why such hatred towards the poor?

[Obadiah]

Does everyone here really believe there's that much hatred for the poor? That doesn't match my experience. I think there's a great deal of empathy for the poor and a great willingness to help.

I hate to break up a pity party, but I was raised under poor circumstances too, and never once felt anything other than confidence that things would improve

I'll chime in with you. I've been poor and I've also had a considerable amount of money. I didn't find anyone hated me any more when I was poor or liked me anymore when I had lots of money. (I don't count those who just hung around for what they hoped I would buy them as liking me.) I don't think the issue is poor or rich, but rather the things the person does and how they treat others. I've known many poor people with an incredible chip on their shoulders, and no one likes that. I've also known rich people who were incredibly arrogant, and no one likes that either. It's the person, not the bank account.

 

[Kathi]

Poor. What is poor? Did i grow up poor?
1949 -50 we lived in tent
1951 Daddy made about 1200 that year. one thousand two hundred dollars..
1952 mom dad 3 kids in one room Dad cooked in the kitchen a school kitchen so the kitchen was not part of the room
1954 we literally lived in the church building..
1956? we lived in 20 by 20 cabin
1958 in the back of a church again the fellowship hall ? must be what brought on the open concept of homes today?
I knew we were not rich no big deal...

By 1961 we lived here http://www.stonepineestate.com/ not in the 'big house' in the green ranch house... Dad work the ranch mom cooked for the hands.. beautiful place....

At that time it was owned by members of the Crocker family big name 50 years ago..... i learned some thing there... i learned how rich i was.... that tons of money does not make one happy it changes the problems... That family was sad ... lonely just plane ol messed up.

Today we are not rich but we are fine... comfortable... there are some tragedies i would give all we have in monetary things if it could change them....

I have posted this before..

Second grade i had the most wonderful sandwich in my school lunch... taking the sandwich out of the bag it looked weird... taking apart the waxed paper ? each half was wrapped in a blue paper napkin? in such a way so the contents would not fall out.. it was a penny sandwich... i was so tickled .. mom had sliced a hot dog or 2 thin into pennys, enough to share between us kids in our lunch... that is not poor

Do you think that those years when you and your family had less that you were the happiest?

 

[reba]

Kathi i was kid... Living in the church meant we had 2 bathrooms and a big place to play in bad weather.. although the shower was in the kitchen...

 

[Gary]

I think the poor and less fortunate get discriminated against because they're easy targets. The world in general makes judgments based on appearance. The word "poor" conjures up images of people who can't help themselves and have to rely on the government to provide for them. Government assistance in the form of money and food stamps comes from tax dollars and many people resent this. They know of one or two examples of someone cheating the system and suddenly everyone on welfare is a thief.

The poor take the heat because of what they don't have. Resources. It's easier to bully someone who is weaker than it is someone who is equally matched.

 

[reba]

I think the poor and less fortunate get discriminated against because they're easy targets. The world in general makes judgments based on appearance. The word "poor" conjures up images of people who can't help themselves and have to rely on the government to provide for them. Government assistance in the form of money and food stamps comes from tax dollars and many people resent this. They know of one or two examples of someone cheating the system and suddenly everyone on welfare is a thief.

The poor take the heat because of what they don't have. Resources. It's easier to bully someone who is weaker than it is someone who is equally matched.

Kinda makes me ask how old you are Gary.... before the mid 60s your statement was not so.... i believe inpart it is today

 

[Gary]

Kinda makes me ask how old you are Gary.... before the mid 60s your statement was not so.... i believe inpart it is today

I'm 56.

I took the question of the OP to mean "today". Why such hatred towards the poor.....today.

Maybe I read it wrong.

 

[Guap]

In Luke's gospel, Jesus is portrayed as being born poor. This is something that some Christians don't like and try to change.

Luke 2:23-24 shows Mary giving the sacrifice for purification. Leviticus 12 is where we find the description for this sacrifice. It is only the poor that are to give the sacrifice described in Luke 2:23-24.

Now some scholars assert that it was common in Jesus' day for the middle class to take advantage of this poor option. However, elsewhere in Luke's gospel Joseph and Mary are portrayed as going beyond the minimum requirements of the law. Therefore, according to Luke's portrayal, Jesus is to be seen as one of the poorer families.

It is also true that the wise men gave expensive gifts to Jesus. However the most likely time for this is about 2 years after Jesus was born. Besides which, after this gift, the family fled as immigrant refugees to Egypt (how many Christians hate immigrant refugees?). It isn't cheap to up and leave suddenly and have to start over again and these gifts were certainly timely.

 

[Edward]

I'm seeing the sort of attitudes that Gary speaks of here in Colorado. People for the most part are treating the poor badly here. Of course the media portrays it differently and sympathetic, but the reality is different. People who get food stamps and such are talked down about also. Stealing from society and such where "they should get a job" and attitudes like that. I am pretty darn poor but do not feel such. I feel rich actually because I am not homeless I eat everyday and my lights are still on, I have clothes on my back, what more do I need? I'm underweight, but so what. I'd rather be underweight than overweight. I wont draw food stamps because I didn't work for that money and I feel as if there are people who probably need it more than I do. The Lord takes care of me. I'm fighting for my disability case to be won, but I worked for that money and I need it.

My experience with people here is that the rich people or those well off, are...for the most part, untrustworthy and have no honor. They put on a nice facade and are very polite...until they get what they want, then typically start poking. I have more trouble trying to collect money due me from people with more money than the poor folks. Poor folks seem to have more honor in general than those with money. I don't see myself as poor, though by societies standards, I live in poverty and scratch for a living. I see the homeless and such on the street and I see them as the poor. With the Lord caring for me, I am content where I am. I look at my beat up tennis shoes and wish I could afford a new pair. Then I step outside, and I'll see a man with no feet in a wheelchair, and feel blessed to have beat up tennis shoes. I feel the pain in my back from my truck accident, and feel the frustration of the constant pain and the difficulties it brings to me...then I step outside and see someone in a wheelchair, and feel totally blessed that I walk upright on my own.

Work is very slow and it makes it a juggling act to pay the bills. Then I realize that if I am not working, that I have more time to pick up the Word and read it, more time to pray. Oh yes, I am rich indeed. Things could be much worse than they are. But my bills are paid. I am fed. What more does a man need? Am I looked down upon over the money situation? Yes I am. I feel it here and there around town. There is discrimination against the poor and they are squeezed for every penny they have. Does it matter to me? No. I have the Lord. I feel it is unfair to the real poor but I am not in a position to be able to do anything about it. I help them out when I can. I give the widows a break when I work for them also. I do what I can because I am in a position to be able to do that. We all have a part to play and it is up to the individuals to help others.

 

[Christ_empowered]

This is interesting. Different people have different experiences of poverty. I think my situation was somewhat unique in that, because I so low on the totem pole, many people projected their issues with the "other" (mental patients, gays, poor people, drug users) onto me. I essentially became a scapegoat.

 

[tim-from-pa]

This is interesting. Different people have different experiences of poverty. I think my situation was somewhat unique in that, because I so low on the totem pole, many people projected their issues with the "other" (mental patients, gays, poor people, drug users) onto me. I essentially became a scapegoat.

I know from the health forums the issues you had to battle psychologically, and the resulting treatments throughout your life. I think in your case people may see your poverty as a symptom and result of what you went thru, and for all you know it not only angers but even scares them. It probably puts you in my #3 category (read below)

But that's just my guess. My personal reaction to poverty are there are 3 types (#1 and to a lesser degree #3 types are hated):

1) Those who learned to live off the system, so they are really geniuses at manipulating their entitlement rights (probably could even be lawyers if they had the chance) but otherwise it's excuse after excuse why they can't get a job --- not educated enough, no money for education, no work for what I am good at, etc. These types are the ones that people scream to, "Get a job!"
2) People who are down on their luck --- medical problems, insurmountable circumstances, layoffs, etc which take away their source of income, and find that they were once middle classed "now out on the street". Usually, these types other people like to help, but more times than not they will somehow get back on their feet and recover eventually.
3) People who do not have a lifestyle conducive to keeping wealth. Unlike #1, which I suppose one could say "lazy", these people manage their money poorly, manage their goals poorly, and can't seem to otherwise "make the pieces fit" to stay living comfortably. They may be in and out of good jobs, or maybe did not plan to have qualifications for a good source of income, be it a job or business of their own. They may eventually give up and become a #1 person (and hated) or #2 to a degree (and people tolerate them). I have a older cousin like this. Smart guy, but basically worked in restaurants cooking or whatever and apparently did not prepare for something better. As my other cousin said, he's an example of "working poor". So it's paycheck-to-paycheck, low living standards and constant bills.

WE all seem to do what we are cut out for and stick with that no matter what happens. I'm a technician, and even after being laid off I got another job as a technician, so that seems to be my ability financially, and I'm doing well, not quite a multi-millionaire yet, but comfortable. A plant manager I worked with got canned, and then in the paper I read he ended up another big manager as if it was handed to him. That's his potential. #3 people seem to have it in their minds, even subconsciously, that they can't get beyond a certain point, and then live that way. Even if they won the lottery big, #1 and #3 people may find a quick way to "lose it all".

 

[reba]

I'm 56.

I took the question of the OP to mean "today". Why such hatred towards the poor.....today.

Maybe I read it wrong.

You are most likely correct