As fearful people we are inclined to develop a mind-set that makes us say: “There’s not enough food for everyone, so I better be sure I save enough for myself in case of emergency,” or “There’s not enough knowledge for everyone to enjoy; so I’d better keep my knowledge to myself, so no one else will use it” or “There’s not enough love to give to everybody, so I’d better keep my friends for myself to prevent others from taking them away from me.” This is a scarcity mentality. It involves hoarding whatever we have, fearful that we won’t have enough to survive. The tragedy, however, is that what you cling to ends up rotting in your hands.
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MY CHALLENGE (mainly to Christians): Relate this to what you believe about “outsiders” such as illegal “aliens” (or “slackers” who “want to” stay on welfare, while driving a “better car” than you).
Do you have any agruments other than “what part of illegal don’t you understand?” Is that what you want to tell God when He asks about being your “brother’s keeper?” Do you really think He’ll buy it?
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May 6, 2007 at 4:26 pm
Jana Allard
Well, Helen, I’m not sure that your challenge really relates to the temptation to hoard. If I could truly do as Jesus, I would multiply all the food and Ethiopia would not have anyone hungry. Reality is that there is not enough food for them without a miracle. I do believe in being my brother’s keeper, but God’s word also instructs us to obey the laws of the land. Before you shoot let me say, we have many lawbreakers which includes robbers, traffic violators, and even illegal aliens. I don’t think illegal aliens violation should be treated any differently than other violators. If someone goes to jail for robbing, a traffic violator receives a citation, than illegal aliens should have consequences too. Remember, they are not without a home, they chose to runaway. (Which makes me question why they aren’t their brother’s keeper.) Yes, they were pursuing a better life, but there are proper ways to achieve the better way. We have a lady in our church who is 55 years of age, never married, never had a child and is too sick to work. She recently had surgery for cancer. It took many months to obtain authorization for her surgery because she had no means in which to pay for it. She cannot work, but has been refused any assistance from our government. (She has received a few food stamps, but not enough to eat on for more than a week. She does not receive any financial aid. Her siblings try to pay the utilities and meet her obligations.) Yet, the hospital emergency room was full of illegal aliens receiving treatment for which they will never pay and they are not refused. Now let me add, I still extend love to robbers, traffic violators and illegal aliens, but there are prices to pay for wrong doing. In fact, we allowed an illegal family to live on our property free in exchange for janitorial services until they could find their own place. They lived on our property for several years and finally bought a home. In spite of how much I love them, I am still frustrated that they have not taken advantage of the periods of amnesty that have been available. If the government discovers them and returns them to Mexico, it is really their fault for not obeying the laws of the land – and as much as I would miss them I understand they must pay the price for their wrong. So to answer your question – I believe I am my brother’s keeper but I can’t make the choices and decisions for my brother. I can love him, share as much as I have, and I believe the Lord is pleased with me. The flip question – Is the Lord pleased with my disobedient brother?
May 6, 2007 at 4:35 pm
helenl
Thanks for your reply, Jana. I’d like to hear what others think before I say anything, if, indeed, I do.
May 7, 2007 at 2:40 am
whig
Jana, I believe that I am pleasing to God. He helps me to help people. Cannabis is a natural herb prohibited under federal law, but it is a medicine which can treat many serious conditions. It is also a religious sacrament, part of the eucharistic mystery now being revealed. It has also been known as the tree of life. By speaking about this, I am helping you to understand. By using cannabis to treat my own chronic pain, I am possibly violating federal law, however I am in compliance with California law.
May 7, 2007 at 2:43 am
whig
To go further, there are people who suffer these conditions in states other than my own, and where cannabis is prohibited utterly. Are those who would die without cannabis to die, upon this worship of men’s vanity to outlaw God’s own creation?
May 7, 2007 at 12:51 pm
Jana Allard
Whig – This really isn’t the place for you and I to converse since it is Helen’s blog. If you are within your law, so be it. However, cannabis is not going to stop anyone from dying. It is appointed unto to man to die. Sorry, death happens. I have chronic pain and I occasionally take Mobic or other strong pain meds, but the bottom line to chronic pain is you have to learn to live with it. Pain happens. Death happens.
May 7, 2007 at 1:52 pm
whig
Does Helen object to us conversing?
You may choose to take what pain killers you find helpful, as recommended by your doctor, but you would tell others to suffer?
Did Christ command you to deny medicine to the suffering?
May 7, 2007 at 1:57 pm
whig
Is it not true that Christ healed the sick?
May 7, 2007 at 2:04 pm
whig
Your arthritis can be helped, by applying an oil which contains cinnamon, cassia, myrrh and cannabis in a base of olive oil. I would provide you with the recipe, if you like. It is found in the book of Exodus.
May 7, 2007 at 2:40 pm
whig
Not only did Christ perform such healings, he did them on the Sabbath, in violation of law. For this he was condemned, and crucified.
May 7, 2007 at 7:28 pm
Jana Allard
Sorry, Whig, but this is too confrontational for me. I prefer to keep comments on the topic of the blog. I could only wish that arthritis was my only source of pain. There are some pains that cannot be controlled by substance and some meds that mess with my mind. I personally prefer to restrict my intake of drugs for the days I cannot function. Otherwise, I work diligently at forcing my mind to cope with pain. I’m sorry life has dealt you so much pain and I wish the best for you.
May 7, 2007 at 7:34 pm
whig
It does me no harm that you would avoid conversation, so apology is unnecessary. Best wishes, Jana.
May 9, 2007 at 7:06 am
jenni
Helen, this is a thoughtful post. I’m not a Christain, but I still understand the idea of it — that to want all of this land, these jobs, the medical care for ourselves in fear that someone “less deserving?” might get it first is an act of hoarding. What people do not realize, I think, is that we are all immigrants — isn’t that what America is? A land of immigrants, struggling and trying to make it work? The Natives did not want our european ancestors here, they did not want 3/4 of their people wiped out by diseases we brought with us. They also did not want to conform to our religions. Historically speaking, the Mexicans and other Native groups have occupied this territory for thousands of years. We’ve been here for what? two, three hundred?
May 9, 2007 at 10:38 am
helenl
Hi Jenni, To me this seems obvious. It has so little to do with the definistion of the word “legal,” and so much to do whith what it means to be “human.”