Why does God want Christians to give food to hungry people?

[AxisMundi]

or maybe its about sharing...but ok

For some people who give from the heart without any thought of compenstation or directive to do so?

Sure.

But those people are few and far between.

 

[blackout]

Why does God want Christians to give food to hungry people?

Because somebody's got to eat the spam,
and drink the carnation instant milk.
(and all the other stuff in your cabinet you don't want)

 

[ChristineES]

My main purpose in starting this thread was to ask Christians why God wants Christians to give food to hungry people. So far, no Christian has given a reasonable explanation.

Regarding the Koran, I do not have time to study it at this time.

And what, pray tell, would be a reasonable explanation?

If you were to give hungry people food, what would be your motivation? Mine would be to see less people suffering in the world. I am sure that would be your motivation as well. Does it make a difference that one of Jesus' commands was to feed the hungry and clothe the naked? If it does, why do so many people who follow Jesus not feed hungry people (those who are financially able to do so)?

Here are some of my thoughts on the subject:
1. If someone helps someone just to get a reward, it is not a true or complete act of kindness or at least not a thorough one, even though someone is helped.
2. If someone starves on your front porch, and you have plenty to give them and they would accept it- then are you guilty of a sin?
3. If you have love, then if you could help, you would help, even if you didn't have any religion or faith at all.

 

[BruceDLimber]

>Why does God want Christians to give food to hungry people?

Simple:

Because God wants EVERYBODY to give food to hungry people!

(Frankly, I'm surprised you had to ask.)

Peace,

Bruce

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Why does God want Christians to give food to hungry people?

Because god likes his human tender and succulent?

 

[AxisMundi]

And what, pray tell, would be a reasonable explanation?

If you were to give hungry people food, what would be your motivation? Mine would be to see less people suffering in the world. I am sure that would be your motivation as well. Does it make a difference that one of Jesus' commands was to feed the hungry and clothe the naked? If it does, why do so many people who follow Jesus not feed hungry people (those who are financially able to do so)?

Here are some of my thoughts on the subject:
1. If someone helps someone just to get a reward, it is not a true or complete act of kindness or at least not a thorough one, even though someone is helped.
2. If someone starves on your front porch, and you have plenty to give them and they would accept it- then are you guilty of a sin?
3. If you have love, then if you could help, you would help, even if you didn't have any religion or faith at all.

"Christian" charities rake in billions in cash, food and clothes annually.

Though I completely agree with your point 1, which I mentieond earlier.

 

[AxisMundi]

This joke sums up the idea of "charity" for me.

Build a man a fire, he is warm for a day.
Set a man on fire, and he will be warm for the rest of his life.

Charity, as we see today with hordes of Christian "charities" marching into non-Christiana areas, is purely proselytization and conversion at it's finest. "Teach your children to read? Why, of course, happen to have a book right here! Let's build you a church-shaped school for them to learn in, and feed them so they'll get hooked on our handouts and religion... erm... concentrate on learning".

Charity to me is showing people how to fend for themselves, perhaps helping them in the food and clothes department - temporarily - to alleviate some suffering and giving them some breathing room while they build their own infrastructures. Merely throwing food out the back of a truck (usually along with bibles), or giving kids shoes (usually with religious pamphlets inside) isn't anything close to approaching charity.

The (now ex) wife and I chose what charities we would give to quite carefully, after finding out exactly how much the charity we were giving to spent on bibles instead of bowls of rice. One cannot eat a bible.

For the past decade plus we examined charities quite closely, trying to make sure that said charity worked more to help people get back on their feet and do for themselves than getting them Hooked on Handouts, and towards the end of our twenty plus marriage ensure said charity was completely secular in nature.

I won't direct anyone's charitable efforts, but I will say there are plenty of secular and atheist charities out there that are purely Charitable.

 

[Mr Cheese]

This joke sums up the idea of "charity" for me.

Build a man a fire, he is warm for a day.
Set a man on fire, and he will be warm for the rest of his life.

Charity, as we see today with hordes of Christian "charities" marching into non-Christiana areas, is purely proselytization and conversion at it's finest. "Teach your children to read? Why, of course, happen to have a book right here! Let's build you a church-shaped school for them to learn in, and feed them so they'll get hooked on our handouts and religion... erm... concentrate on learning".

Charity to me is showing people how to fend for themselves, perhaps helping them in the food and clothes department - temporarily - to alleviate some suffering and giving them some breathing room while they build their own infrastructures. Merely throwing food out the back of a truck (usually along with bibles), or giving kids shoes (usually with religious pamphlets inside) isn't anything close to approaching charity.

The (now ex) wife and I chose what charities we would give to quite carefully, after finding out exactly how much the charity we were giving to spent on bibles instead of bowls of rice. One cannot eat a bible.

For the past decade plus we examined charities quite closely, trying to make sure that said charity worked more to help people get back on their feet and do for themselves than getting them Hooked on Handouts, and towards the end of our twenty plus marriage ensure said charity was completely secular in nature.

I won't direct anyone's charitable efforts, but I will say there are plenty of secular and atheist charities out there that are purely Charitable.

you raise a valid point....often charities have agendas...
and often are corrupt..or the country's government that they are trying to help is corrupt thus renderign said charity's aide impotent....

however, at its heart, giving and charity is a good thing....

 

[AxisMundi]

.......however, at its heart, giving and charity is a good thing....

Not when there is an agenda attached, and certainly not when people become dependant on said charity.

 

[Agnostic75]

However, at its heart, giving and charity is a good thing.

Indeed, and if God would give food to hungry people, that would be a good thing, but he doesn't as far as we know. In addition, God has never told anyone about the Gospel message himself, as far as we know. So, what you propose is that a God exists who wants Christians to give food to hungry people, but only if they are able to obtain it through human effort, and wants people to hear the Gospel message, but only if they are able to obtain it through human effort. If a loving God inspired the Bible, that would not make any sense, but if a God did not inspire the Bible, that easily explains those situations.

Logically, human effort alone would never be able to provide enough food for everyone to eat unless money was diverted away from other necessary things, and history has shown that human effort has been a poor means of spreading the Gospel message since millions of people have died without hearing it.

 

[Mr Cheese]

Indeed, and if God would give food to hungry people, that would be a good thing, but he doesn't as far as we know.

blah blah bl;ah blah blah

who are you trying to convince us or yourself?

Your beliefs are very bitter and sore and twisted....

If all you seek to see is darkness, that IS all you will see.

 

[Mr Cheese]

Logically, human effort alone would never be able to provide enough food for everyone to eat unless money was diverted away from other necessary things, and history has shown that human effort has been a poor means of spreading the Gospel message since millions of people have died without hearing it.

so the solution is to sit around for decades as you have done.....and moan?

I still fail to see your point....

fundamentalist christianity is flawed.... thats your point...

and?

It has really taken you decades to reach this conclusion?

 

[Agnostic75]

However, at its heart, giving and charity is a good thing.

Indeed, and if God would give food to hungry people, that would be a good thing, but he doesn't as far as we know. In addition, God has never told anyone about the Gospel message himself, as far as we know. So, what you propose is that a God exists who wants Christians to give food to hungry people, but only if they are able to obtain it through human effort, and wants people to hear the Gospel message, but only if they are able to obtain it through human effort. If a loving God inspired the Bible, that would not make any sense, but if a God did not inspire the Bible, that easily explains those situations.

Logically, human effort alone would never be able to provide enough food for everyone to eat unless money was diverted away from other necessary things, and history has shown that human effort has been a poor means of spreading the Gospel message since millions of people have died without hearing it.

So the solution is to sit around for decades as you have done, and moan? I still fail to see your point. Fundamentalist Christianity is flawed, that's your point? It has really taken you decades to reach this conclusion?

Obviously, all skeptics believe that the Bible is flawed. How long it takes skeptics to become skeptics is irrelevant.

The title of this thread is "Why does God want Christians to give food to hungry people?" So far, you have not provided any reasonable answers to the question, and I have successfully refuted your replies to my arguments. You know that my arguments are good, so now you are trying to divert attention away from discussing my arguments with your off-topic ramblings. One of your ridiculous arguments was that extra resources could be diverted to provide food for people, and that world hunger problems could be solved within a few weeks. I told you that if that happened, other people would suffer as a result. For example, hundreds of billions if not trillions of dollars are needed to repair faulty infrastruture in the U.S., including roads, bridges, and dikes for hurricane protection.

You are perfectly free to start a new thread and present your defense of Christianity if you want to. As far as this thread is concerned, you have not provided any good reasons why God wants Christians to give food to hungry people.

Please be advised that personal comments are not constructive, and they do not convince people to change their worldview. Most people are not interested in your personal assessment of the character of skeptics. I could easily provide lots of evidence of Christians who have poor character.

 

[fatima_bintu_islam]

Okey then, it seems that you're ignoring me , too bad.

 

[Agnostic75]

Ok then, it seems that you're ignoring me.

Why does Allah want Muslims to give food to hungry people?

 

[Mr Cheese]

Obviously, all skeptics believe that the Bible is flawed. How long it takes skeptics to become skeptics is irrelevant.

The title of this thread is "Why does God want Christians to give food to hungry people?" So far, you have not provided any reasonable answers to the question, and I have successfully refuted your replies to my arguments. You know that my arguments are good, so now you are trying to divert attention away from discussing my arguments with your off-topic ramblings. One of your ridiculous arguments was that extra resources could be diverted to provide food for people, and that world hunger problems could be solved within a few weeks. I told you that if that happened, other people would suffer as a result. For example, hundreds of billions if not trillions of dollars are needed to repair faulty infrastruture in the U.S., including roads, bridges, and dikes for hurricane protection.

You are perfectly free to start a new thread and present your defense of Christianity if you want to. As far as this thread is concerned, you have not provided any good reasons why God wants Christians to give food to hungry people.

Please be advised that personal comments are not constructive, and they do not convince people to change their worldview. Most people are not interested in your personal assessment of the character of skeptics. I could easily provide lots of evidence of Christians who have poor character.

cough cough

post 5:

to love one another, the only real message of Christianity, and arguably religion.
In order to do that, we must love one another, through giving...

 

[fatima_bintu_islam]

I already posted my response

Does Allah want Muslims to give food to hungry people? If so, why?

Yes, He does ; because as you read in the verses, this life is a trial, being poor is a trial for the person itself and is a trial for the rich, wether he'll share his money or not.

In Islam, we have this concept regarding money that it is not yours , its Allah who bestowed his mercy on you. Therefore, in your money theres an obligatory portion for the poor, he can come to you and tell you to give it to himm by force , thats what we call zakat.

If you do not give zakat, then you'll be eating the portion of another human being and that would lead to hell. In the times after the prophet death peace be upon him, when everyone used to give zakat, there was a time when you would give 100 dinar to a poor and he'll say that its not enough , why? Because everyone had money, at that time ; in the tresorery , they started by giving money to all the poor, and there was still, so they payed for young people to get married, and there was still there, then they started opening librairies and science houses (if I remember properly) and there was still money there.

And the prophet sallalahu 'alayhi wassalam has predicted it before he died, so to sum up ; zakat is an obligatory portion of the poor that lies in your money, zakat equals 2,5% of your budget if you kept it for a year. If everyone gave zakat, then there will be nothing called a hungry person on earth.

Best regards

 

[Agnostic75]

To love one another, the only real message of Christianity, and arguably religion. In order to do that, we must love one another, through giving.

Indeed, but that applies to God too, which is in what this thread has been about all along.

The topic of this thread is "Why does God want Christians to give food to hungry people." God's desire that people love one another does not explain why he does not give food to hungry people. In addition, lots of non-Christians are loving and giving people.

Why would a loving God want people to have enough food to eat, but only if they are able to obtain it through human effort? Why would a loving God want people to hear the Gospel message, but only if another person tells them about it? As far as we know, God has never told anyone about the God message himself.

If the God of the Bible does not exist, that easily explains those situations.

 

[Mr Cheese]

Indeed, but that applies to God too, which is in what this thread has been about all along.

The topic of this thread is "Why does God want Christians to give food to hungry people." God's desire that people love one another does not explain why he does not give food to hungry people. In addition, lots of non-Christians are loving and giving people.

Why would a loving God want people to have enough food to eat, but only if they are able to obtain it through human effort? Why would a loving God want people to hear the Gospel message, but only if another person tells them about it? As far as we know, God has never told anyone about the God message himself.

If the God of the Bible does not exist, that easily explains those situations.

As we have already explored....

if we take the bible literally we can say:

the god of the bible does not exist
the god of the bible is a big fat meanie

the end

if you want actual answers for people who deny this, and take the bible literally, why not ASK them...
that would be in the christian section...surprisingly!



now does anyone have a cookie?

 

[Agnostic75]

As we have already explored.......

if we take the bible literally we can say:

the god of the bible does not exist
the god of the bible is a big fat meanie

the end

if you want actual answers for people who deny this, and take the bible literally, why not ASK them...

that would be in the Christian section...surprisingly!

I do not have any idea what you are talking about. This thread is about God's motives and actions. If you do not want to discuss those issue, I will ignore your posts. If you wish to make off-topic comments, please start new thread of your own.

As far as taking the Bible literally is concerned, you believe that God literally inspired James to write that Christians should give food to hungry people, and that is the issue that I want to discuss.