger and ye took me in…
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Godless sociologists never help people just because. There is always an agenda, a policy formulated by Marx and Engels, worked out by ogres like JoJo Stalin or Robert Mugabe or Nicolás Maduro having no concept of sustainable supplies for their devilish largesse. They are doing it for themselves, not for the poor. Obviously in those cases the poor just get poorer. Seemingly unaware of this, modern sociologists dream up inane schemes (tried and tested but with a 100% failure rate) to further social engineering.

"In the future," they were taught by utter cranks, "our gods will not be nuclear engineers or brain surgeons. They will be sociologists. More real power will be in your hands than any general could imagine. You will decide how to form society from the pinnacle of respect and wisdom, directing the architects of continents with an absolute veto over transnational corporations, merchant banks and government policy because you will understand the big picture."

Unfortunately it was garbage in garbage out. Aspiring hero/gods were launched from crackpot universities with all the nous of discarded bubblegum; could they work out that even if you turned the poorest 1% into millionaires there would still be a poorest 1%? Why hold back? Even among trillionaires there's a poorest 1% and yet, oblivious of Christ's Own Words, they complained.

"Fiddlesticks and woe," they howled. "After all we said and did you listen? No! All your empty rotten words and futile promises of [insert sociological babble here] but look around: the poorest 10% are still here."

If only they'd read The Bible. But that's the first thing out the window, rejecting the only source of wisdom and thinking they could rule the world.

[Diesel Stanford]

Re: The Function of the Poor in a Christian World

In a true Christian country there is no room for the non-wealthy and non-healthy.

[Basilissa]

Re: The Function of the Poor in a Christian World

In a true Christian country there is no room for the non-wealthy and non-healthy.

Have you not understood a word of Pastor Bathfire's sermon?! You need to put Das Kapital away and start reading the Bible!

The Bible is very clear that we need the poor to feel better about ourselves. Charity is an important aspect of being a True Christian™. When we give crumbs to the poor, God rewards us with even more riches:

Proverbs 19:17 - He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.

Luke 6:38 - Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

Also, we need the poor to serve the rich - the rooms in Flint mansion are not going to vacuum themselves! This is why the Bible contains verses which are directed to slaves/servants:

Ephesians 6:5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;
Colossians 3:22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:

We also need the sick to keep proving the Power of Prayer:

James 5:14-16
14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
16 Confess [your] faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.


I hope this was helpful, dear.