Christian perspectives on personal, social and world issues Essay

There are two terms regarding poverty- Absolute poverty, which is when you do not have enough money, or food for your basic everyday needs.

Relative poverty, which is when you cannot afford what, is seen as normal in a given society. There is also the term wealth, which is when you are rich with abundant possessions and money, you are prosperous. Most people in third world countries live in absolute poverty, while a large proportion of people who live in first world countries are wealthy.

Hunger is a feeling, which you have when you have not eaten for some time, 1/5th of the worlds population goes hungry. Disease is an unhealthy condition or an illness, which can lead to death and therefore disrupts a family’s ability to raise income (as there are fewer people in the family). Both hunger and disease are two main causes of death in today’s world, especially in third world countries. This is because developing third world countries are a lot poorer than first world countries so everyday necessities that are taken for granted such as clean, safe water, medicines and food as they are not so readily available (they cannot afford to provide them).

For example millions of people die each year from drinking polluted water, this is mainly in third world or developing countries. Disease is a problem in third world countries because of the lack of technology and medicine available, and because the climate is so hot and there is no way of getting rid of rubbish so vermin are tempted bringing in diseases such as the plague. There are also very few vaccinations available so millions of unvaccinated children die of diseases such as measles, whooping cough and tetanus, each year making third world countries have a very high death rate. In third world countries they tend to have a very large population of mainly young children, this is because parents want children so that they can start work at an early age and bring money in to the family.

Contraception is also rarely available so many unwanted children are born. Unlike in first world countries where families choose to have children at a later date because more women prefer material possessions and like to have a decent amount of money before they bring up a family. There is a very high infant mortality rate in third world countries because of the contraception crisis as deadly diseases such as aids are easily passed onto children and the lack of food means that many die from hunger.

First world countries are somewhat different from third world countries- life expectancy is very high (there is a low death rate) as there is better technology available so there are more cures for diseases, which means that more people have a better chance of living to an older age. There are also vaccinations available so that the chance of catching a disease is decreased. Infant mortality rate is very low as mothers can choose when they want a family and can stop unwanted pregnancies by using a variety of contraceptive methods.

People also have a higher disposable income so they can afford to spend more money on food etc- so it is very rare for people to die of starvation. There are four myths about world hunger. These are: >There is not enough food to go round. >World hunger is caused by over- population. >Starvation is the result of natural disasters. >Science should be able to cure food cravings. The myth regarding there if she is not enough food to go around basically means that there isn’t enough foodstuff upon the entire world to go around each of the people who live there.

This is certainly false since there is enough meals to go around but it really is certainly not evenly distributed. There exists more meals in wealthier countries because people can afford to obtain it, therefore people are able to make/grow food and sell that to wealthier countries to enable them to make money on their own. People in developed countries also have more cash so they want a more varied choice of meals. Unfortunately lesser countries suffer, as there is never enough food to serve, as they do not have technology/tools to provide their own or maybe the money to obtain it. If perhaps people distributed food rather than wasting that and ingesting more than they must starvation probably would not be a problem.

World being hungry being due to over population means that there may be too many people today so meals is becoming even more scarce and several people are not able to get hold of very much. This is also phony because there is enough food to serve but persons in richer countries squander a lot of food as it is taken for granted. Although someone can argue that while the population improves more area is adopted to be built on which leaves less place for cows grazing, growing crops and so on so much less food can be produced. Malnourishment being the result of natural risks means that due to natural hazards such as floods, earthquakes or perhaps drought food sources are being wiped out and so persons of famished.

This is also phony because not every country provides natural problems and they certainly do not most have them as well. So , when a country is in crisis because of a natural risk other countries should make them out and offer food for them. There is lots of food in the world but by providing it to poorer countries it will mean that they will loose money. Somebody could argue that natural dangers are a source of starvation since poorer countries tend to have a lot of drought so it is hard to grow your crops and graze animals within the poor soils. Also, countries are prone to surging which drowns crops and animals and so no food can be produced.

Science having the capacity to cure globe hunger means that in the future science tecnistions could discover a new factor for example a fresh type of plants which could stay in all circumstances so it can grow in most countries. This myth may either end up being true or false mainly because nobody can predict what research will be just like and what new discoveries we could make. So perhaps in a few years should be able to produce a ‘super food’, that may grow in virtually any conditions and feed thousands.

Science costs money nevertheless, and this is what poor countries do not have therefore they will not manage to purchase no matter what comes out. Countries impacted by starvation could possibly be waiting for years for a fresh discovery so in the mean time persons will be dying from hunger. So , Christian believers believe that in the event that people in rich countries eat and waste much less world craving for food can be undertaken.

Christians also believe that God’s creation great and everyone ought to be treated similarly and have the opportunity to live a cheerful life- without having to be poverty troubled due to greedy people. For example of the biblical teachings Christians follow on the teachings of hunger and disease: Among the greed is in some of the laws, which God told towards the Israelites (Deuteronomy 24. 14-22).

He says: ‘When you beat the olives in the trees, will not go over the branches another time. Leave what continues to be for the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow’ ‘When you harvesting the fruit in your vineyard, do not go over the pampre again. Keep what continues to be for the foreigner, the fatherless plus the widow’ This proves that God will not want Christian believers to be greedy and shows that they should support others who are in need simply by sharing what they have.

One other example of this can be ‘the parable of the abundant fool’ (Luke 12: 16-21). A man made a good plant and he did not have enough room to store it everywhere, so this individual wanted to build bigger barns. God punished him simply by demanding his life from him and he said ‘This is just how it will be with anyone who stores up points for him self but is not wealthy towards God’.

Christians ought to help other folks and instead of saving/storing points for themselves they have to give them to other needy people- or perhaps God will not be happy and he will discipline them. This kind of shows that people who pile up wealth for themselves aren’t rich in Gods view which for someone to get eternal your life they must provide and share. Likewise in Deuteronomy 24. 14-22 it says: ‘Thou shalt not suppress an appointed servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren… for he can poor and setteth his heart after it. ‘ Which means that persons should not put poor and needy persons down (even if they are listed below you, you should not look down on them) you should help them instead regardless of who they are.

The teaching of ‘The fall’ in Genesis 3. 1-19 is about temptation and this concludes so why the world may be the way it is today. ‘Serpents’ (snakes) were created to spider on their ‘belly’ because the one out of the story lured Eve to have the ‘forbidden fruit’. Because Eve got the apple all females suffer discomfort when the birth. Christians believe that people are designed to suffer because of what happened in ‘The fall’.

In Genesis 1 . 26-31 (stewardship) Christian believers believe that God was the person who created the world and he created this in expression of how this individual wanted people to behave in it (good). They believe that human beings will need to look after the world and his designs in this (that was their aim of being around the earth), therefore they should not really abuse or destroy that. He said that they ‘…will have power over the fish of the sea and the birds of the surroundings, over the animals, over all from the earth, and over the pets that move along the ground. ‘ Yet he did not want human beings to take advantage of this.

The parable of the sheep and goats is also significant because it is regarding people possibly going away to ‘eternal punishment’ or to ‘eternal life’. The separation in the sheep’s as well as the goats is usually relating to the separation of folks that treat other people well (as Jesus did) and people who do not.

Jesus says to the people who have followed him (by dealing with people nicely): ‘For I was hungry and you gave me some thing to eat, I was thirsty and you simply gave me a thing to drink, I had been a new person and you invited me in, I needed outfits and you clothed me, I was sick therefore you looked after myself, I I had been in jail and you came to visit myself. ‘ To folks who would not follow his commands he admits that the same thing yet changes this to a unfavorable comment electronic. g. ‘For I was hungry and you offered me nothing to eat’. This explains that those who also provided for the needy were blessed whilst those who switched their backs on the needy were cursed with everlasting punishment. This is why Christians feel that they have to help the needy.

The parable in the Good Samaritan is also essential, this relates to the issue of who also should be helped. It is about a man that is stripped of his clothes and defeated by robbers while he could be on his approach to Jerusalem. Both a Priest and a Levite (two very well respected key elements of the Judaism religious community) walked on the other hand of the street and handed by him.

A Samaritan came (who were despised and hated) and had taken pity on him; he looked after him and had taken him for an Inn. This kind of shows just how one guy suddenly reserve all his religious philosophy by going instantly towards the aid of another gentleman who was in pain and suffering. In Corinthians eight: 13-15 this says: ‘…At the present time your a lot will supply the actual need, so that in turn their particular plenty will give what you need.

Then there will be equality. ‘ This means that you should treat others whenever you need to to be treated. So , if they are in need and you help them out, you may eventually be repaid by simply them going back the opt to help you out in times of need. This really is another reason how come Christians think that it is important to aid other people who are in need.

In Amos 8: 4-10 there are recommendations to the way which persons should deal with each other that says: ‘…you who trample the clingy and do aside with the poor of the land… skimping the measure, improving the price and cheating with dishonest measure…”I will never forget anything they have done…I will certainly turn the religious feasts into mourning and all you singing in to weeping. ‘ This means that to the people who make an effort to rip others off simply by charging excessive or providing them with too little and so forth will be reprimanded and Goodness will never ignore what they did. The same concept again comes across, that people ought to treat one another in the same way that they can wish to be remedied and they must not be greedy trying to make a bit more money on their own.

In David 13. 34-35 Jesus says that you should ‘Love one another?nternet site have liked you. ‘ This is important mainly because Jesus helped everyone who had been in want regardless of their race or perhaps colour, he treated everyone equally which is what Christians should do if they want to follow Jesus. Christian believers believe that you must treat others as they desire to get treated. In Colossians three or more: 1-15 that says: ‘…whatever belongs to the earthly nature…evil desires and greed… Therefore , as God’s chosen persons, holy and dearly liked, clothes her with consideration, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ‘ This reveals why Christian believers try and help other people who are certainly not as well away as them.

They will feel that they are being greedy because they are living a life of luxury while folks are starving in other countries struggling to feed their loved ones. God needed them to end up being kind and equal not greedy and selfish. They wish to do since Jesus says so they should be kind and generous to other people who are ever in the position, of if somenone you know is in the position, of needing a. People will need to resist bad and discrimination by helping others who have are in need. Christian aid was set up in 1945 to help many Europeans who was simply made homeless by the Second World War. The churches collected �1 mil for this function and by 1948 they decided to collect money for the people in the third world too.

In September 1945 it officially became Christian Aid, a department with the British authorities of chapels (all the non- Roman Catholic Churches). Christian Help believes that ‘…God’s fresh strategy for a brand new world is always to put the poorest first. ‘ So it delivers help intended for poor people in less economically developed countries (LEDC’s). Christian Aid works wherever the need is very best, irrespective of faith. It helps local organisations, which are ideal placed to understand local requirements, as well as providing help on the floor through of sixteen overseas office buildings.

Christian Aid believes in conditioning people to locate their own solutions to the problems they face. This strives for the new world transformed by a finish to low income and advertisments to change the principles that retain people poor. They believe that most people were made in God’s image so they are all equal and so they should be treated equally.

Christian Aid desires to give low income stricken persons the chance to live equally and happily just like other people in the world, they want to reduce the gap between the rich and the poor, the powerful and powerless. Christian Aid at this point works in over 60 countries producing many poor/homeless peoples lifestyle better, by giving both crisis aid and long term help try and fight against poverty. They try to do this simply by fundraising- Christian Aid requires money to aid relieve poverty.

Christian Aid has set up a ‘Christian Aid week’, which runs in-may each year. It has proven to be incredibly successful mainly because in 95 alone they will raised �8. 6 mil. Many churches and people also lead by having fundraising events over the year- these types of tend to raise approximately 3 x as much as Christian Aid week, so once again these are very successful.

Christian Aid likewise supports promotions to help try to improve the low income in LEDC’s. An example of this was in The spring 1995 if they launched their very own first picture petition in aid of trying to ‘drop’ Jamaica’s personal debt. This marketing campaign had a wide range of interest via many celebrities, for example Richard Wilson and Michelle Gayle. So , this is again one other successful charm from Christian Aid.

The emergency aid that Christian Aid will covers a wide range of things and it generally has goal over long lasting aid since without this people could die. Christian Aid consumes between 10% and 15% on it money each year on this. It has a disaster fund which will deals with normal disasters and refugees. Christian Aid sends food, remedies and shelters to people who need them in an emergency.

Two examples of this were the flood patients in Bangladesh in 1995, and they also sent tents and food to war asylum seekers in Bosnia and Rwanda. In the Christian Aid statement of objective it says that they need to ‘…improve our respond to emergencies and work to stop them. ‘ which implies that more could be done to help people but they need to know more support and funds. Christian Aid as well provides long-term aid to get poverty troubled people, cities or towns. Much of Christian Aid’s lengthy and immediate aid can be channelled through Christian organisations in the country concerned.

They have done many things to help clients, examples of this kind of are: They may be funding a grouping of health employees who have created a manufacturer to make simple drugs in Bangladesh (as they cannot afford to import them). This will likely enable those of Bangladesh to have quick access to the medicines hopefully conserving lives. In Lesotho Christian Aid is financing an area agricultural institution to try and reduce soil erosion to increase foodstuff production.

This will enable visitors to eat more and sell more food- increasing all their profits. No more than 5% of Christian Aid’s budget can be spent on teaching people regarding the way Christian believers can help LEDC’s and educate Churches of Britain about the desperate requirement of development. A newspaper is printed 4 times 12 months called the ‘Christian Help news’.

Which provides information about Christian Aids newest developments and world developments. Bob Finley, chairman of Christian Help has now finished 53 numerous years of ministry since an evangelist, pastor, missionary, Bible educator and Christian statesman. In the Christian Help statement of intent it says that they can want to give people the chance ‘…to make a difference. ‘ And they wish to help girls because they ‘…are usually the poorest in the poor’.

This shows that they are really not prejudice in any way plus they treat everybody equally. Christian Aid has taken many persons together (mainly Christians) to aid fight the battle of poverty and disease which many persons struggle with, all of their plans and quick replies show exactly how much they value other people as well as the lengths they may go to, to follow along with Gods is going to. Christian Aid is demonstrating to be successful because in 1959 its income was �483, 500 and in 1997 it was �39. 3 , 000, 000, this is a huge increase over only 32 years which will shows that a lot of people are getting included. ‘Christians are responsible for each other- no mater where in the world they live’.

I don’t agree with this statement mainly because I i am not a Christian and I do not think that it is also possible to be accountable for someone who you may not know and who lives so far aside. I think that in today’s world an average (like me) cannot do much to help anyone else. I think this since there is too much pressure on you to look for money for your own, as there is a dramatic embrace unemployment costs and in how much people under the average income line. In today’s world it is a have difficulty sometimes to look after yourself and your family never mind people that you do not know and have never met.

Nevertheless , I do think that people in more electricity (such since the government) should do even more to help poverty-stricken people far away to a certain extent. I say to a certain extent since so much funds should be used on them because countries have their own problems to type out- such as the NHS turmoil in the United Kingdom. I really do not feel that poverty-stricken people should just be provided with money though, as this is simply a immediate answer.

I do believe that governments should get towards the root of the challenge and job from there. Such as instead of rendering food for people to eat they need to provide seed and tools so that they can increase their own and enable them live more separately. A Christian would have another type of point of view nevertheless because they believe that they have to do all that may be possible to help other folks as that may be what The almighty told those to do. They are ‘Brothers and sisters in Christ’ and so they are just like brothers and sisters inside the family of Our god.

In Colossians 3. eleven it says: “Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or perhaps free, although Christ is, and is in all. ” Which usually shows that consider that the chapel is a widespread organisation consequently all of the Christian believers in it share precisely the same beliefs thus they should be cured the same. The Christian values is what connects them all (“Held everything in common”)so they have to help and care for the other person, in the same way that Jesus would not mind who have he recovered or helped. All of the biblical teachings, that we wrote about above, confirm this since this since Christians follow God as well as the teachings i wrote regarding described just how God wants Christians to behave about other people.

Christian believers should share- in works 4: 32-35 it says: ‘All the believers were one in cardiovascular and brain. No one stated that any one of his assets was his own, nevertheless they shared anything they had… There were zero needy individuals among them. ‘ This demonstrates that everyone ought to share to ensure that everyone is cared for equally without one is several. The parable of the wealthy fool and God’s best practices about collection the vineyard and conquering the olives from the trees proves that Christians ought to only take the actual need and save the rest for others. This is not usually possible although so Christian believers find different ways of assisting others out- by giving via shawls by hoda to programs such as Christian Aid.

I do believe that Christ concluded how it changes greedy persons in Lomaz 12: 16-21 by saying: ‘This is definitely how it really is with people who pile up the riches on their own but are certainly not rich in God’s sight. ‘ As the ‘rich man’ had to ‘…give up’ his life if you are greedy and selfish with no Christians want to be like having been. In the 2 Corinthians almost 8. 13-15 Paul commends the Corinthian Christians for their motivation to give money to help the Jerusalem Christian believers. This is today’s equivalent of Christians supplying money to other needy people in other countries, they believe that God is going to commend all of them for it if they die and go to Heaven.

So , this is exactly why Christians think that ‘they are in charge of for each other- no matter where on the globe they live. ‘ Christians believe that individuals were created in reflection of God, consequently we were most created equally and great. So , people should deal with the more unfortunate of us the same as they believe that it can be what Goodness wanted. Christians would not simply help additional Christians, they believe that even as were almost all created the same we all have the right to live the same kinds of lives instead of everyday like a battle to outlive.

They believe that they should not be money grubbing therefore people in richer countries should certainly only take the amount of food they want and they must not waste virtually any so there exists enough to go around everyone.