Wednesday, February 03, 2010
Poverty sucks -- but why?
Another snippet from an online seminary class....
St. Francis's "strict view of the vow of poverty" was the most controversial item on the Franciscan agenda. (Pelikan, 140).
Why is it that anytime the church, or some prominent preacher or someone else in the church, says anything firm or definitive about poverty, it is controversial? Is it because self-preservation requires the consumption of things -- and even squirrels store away a little extra for lean times -- and so any vow of poverty is seen as not just ascetic, but over-the-top and weird? Is it because self-preservation is just a half-click away from selfishness? But aren't they the same thing? Are our natural inclinations to defend and preserve ourselves actually then expressions of sin? Is that what a "sinful nature" is? (I think so, that that is the very nut of sin: self.)
But why are actions the church and church people take to alleviate poverty also so controversial? Is it just because in this country giving to the poor flies in the face of one of the tenets of our civic religion -- self-reliance, use of "our own bootstraps" and all that? Is it because we really are in denial that the poor we will have with us always, and so we expect at some point to have everybody's belly filled?
On the other side of it, then why is the so-called prosperity gospel so uncontroversial outside progressive Christian circles? "Prosperity" flies in the face of the simple life Jesus's followers seem to have been admonished to live out, and would absolutely boggle Francis's mind.
--ER
St. Francis's "strict view of the vow of poverty" was the most controversial item on the Franciscan agenda. (Pelikan, 140).
Why is it that anytime the church, or some prominent preacher or someone else in the church, says anything firm or definitive about poverty, it is controversial? Is it because self-preservation requires the consumption of things -- and even squirrels store away a little extra for lean times -- and so any vow of poverty is seen as not just ascetic, but over-the-top and weird? Is it because self-preservation is just a half-click away from selfishness? But aren't they the same thing? Are our natural inclinations to defend and preserve ourselves actually then expressions of sin? Is that what a "sinful nature" is? (I think so, that that is the very nut of sin: self.)
But why are actions the church and church people take to alleviate poverty also so controversial? Is it just because in this country giving to the poor flies in the face of one of the tenets of our civic religion -- self-reliance, use of "our own bootstraps" and all that? Is it because we really are in denial that the poor we will have with us always, and so we expect at some point to have everybody's belly filled?
On the other side of it, then why is the so-called prosperity gospel so uncontroversial outside progressive Christian circles? "Prosperity" flies in the face of the simple life Jesus's followers seem to have been admonished to live out, and would absolutely boggle Francis's mind.
--ER
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But without an objective numerical indication such as a yearly salary, how could I possibly know whether God loves me more than he loves you?
You know they sell Voodoo prosperity/money candles at Buy-4-Less, but I don't remember any poverty vow candles there.
Poverty is relative, subsistance is not. Of course, the Pope has taken a vow of poverty but not of subsistance. Budahist monks however with only a rice bowl and robe might be at the subsistance level.
Poverty is relative, subsistance is not. Of course, the Pope has taken a vow of poverty but not of subsistance. Budahist monks however with only a rice bowl and robe might be at the subsistance level.
Say, I now have two of those "Attracts Money" - "Lucky Wealth" candles burning on my mantle. I'll let you know how they work out.
OK, the candles have been burning for three days now. I haven't won the lottery, gotten an unexpected inheritance, and my love life is still, well, they don't seem to have made a difference. They smell good though and they give light so I guess I'm getting my two bucks investment back.
Selfless, then.
Then I can see the blessedness.
Is that what Kris Kristofferson and Fred Foster, by way of Joplin, meant by "freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose"?
Whoa. Not sure I've ever heard that lyric quite this way before ... cool.
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Then I can see the blessedness.
Is that what Kris Kristofferson and Fred Foster, by way of Joplin, meant by "freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose"?
Whoa. Not sure I've ever heard that lyric quite this way before ... cool.
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