Comments on: Consumerism http://johnaaronmartin.wordpress.com/2008/04/29/consumerism-how-do-we-escape-the-excess-of-culture/ pastoral thoughts about conscience, culture and Christ Sat, 06 Sep 2008 00:02:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU hourly 1 By: ZacHensley.com » Christian Assaults on Capitalism http://johnaaronmartin.wordpress.com/2008/04/29/consumerism-how-do-we-escape-the-excess-of-culture/#comment-580 ZacHensley.com » Christian Assaults on Capitalism Sat, 03 May 2008 23:28:46 +0000 http://johnaaronmartin.wordpress.com/?p=333#comment-580 [...] recently read a post from a blog that is run by my youth pastor from many years ago where he quoted an article from [...] [...] recently read a post from a blog that is run by my youth pastor from many years ago where he quoted an article from [...]

]]> By: Meredith http://johnaaronmartin.wordpress.com/2008/04/29/consumerism-how-do-we-escape-the-excess-of-culture/#comment-565 Meredith Tue, 29 Apr 2008 23:12:41 +0000 http://johnaaronmartin.wordpress.com/?p=333#comment-565 I agree with Claiborne. That's one thing I've been struggling with lately -- realizing I have little contact with the poor. I want to change in that way. It reminds me of something A.B. Simpson said, "A church that wants the poor, misses them, seeks them, will always find them, feed them and be filled with them." I also agree with McLaren. The economy is a good thing. Instead of giving away money freely (which is necessary in lots of situations), I think programs inspired to help people get and maintain fairly-paid jobs is a better route, if possible. This site is pretty cool, and I like its view: http://www.jobsforlife.com/ People need to work and learn to support themselves. And I think the best way to help the poor is to teach them how to help themselves. There's a jewelry store in Atlanta that's run by a Christian ministry, and the jewelry is made by women in India and such places where prostitution is more prominent. The jewelry they sell helps them to stay out of the streets. I think this is wonderful. I agree with Claiborne. That’s one thing I’ve been struggling with lately — realizing I have little contact with the poor. I want to change in that way. It reminds me of something A.B. Simpson said, “A church that wants the poor, misses them, seeks them, will always find them, feed them and be filled with them.”

I also agree with McLaren. The economy is a good thing. Instead of giving away money freely (which is necessary in lots of situations), I think programs inspired to help people get and maintain fairly-paid jobs is a better route, if possible. This site is pretty cool, and I like its view: http://www.jobsforlife.com/ People need to work and learn to support themselves. And I think the best way to help the poor is to teach them how to help themselves. There’s a jewelry store in Atlanta that’s run by a Christian ministry, and the jewelry is made by women in India and such places where prostitution is more prominent. The jewelry they sell helps them to stay out of the streets. I think this is wonderful.

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