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To continue to be the church we read about in the New Testament. The Bible is equally clear about those who oppress, victimize and persecute the homeless and poor. Mark Ryavec would have submitted a blog to PATCH railing about how Jesus was a dangerous violent criminal and the residents of Venice weren't going to allow him to threaten their safety and serenity...and his hand-picked political agitators would have burned up Bill Rosendahl's phone lines demanding that he protect Venice homeowners from this dangerous derelict. Still, a 2011 Gallup poll discovered that, on average, 8 out of 10 people in America have some level of belief in the validity of the Bible and the existence of its God. See the related verses below. John 13:16 - Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. For instance, in the Old Testament book of Job, Job says : "…(because of God,) THE POOR HATH HOPE, AND INIQUITY STOPPETH HER MOUTH" [meaning that evil, itself, has nothing left to say] (Job 5:16 ), "…THE CRY OF THE POOR COMETH UNTO HIM (to God), AND HE HEARETH THE CRY OF THE AFFLICTED" (Job 36:6). In Leviticus 19:10 God further commands the Jews that they not "gather every grape of thy vineyard", but instead : "LEAVE (a portion of) THEM FOR THE POOR AND STRANGER". Starting with the book of Exodus in the Hebrew "Old Testament" (the first half of our modern Bible), we find God telling the Jews not to plant or harvest their fields, olive yards or grape vineyards every 7th year, but to just let the lands produce whatever residual crop they will on their own, and then to allow "THE POOR OF THY PEOPLE" to eat that crop. Jesus had no home throughout the time of his ministry. Galatians 3:28 - There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. They are already victims of an economy gone bad, the last thing they need now is to be victims of hatred, fear, scorn and persecution on the part of the community. Register for a user account. (Psalm 10:2) : "THE WICKED, IN THEIR PRIDE, DOTH PERSECUTE THE POOR : LET THEM BE TAKEN IN THE DEVICES THEY HAVE IMAGINED" - Which means, "let the harm they have attempted to do to the poor fall upon them instead". But what does the Bible have to say to Christians in the age of self help? Read more about Human Dignity here. Even those of us who do not will readily acknowledge that the Bible is perhaps the most influential book in Western Civilization - informing our society's laws, customs, values, morals and ways of thinking. There will always be those who, as a result of their own actions, or actions that are out of their control, find themselves in dire economic straits and wind up with an inability to provide for their basic necessities. Psalm 72:4 (C.E.V.) RESPONSIBILITY a. 5. "Give food to the hungry and care for the homeless. However, the apostle Paul explained another aspect we must consider: “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat" (2 Thessalonians 3:10 2 Thessalonians 3:10For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.American King James Version×, King James Version). For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. John 13:16 ESV / 490 helpful votes. Question: "What does the Bible say about human rights?" It becomes clear that it is also God’s intent that we do what we can to care for those who are poor and are in need. What is the Bible's perspective on such people? United Church of God is a 501(c)3 organization. The Bible couldn't be any clearer on the subject. You get to decide for yourself what YOU are going to do about it. ( Ecclesiastes 5:8). speaks of people who : "…ARE SO GREEDY THAT THEY GOBBLE DOWN THE POOR AND HOMELESS.". The current investigation is a planned, systematic study of dignity as critical to understanding the experience of homelessness and improving services and programs for the homeless. Throughout the Bible are admonitions to care for the poor and to care for those who are in need. HUMAN DIGNITY •Biblical vision of the human person o The biblical vision of the human person is grounded on revelation. He would have been busted along with a couple of other homeless malefactors (who may have actually been criminals) and probably all three would have been made into public examples - to discourage other homeless from being in Venice. Our service efforts cannot substitute for…just public policies, but they can help us practice what we preach about human life and human dignity. Current Advocacy Position The Catholic bishops believe decent, safe, and affordable housing is a human right. In fact, in Leviticus 19:33, God commands : "…IF A STRANGER SOJOURN [ meaning : "if he lives as a 'transient' "] IN YOUR LAND, YE SHALL NOT VEX HIM" [alternate translation : "ye shall not oppress him"]. This is true whether their own parents forsake them (Psalm 27:10), they … And only God has eternal value and intrinsic (that is, in and of Himself) significance. Is God the ultimate "enabler" so fiercely decried by them? Click the button below to continue. You could volunteer at your local soup kitchen, make a donation to the Union Gospel Mission or similar programs, or make up supply baskets to give to those who are truly in need. Here's the good news. OK, fun is fun, but there's really nothing funny about the plight of the unfortunate poor and homeless in L.A. (in general) and Venice Beach (in specific). Where do Jesus and The New Testament of The Bible stand on the question of the poor and homeless? ... Let no one imagine that he will lose anything of human dignity by this voluntary sell-out of his all to his God. As we view both our God and our society, we have a responsibility: 1. Personally, I think it's time to "stop hating and start helping". They are human beings who bear the image of God (just like you and I do) and should be treated with dignity and compassion. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, … Dignity, by biblical definition, is tied to the biblical concept of glory. Search popularity is shown in blue using the scale below. The Bible tells us that God sees it all : "IF THOU SEEST THE OPPRESSION OF THE POOR, AND VIOLENT PERVERTING OF JUDGEMENT AND JUSTICE…MARVEL NOT AT THE MATTER: FOR HE THAT IS HIGHER THAN THE HIGHEST REGARDETH IT, AND THERE BE HIGHER THAN THEY." Catholic teaching supports the right to private property, but recognizes that communities and the government have an obligation to ensure the housing needs of all are met, especially poor and vulnerable people and their families. The Bible makes any number of statements showing that God takes a PERSONAL interest in how the poor and homeless are treated. "The Law" and "The Prophets" are references to parts of the Jewish "Old Testament" of the Bible (from which the above quotations are taken). The views expressed in this post are the author's own. The Islam Texts Society puts forth the idea that human dignity is the basis of human rights. He instructed them not to provide them with church aid unless they were willing to work to contribute. HOMELESS PEOPLE IN THE (JEWISH) "OLD TESTAMENT". To the disabled. I'm a believer, and I sincerely want to "serve my own generation by the will of God" (Acts 13:36). This post was contributed by a community member. To the sick. I don't know what YOU call it when you take some poor, un-housed person's vehicle (with all his belongings in it) because he has broken some trumped up, nonsensical "law" by using it as shelter against the elements and to protect himself from predators while he sleeps (actions which harm NO ONE), but I call that "robbing" and "oppressing" him. There are also those who take the money they do receive from others and use it to purchase drugs and alcohol to feed addictions, or attempt to medicate their mental illnesses. But I also can't help wondering about some of the "social justice" and "human rights" issues … Each person is created in the image and likeness of God and therefore has a God-given dignity. The Bible states that the poor will be with us always (Mark 14:7 Mark 14:7For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you will you may do them good: but me you have not always.American King James Version×). Recently, we had the opportunity to interview Trevin Wax about his new book Rethink Your Self: The Power of Looking Up Before Looking In , which explores this very topic. From Mark Ryavec and his "Venice Stakeholders" - to Bill Rosendahl and Zev Yaraslofsky - to the Police tasked with making the lives of the homeless miserable - to the residents of this community who look the other way while these persecutions take place...the Bible makes clear that : "…THE PEOPLE…HAVE USED OPPRESSION, AND EXERCISED ROBBERY, AND HAVE VEXED THE POOR AND NEEDY: YEA, THEY HAVE OPPRESSED THE STRANGER WRONGFULLY." I guess if Jesus had walked the streets of Venice, the police - under pressure from the City Council - would have first told him that he couldn't sleep on the Boardwalk, but that he could sleep on 3rd. I, for one, wouldn't want to be around when the … HOMELESSNESS IN THE (CHRISTIAN) NEW TESTAMENT. Jesus was homeless. "The poor shall not cease out of the land…"? In serving them, we serve Christ. Did you know that throughout its pages The Bible makes many statements which - if we did not know better - we might easily conclude were intended to speak about the homeless situation here in Venice Beach? He used to call himself "The Son Of Man", and he is reported to have said : "…the foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but THE SON OF MAN HATH NOT WHERE TO LAY HIS HEAD." The lives of all humans, both their own and others’, are to be cherished and guarded. As Christians, shouldn't we just concentrate on evangelism? Individuals and churches should have the right to take action when they see someone in need. God’s glory, His weightiness, His importance, His significance, is what the Bible uses to describe the fountainhead of all dignity. (Gn 1:26-27) o The human person is made in the image and likeness of God. Human Dignity Bible Verses. Shelter beds and potential housing relief is available for MAYBE one out of five of them…the rest have no real way out for now. Latest U.S. coronavirus news: Death toll could hit 500K before March, Biden chief of staff says; variant could become dominant here. Starting your free trial of Bible Gateway Plus is easy. Life is a gift from God. What Does the Bible Say About the Homeless and... For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you will you may do them good: but me you have not always. The next step is to enter your payment information. A "sojourner" is defined as : "a temporary resident", in other words a "transient". It appears that HE thinks that providing food to the poor and homeless is a good idea. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. No–Cost Webinar: Ask the Divorce Experts – South Bay, CA, New Years Resolutions and Your Divorce – Beverly Hills ~ No-Cost, 'You've Got Mail: Catalina Island's Mail Carrier History': Zoom, DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKING for TEENS & ADULTS, Science Tutoring (Biology and Chemistry) - Private School Only, Kaiser Announces Pledge To 10 SoCal Health Equity Organizations, Strong Winds Coming To Southland With Gusts Reaching 75 MPH, Here’s How Well Nurses Are Paid In California, Venice-Mar Vista Area Job Openings: Browse The Latest, Coronavirus Hospitalizations Inch Downward In LA. (Mt.8:20). Topical Bible Verses. I, for one, wouldn't want to be around when the lightning starts landing in the vicinity of those who have made a practice of abusing the poor and homeless just for their own personal political and financial gain. He said : "Think not that I am come to destroy The Law, or The Prophets, I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill" (Mt.5:17). Eventually Rosendahl would have caved in to them, and leaned hard enough on the police that they would have impounded Jesus's cloak - and later they would have gambled among themselves to see who got to keep it. The ideas of human dignity and respect for all didn’t develop in a vacuum. What about "transients" - the word that many of those who despise the homeless here in Venice use to describe the un-housed that they are so anxious to have us get rid of? Psalm 109:16 talks in disturbing tones about : "HE THAT…PERSECUTED THE POOR AND NEEDY MAN, THAT HE MIGHT EVEN SLAY THE BROKEN IN HEART.". Sorted by most helpful votes from the Topical Bible. Of course, when God says "live with thee", He is not suggesting that you move the transient into your home (although many Old Testament Jews did just that), but merely that you not molest him, persecute him or try to run him out of town. It is inherent. As for all the false statements and false accusations made by "the haters" against the poor and un-housed, consider Proverbs 21:13 : If there are any "Venice's Finest" reading this, please permit me to say something to you : Most of us who live here in Venice appreciate the risks you take and the job you do for this community, and I know that you are under authority, that you have to do what you are told to do - but when you are impounding a homeless person's vehicle because he broke a "law" that says he's not allowed to shelter himself or sleep in it, and when you are preventing it from being released to him until it has rung up such exorbitant storage charges that it must be abandoned by its impoverished owner (with all of his worldly possessions still inside it because he was prevented from retrieving them), bear in mind that in the Bible, God has said : "ROB NOT THE POOR… NEITHER OPPRESS THE AFFLICTED…" (Proverbs. (Dt.15:9), "...THE POOR SHALL NEVER CEASE OUT OF THE LAND: THEREFORE, I COMMAND THEE, SAYING, THOU SHALT OPEN THINE HAND WIDE …TO THE POOR, AND TO THE NEEDY…" (Dt.15:11). This dignity is given not by a roof over our heads but by a Messiah on the cross. Very few available jobs - especially for someone without a shower or an address. We must advocate for human life and dignity at every turn; not doing so means we are unfaithful in preaching the whole counsel of God’s word. Note that Jesus quoted it to his followers : "For ye have the poor always with you..." (MT.26:11). God cares for the helpless. Your credit card won’t be charged until the trial period is over. The Bible is clear: it is expected that we will care for the poor and needy among us. He taught from the Jewish Old Testament, nor did he deviate from its perceptions about God. 4. Specifically, we conducted a thematic content analysis of interviews with 24 homeless men and women to identify their perception of specific environmental events that validate and invalidate dignity. Are you curious where The God Of The Bible weighs in on this issue? Christians have a duty to speak about and toward those experiencing homeless in ways that recognize this God-given value. Just as homeless as that scruffy guy rolled up in a sleeping bag in the alley next to the pizza place on Main Street at the edge of Venice. It appears from these examples in Scripture that it was not God’s intention that people find themselves indebted in such a way that they could never recover. Jesus was 100% down the line with what God had said in the Old Testament about the oppression of poor and needy strangers and transients . Human Dignity Quotes "At stake is the dignity of the human person, whose defense and promotion have been entrusted to us by the Creator" Saint John Paul II, Solicitude Rei Socialis "For, by his Incarnation, he, the son of God, in a certain way united himself with each man" Vatican II Human dignity is the starting point and central concern of Catholic thinking about human rights. It makes them feel a little more human to be treated with dignity. 22:22). Since life belongs to God, humans do not have absolute autonomy over their own lives but are stewards of the life given to them by God. But we are also admonished not to contribute to those that refuse to work. In America you have the right to reject all religious ideologies, just as you have the right to decide for yourself which - if any - religious ideas seem true to you. We must agree that homeless persons deserve human dignity, invest in our social services and support reintegration at their own pace. It directs us to have compassion and mercy on them, to give to them, to help them get something to eat, a toilet to use, someplace to clean up, some area where they can lay down overnight without being molested by the police or victimized by violent criminals or zealous community-vigilante groups, maybe some clean clothes, maybe some medical help, some counciling - and above all, some dignity and respect. d. To the needy who are unable to work. I am a creature—I come from the dust. After a six-year period of service, they were released on the seventh year and received a jumpstart on getting themselves reset financially (Deuteronomy 15:10-11 Deuteronomy 15:10-11 [10] You shall surely give him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him: because that for this thing the LORD your God shall bless you in all your works, and in all that you put your hand to. National Guard Vetting Underscores Inauguration Security Concerns, 'Almighty Dollar' More Important To NCAA Than Health, Coach Says. The Bible admonishes us repeatedly to care for the poor among us. Paul is addressing the church in Thessalonica, where there were some who were idle and refused to work, instead choosing to be busybodies in other people’s affairs. Why not take a few minutes and read some of the ideas about homelessness presented within the pages of The Bible? Remember Dt.15:11 above? What does the Bible say about Human Dignity? We recently witnessed a heated and lengthy debate in this forum between those who support the offering of food to the homeless and those oppose it. On the other end of that spectrum are those individuals who have chosen not to work, instead choosing to panhandle, or solicit funds from passers-by. Human Nature: Body and Soul. As Christians we absolutely need to care for those who are in need—the difficulty is determining who is truly needy. When I feed the homeless, it warms my heart when they say, 'thank you,' or offer a little change to pay for their meal. So, while the Venice - Mar-Vista PATCH site is in no way a religious forum, it is likely that most of us who come here embrace the Bible, its God and its teachings to some degree. You can cancel anytime during the trial period. While those opposed to feeding the homeless here in Venice have tried to convince us that it does not help, but merely "enables" them, God, in the Bible, does not seem to be aware of this. While it is understandable that local governments want to clean up the city, homeless people are not pests that should be removed. In Leviticus 25:35 (King James Version of the Bible), God tells the people (and tells us) : "THOU SHALT RELIEVE HIM, YEA, THOUGH HE BE A STRANGER, OR A SOJOURNER; THAT HE MAY LIVE WITH THEE". The Bible also teaches us that the human person is a unity of body and soul: “Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7). They are in need of a helping hand to get themselves back up on their feet. The Bible is equally clear about those who oppress, victimize and persecute the homeless and poor. © 1995–2021 All correspondence and questions should be sent to info@ucg.org. Hounding them from one community to the other is no answer, neither is persecuting them or making them the object of hatred and fear among the housed community. It can be very difficult to discern at times who is truly needy, and who is taking advantage of the generosity of others. Let us reach out personally to the hungry and the homeless, to the poor and the powerless, and to the troubled and the vulnerable. Did he deviate from its perceptions about God is that it is understandable that local governments to... 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