how not to be poor

[royal_archer]

Did you hear the second reading at Mass today? It sounds like to me that St James was speaking to you Royal Archer specifically, amungst others.

James 5: 1 - 6

1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you.
2 Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten.
3 Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure for the last days.
4 Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.
5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.
6 You have condemned, you have killed the righteous man; he does not resist you.

I am not rich and have never defaulted on the wages earned by my employees.
The moth eaten garment comment may apply, I tend not to buy new clothing for myself.
Verse 4 is what I have been speaking about. Honest labor will benefit you. If you work hard you will be rewarded if not by man then by God.

Specifically, this speaks to the obligation to charity, charity which can only be given voluntarily. This is not a call to take from the wealthy by force. To take by force is a grave sin. If your ailments are causing you to sin, think about what was said in today’s gospel.

 

[aspawloski4th]

James 5: 1 - 6

1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you.
2 Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten.
3 Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure for the last days.
4 Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.
5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.
6 You have condemned, you have killed the righteous man; he does not resist you.

I am not rich and have never defaulted on the wages earned by my employees.
The moth eaten garment comment may apply, I tend not to buy new clothing for myself.
Verse 4 is what I have been speaking about. Honest labor will benefit you. If you work hard you will be rewarded if not by man then by God.

Specifically, this speaks to the obligation to charity, charity which can only be given voluntarily. This is not a call to take from the wealthy by force. To take by force is a grave sin. If your ailments are causing you to sin, think about what was said in today’s gospel.

Ok I’ll bite! Answer me this question. Answer with out reguard to who is rich and who is poor, because that actually is irrelevant. Was Robinhood committing sin by his modus apperendi?

 

[aspawloski4th]

James 5: 1 - 6

1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you.
2 Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten.
3 Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure for the last days.
4 Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.
5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.
6 You have condemned, you have killed the righteous man; he does not resist you.

I am not rich and have never defaulted on the wages earned by my employees.
The moth eaten garment comment may apply, I tend not to buy new clothing for myself.
Verse 4 is what I have been speaking about. Honest labor will benefit you. If you work hard you will be rewarded if not by man then by God.

Specifically, this speaks to the obligation to charity, charity which can only be given voluntarily. This is not a call to take from the wealthy by force. To take by force is a grave sin. If your ailments are causing you to sin, think about what was said in today’s gospel.

Your answer sounds very Proetestnt to me. Protestants take Bible readings strictly for surface value, Catholics take surface value and read between the lines as well, something business men seem to not be good at in this day and age.

 

[aspawloski4th]

The reality is that most people are satisfied with 10-15 per hour and 8 hour days. They may complain but they accept it. Therefore those who are not able to accept it have ample opportunity to move up. If everyone started getting aggressive with their job futures, and were willing to leave for better jobs, companies would soon see a large turn over and would reevaluate their compensation programs.

Since I became unemployed in February Iv’e sent 100’s of ressumes and applied at 100’s, maybe 1000’s of jobs. And nothing byond interviews. Iv’e gotta say you are living in a different world than most of the rest of us.

 

[royal_archer]

Ok I’ll bite! Answer me this question. Answer with out reguard to who is rich and who is poor, because that actually is irrelevant. Was Robinhood committing sin by his modus apperendi?

Robin hood was a fictional charachter. Depending on the variation of the story you can come to different conclusions. Most tellings of the story say that he would steal from th rich with no indication that the victims were guilty of any wrong doing. The most relevant reference in the bible is “Though shall not steal”

 

[royal_archer]

Your answer sounds very Proetestnt to me. Protestants take Bible readings strictly for surface value, Catholics take surface value and read between the lines as well, something business men seem to not be good at in this day and age.

Catholics do not read between the lines, we read in the context of the fuller teaching of the Church. These readings are about personal charity and giving, they are not calls to arms to steal or commit any other sin.

Getting back to the original point of the thread. It is of no use to complain that the mean rich guy won’t give you something you didn’t earn. There is ample opportunity to earn a piece of the pie if you choose to do so.

 

[royal_archer]

Since I became unemployed in February Iv’e sent 100’s of ressumes and applied at 100’s, maybe 1000’s of jobs. And nothing byond interviews. Iv’e gotta say you are living in a different world than most of the rest of us.

When I was last un employed I got up at 6, read the want adds, sent out a couple dozen resumes, by 8 and then started calling companies or writing to presidents of companies offering my services resulting in another dozen or so resumes going out. I would also fill out about 6 applications per day. and continue working till about 6 at night. I easily sent out hundreds of resumes per week. With the internet it is much easier now. You should be making about 200 contacts per week.

I also found that networking can be very effective (even though it is something I dislike doing). Working volunteer activities at your church or other places can really help get your name out. I have also had a great deal of luck with professional organizations. If someone sees you and knows you are the person they flipped burgers with at the last fund raiser, they will be more likely to give your resume or application a second look.

If all else fails, just start working. Yes, I did it once. I didn’t have any place to go to work so I wen to a previous employer and just started working. They gave me a temproary job there as a result.

I don’t think I am living in a different world, I am just refusing to accept defeat.

 

[aspawloski4th]

Robin hood was a fictional charachter. Depending on the variation of the story you can come to different conclusions. Most tellings of the story say that he would steal from th rich with no indication that the victims were guilty of any wrong doing. The most relevant reference in the bible is “Though shall not steal”

Actually Robin Hood is comparable to King Arthur. A real figure who has much legend associated with him. There may have been more than one King Arthur, I havent read a teory yet like that about RobinHood. The story goes he stole from the rich and gave to the poor. The rich were the Saxon goverment of the time. The money was taken from the citizenry by totally legal means, by taxing. Many would argue that by the standards of that era even ethically. But morally no. While the tax was legal, paying it killed some through taking their substance away. Remeber in the ten commandments thoult Shall not murder comes beofore, the one concerning stealing. Thou shall not steal does also include stealing one’s humanity according to many Catholic commentaries, both liberal and conservative.

 

[aspawloski4th]

When I was last un employed I got up at 6, read the want adds, sent out a couple dozen resumes, by 8 and then started calling companies or writing to presidents of companies offering my services resulting in another dozen or so resumes going out. I would also fill out about 6 applications per day. and continue working till about 6 at night. I easily sent out hundreds of resumes per week. With the internet it is much easier now. You should be making about 200 contacts per week.

I also found that networking can be very effective (even though it is something I dislike doing). Working volunteer activities at your church or other places can really help get your name out. I have also had a great deal of luck with professional organizations. If someone sees you and knows you are the person they flipped burgers with at the last fund raiser, they will be more likely to give your resume or application a second look.

If all else fails, just start working. Yes, I did it once. I didn’t have any place to go to work so I wen to a previous employer and just started working. They gave me a temproary job there as a result.

I don’t think I am living in a different world, I am just refusing to accept defeat.

I’m in the process of trying to create a job where none was before or ssumed to be now. So I am using a little creativity myself.

 

[royal_archer]

Actually Robin Hood is comparable to King Arthur. A real figure who has much legend associated with him. There may have been more than one King Arthur, I havent read a teory yet like that about RobinHood. The story goes he stole from the rich and gave to the poor. The rich were the Saxon goverment of the time. The money was taken from the citizenry by totally legal means, by taxing. Many would argue that by the standards of that era even ethically. But morally no. While the tax was legal, paying it killed some through taking their substance away. Remeber in the ten commandments thoult Shall not murder comes beofore, the one concerning stealing. Thou shall not steal does also include stealing one’s humanity according to many Catholic commentaries, both liberal and conservative.

The way it is described by you, it would be akin to a bunch of American tax payers robing a federal reserve building.

 

[royal_archer]

I’m in the process of trying to create a job where none was before or ssumed to be now. So I am using a little creativity myself.

Great and don’t give up if you run into a road block.

 

[pathia]

When I was last un employed I got up at 6, read the want adds, sent out a couple dozen resumes, by 8 and then started calling companies or writing to presidents of companies offering my services resulting in another dozen or so resumes going out. I would also fill out about 6 applications per day. and continue working till about 6 at night. I easily sent out hundreds of resumes per week. With the internet it is much easier now. You should be making about 200 contacts per week.
.

Unfortunately it also severs the human element, it’s almost impossible to find a phone number that someone can actually be talked at about a job. They data-mine your resumes for buzz words and you get a callback if you put the right stuff in there, unless you have an insider, there’s no way to contact anyone inside that would have any influence.

 

[cynic]

If everyone started getting aggressive with their job futures, and were willing to leave for better jobs, companies would soon see a large turn over and would reevaluate their compensation programs.

The number of managerial positions or jobs of a professional nature (that require a degree) are limited. If everybody aggressively sought promotion or a better job, only some would be successful.

 

[royal_archer]

Unfortunately it also severs the human element, it’s almost impossible to find a phone number that someone can actually be talked at about a job. They data-mine your resumes for buzz words and you get a callback if you put the right stuff in there, unless you have an insider, there’s no way to contact anyone inside that would have any influence.

A little trick, send in multiple resumes with slightly different write ups and variations of a name, Joe, Joseph, with middle innitial, with out a middle innitial etc. this improves your odds.

Call HR, and get to know the person. and develop a relationship that will help.

Stand in front of the building and hand out resumes to anyone entering / leaving.

Review the corporate records and news releases and cold call anyone whose name you find.

Find a bar near the company where the managers from the company hang out and network.

Use Facebook.

Use your parrish directory.

 

[royal_archer]

The number of managerial positions or jobs of a professional nature (that require a degree) are limited. If everybody aggressively sought promotion or a better job, only some would be successful.

Yes, but very few will really try for those jobs.

 

[rtconstant]

How do you define what is earned? I define it as the wages agreed upon prior to the start of work.

I define it as those who produce and develop the products that generate revenue.

You have been advocating governments forcefully violating agreements between business and workers to the bennefit of the workers. This violates the rights of the business owners. If someone agrees to a wage and does the work related to that wage they deserve that wage. To force the employeer to pay more than that wage is stealing from them.

No the wage that one deserves and the wage that they may be compelled to accept are two different things. Businesses are stealing the the talent of the workers when they don’t pay or show loyalty to them. If you really want an unregulated capitalistic environment then move to the Congo. Its every man for himself there.

 

[jmcrae]

Is volunteer work for the church an example of the church “stealing”?

The Church doesn’t threaten to take away your livelihood if you don’t volunteer.

 

[royal_archer]

I define it as those who produce and develop the products that generate revenue.

No the wage that one deserves and the wage that they may be compelled to accept are two different things. Businesses are stealing the the talent of the workers when they don’t pay or show loyalty to them. If you really want an unregulated capitalistic environment then move to the Congo. Its every man for himself there.

So Derek Jeter should be able to go to the Yankees and demand a few more million because they are having a good year?

Should the waitress at a restraunt be able to up your bill because the prices advertised don’t meet her needs?

 

[royal_archer]

The Church doesn’t threaten to take away your livelihood if you don’t volunteer.

I never had that happen, nor have I ever seen that happen outside of fiscal layoffs where they purge the least productive workers first.

 

[jmcrae]

Catholics do not read between the lines, we read in the context of the fuller teaching of the Church. These readings are about personal charity and giving, they are not calls to arms to steal or commit any other sin.

Getting back to the original point of the thread. It is of no use to complain that the mean rich guy won’t give you something you didn’t earn. There is ample opportunity to earn a piece of the pie if you choose to do so.

If you agreed to $15.00 an hour and you work a ten hour day, you have legitimately earned $150.00 for that day’s work - not $120.00 plus the remote possibility of maybe some day being looked at for a promotion.