How do you deal with the starvation of innocent children?

[thistle]

Jesus lived during a time when many people were starving, too. There was cruelty in the form of slavery and frequent execution by torture at the hands of the Romans.

He didn’t spend all his time being angry about those things.

And Jesus said there would be poor always but he didn’t say we should all be miserable because of that!

 

[Robert_Sock]

And Jesus said there would be poor always but he didn’t say we should all be miserable because of that!

Christ is the epitome of LOVE and He would have condemned starvation. Yes, there will be the poor always, but that in no way means that Christians should ignore the plight of those starving. To know about those living in extreme poverty ought to evoke negative emotions. Apathy has no place in Christianity!

 

[Kamaduck]

Christ is the epitome of LOVE and He would have condemned starvation. Yes, there will be the poor always, but that in no way means that Christians should ignore the plight of those starving. To know about those living in extreme poverty ought to evoke negative emotions. Apathy has no place in Christianity!

You’re creating a false dichotomy between always being miserable and ignoring the plight of starving people. The ideal response is to do as much as you can to help them, but to spend no more time dwelling on sadness than is necessary. I acknowledge that in some cases momentary sadness or anger can spur people to act, but it’s never healthy to feel those emotions all the time.

You know, this conversation is actually reminding me of one of the many things that I love about Catholicism- namely, emotions are not considered the be-all, end-all of spirituality. I mean, I don’t think they are in Lutheranism either, but for Evangelicals? I can’t tell you the number of times that I felt that there was something wrong with me because a description of Jesus’ suffering didn’t provoke the desired emotional response, and/or move me to tears. I now know that my emotions are unpredictable- sometimes I feel sad over silly things, and sometimes when I should feel the need to grieve, I feel nothing. But more importantly, I know that my initial emotional reactions don’t determine whether I am saved. I can be depressed and still have a form of joy, and I can be happy in the midst of suffering and still have a measure of empathy. Feeling things as we need to is part of being human.

I also find it interesting that you would accuse those who feel no sadness of being apathetic, and thus being poor Christians. It’s interesting because until now, I’ve more often heard people accuse depressed Christians of lacking joy, and implicitly claiming that their sickness is due to a lack of faith.

 

[Robert_Sock]

You’re creating a false dichotomy between always being miserable and ignoring the plight of starving people. The ideal response is to do as much as you can to help them, but to spend no more time dwelling on sadness than is necessary. I acknowledge that in some cases momentary sadness or anger can spur people to act, but it’s never healthy to feel those emotions all the time.

You know, this conversation is actually reminding me of one of the many things that I love about Catholicism- namely, emotions are not considered the be-all, end-all of spirituality. I mean, I don’t think they are in Lutheranism either, but for Evangelicals? I can’t tell you the number of times that I felt that there was something wrong with me because a description of Jesus’ suffering didn’t provoke the desired emotional response, and/or move me to tears. I now know that my emotions are unpredictable- sometimes I feel sad over silly things, and sometimes when I should feel the need to grieve, I feel nothing. But more importantly, I know that my initial emotional reactions don’t determine whether I am saved. I can be depressed and still have a form of joy, and I can be happy in the midst of suffering and still have a measure of empathy. Feeling things as we need to is part of being human.

I also find it interesting that you would accuse those who feel no sadness of being apathetic, and thus being poor Christians. It’s interesting because until now, I’ve more often heard people accuse depressed Christians of lacking joy, and implicitly claiming that their sickness is due to a lack of faith.

I’m not advocating that we become angry or depressed all the time, but that they should affect us greatly in respect to unnecessary pain and suffering in the world. All I’m saying about apathy is that it’s a sin against Christ’s second commandment to love our neighbor as ourself.

 

[thistle]

I’m not advocating that we become angry or depressed all the time, but that they should affect us greatly in respect to unnecessary pain and suffering in the world. All I’m saying about apathy is that it’s a sin against Christ’s second commandment to love our neighbor as ourself.

Yes you are. You are trying to bully us into saying that nobody should have a happy life if there are poor and starving people in the world.
Frankly, such a view is ridiculous. If you want to be miserable then be miserable.

 

[Robert_Sock]

Yes you are. You are trying to bully us into saying that nobody should have a happy life if there are poor and starving people in the world.
Frankly, such a view is ridiculous. If you want to be miserable then be miserable.

Please quote the post where I say we ought to not be joyful. Starvation in the world should cause us to experience negative emotions, but not drive us to complete despair.

 

[Timothysis]

Yes you are. You are trying to bully us into saying that nobody should have a happy life if there are poor and starving people in the world.
Frankly, such a view is ridiculous. If you want to be miserable then be miserable.

But its not enough for Robert to be miserable; he wants us to all be miserable, too. And if we aren’t miserable about starvation, then we are apathetic and weak Christians. Robert accused me of judging him, yet he judges us all with impunity. How’s that, then?

 

[thistle]

But its not enough for Robert to be miserable; he wants us to all be miserable, too. And if we aren’t miserable about starvation, then we are apathetic and weak Christians. Robert accused me of judging him, yet he judges us all with impunity. How’s that, then?

He needs help!

 

[maryjk]

I’m not asking anybody what they are doing to help prevent starvation, but I’m simply asking how do you deal with it?

When you worry, you are not trusting God.

So I try not to worry. I try to place my trust in God.

So, how do I deal with starving children?

I try not to worry. I try to place my trust in God.

How do you deal with it?

 

[Kamaduck]

Please quote the post where I say we ought to not be joyful. Starvation in the world should cause us to experience negative emotions, but not drive us to complete despair.

Post #62. You said it was “sick” to find earthy joy while something like the Holocaust is happening. Since atrocities are happening all the time, that pretty much means that you think happiness is always “sick”.

Everyone else insists that it’s not. There’s nothing wrong with feeling joy in the midst of a sinful world.

 

[Robert_Sock]

Post #62. You said it was “sick” to find earthy joy while something like the Holocaust is happening. Since atrocities are happening all the time, that pretty much means that you think happiness is always “sick”.

Everyone else insists that it’s not. There’s nothing wrong with feeling joy in the midst of a sinful world.

Here I’m talking about earthly joy, not Heavenly joy.

 

[ishii]

I hate to dwell on negative things, but how do you deal with all the extreme poverty in the world? Did you know that 3.5 million innocent children die of starvation each and every year? This is on par with the starvation of Jews during the Holocaust! People tell me that I should not let it bother me, but those types of statements cause me to become all the more irritated. I simply cannot be happy in a world where these types of atrocities take place; I actually feel some of their pain and suffering! Please take a few minutes to reflect on what I just said, and tell me how you deal with it?

(Why are unnecessary pain, suffering and death so hidden from the sight of people? It’s a hideous crime against humanity!!! Ask yourself: What are we doing to try and correct these types of atrocities? The masses of people are unaware of the severity. Why? Few mention it. Why? It’s not just their political and economic system; it’s that the world has been silenced!)

How to deal with starvation of innocent children?

That’s easy, Robert Stock. I will insist on abolishing our free-market system and replace it with socialism so that everyone can be in misery and starve together !

There, we are done.

Ishii

 

[Robert_Sock]

When you worry, you are not trusting God.

So I try not to worry. I try to place my trust in God.

So, how do I deal with starving children?

I try not to worry. I try to place my trust in God.

How do you deal with it?

I deal with it with prayer and lighting one small candle, but I also feel a deep disdain for a world where such misery and corruption are present. They are my brothers and sisters who are starving to death, not just yearly statistics. Would your actions be the same if your loved ones were starving to death and nobody would feed them? Might God want to use us as His instruments in shedding light on these atrocities?

 

[Robert_Sock]

But its not enough for Robert to be miserable; he wants us to all be miserable, too. And if we aren’t miserable about starvation, then we are apathetic and weak Christians. Robert accused me of judging him, yet he judges us all with impunity. How’s that, then?

Confabulations!

 

[Robert_Sock]

How to deal with starvation of innocent children?

That’s easy, Robert Stock. I will insist on abolishing our free-market system and replace it with socialism so that everyone can be in misery and starve together !

There, we are done.

Ishii

Is there really a need for sarcasm?

 

[Kamaduck]

Here I’m talking about earthly joy, not Heavenly joy.

There is absolutely nothing wring with being happy for earthly reasons.

You ask if our actions would be the same if our loved ones were starving to death. Mine certainly wouldn’t be- I would stop trying to help others who are suffering, and would focus on my own family. But if I’m to help those people who need it, I need to keep a positive outlook and keep working. Giving up the joy in my life certainly won’t help them eat.

You need to realize that many people are already doing the best they can.

 

[Robert_Sock]

There is absolutely nothing wring with being happy for earthly reasons.

Was Christ ever filled with earthly joy? What about St Peter or St Paul? Do you know of any Saint who indulged in earthly joy? Yes, there are a lot of Saints who experienced LOVE, but Heavenly LOVE.

 

[Kamaduck]

Was Christ ever filled with earthly joy? What about St Peter or St Paul? Do you know of any Saint who indulged in earthly joy? Yes, there are a lot of Saints who experienced LOVE, but Heavenly LOVE.

So… Enjoying wine is heavenly joy, then.

 

[Robert_Sock]

So… Enjoying wine is heavenly joy, then.

Show me the Saint who who openly acknowledges seeking earthly joy, including that found from wine. Wine during the time of Christ was a widespread custom, but nowhere do we read of Christ having sought it out for its own enjoyment.

 

[Robert_Sock]

So… Enjoying wine is heavenly joy, then.

“Love not the world, nor the things which are in the world. If any man love the world, the charity of the Father is not in him.”
-1 John 2:15