Help the Poor: Our Society

I feel strongly that the debate over how the Church and Christianity are to react to the poor must be understood in context. The United States of America (due largely to a free market society) has the greatest economy this world has ever seen. What I mean by this is that we can take something like 9/11 and Katrina and continue to move forward economically. We are able to raise millions of dollars in mere hours to aid victims of catastrophes.

We have the broadest distribution of wealth that this world has ever seen. We are not one of the ancient empires where only the ruling class was able to be wealthy. The great American middle-class is what drives our economy. An immigrant can come to America today and work hard and smart and retire a millionaire and leave vast wealth to his children. As a seminary student, with my wife working as a school teacher, we have been able to own a home and drive two cars. Concerning education, the great American economy pays the bills of our great Christian educational institutions. The Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex alone allows for theological education at over ten institutions!

America is the wealthiest country on earth with a broad distribution of wealth. First, concerning the poor it is important that we provide ways out of poverty. Even if America is wealthy, if people are trapped in poverty then there is an injustice. This is one of the great debatable points of the poverty issue. After many conversations, much listening, and research I find that I fall in the camp that says, “America is a just society because it does provide a way out of poverty.” This has been one of my biggest concerns regarding this debate. Based upon our free market society, just laws, and numerous social services there are ways out of poverty in America today.

To give an example, I know a Mexican family who has immigrated to the United States. They are happy to be here and have a better life here than in Mexico. They have a better life because they have access to health care (they live less than a mile from one of two top-notch hospitals in our city and have used it in an emergency). I am currently dealing with the realities of a faulty healthcare system, but when one of their boy’s broke his arm this immigrant Mexican family was able to receive healthcare. They also don’t have to pay property taxes where they live. Their three children are receiving a quality free education (better than in Mexico and which gives themselves a chance to go to college), they have free transportation to and from school, and the school system provides two free meals a day if they need it. Both the parents have also been able to find steady jobs. Does this family work hard and struggle? Yes, but does America provide a better life and a way to advance up? Yes!

First, we need to provide a way out of poverty, which I believe America provides. Second, I believe that our society needs to provide temporary assistance in times of crisis. America provides for temporary moments of need. I know a number of people who had trouble getting health insurance and thus were able to have their children at the hospital with the aid of government funded temporary health insurance. I have also seen friends use food stamps to get them through the slim days. I do criticize the system for having too much red tape. This is the nature of the beast in many cases, but I have seen instances where people needed temporary assistance and they fell through the bureaucratic cracks in the system. Does our society provide for the temporary needs in times of crises? Yes, but the system needs improvement.

The third question I have asked is, “Do we provide aid for those who because of mental or physical disabilities cannot fully provide for themselves?” I first think of the great people I have met out at the Denton State School and the great work that they do. I also think of a friend who has limited mental capacity and simply has a hard time paying the bills. I my opinion, our society does provide for those with disabilities, but like the second question, improvements can be made.

America is the wealthiest society this world has ever seen, we provide a free market and a relatively fair society that allows for people to gain a better life, we provide for the immediate temporary needs of others, and we attempt to provide for those who have disabilities. I give our society a passing grade. Are there areas to improve? You bet, and we should work to improve our systems. However, we should not bankrupt our society to allow every American everything they think they need.

I want to end with some interesting statistics. Roughly, the top 5% of income earners in America pay for over 35% of the federal budget. Roughly, the bottom half of income earners in America pay only about 5% of the federal budget. Republicans give more money and at higher percentage of their wealth to charity every year. Church goers give more to charity than non-church goers. Dick Chaney made over 8 million dollars last year, but gave over 6 million dollars to charity!