Why does it seem most christian conservatives lack humility?

Question

They stand with their noses up in the air and declare if you're poor is because you are lazy.

Their philosophy (for most of them it seems) seem to be:

Rich people (like Bush and Paris Hilton) are rich because they are hard workers and poor people (including poor children working 12 hour days in dangerous sweat shop conditions in third world countries) are poor because they are lazy.

I just don't buy it.

We are the products of our choices (((AND))) our environment. People just don't all start at the same starting line. Some people (because of the environment they were born into) have to work harder to suceed.

Answer 1

Right on. Some people do get rich from working hard, but certainly not the ones you mentioned. How about a grandmother in Uganda who spends 10 hours a day fishing the garbage dumps for plastic she can sell just to feed her orphaned, AIDS-infected grandchildren. Doesn't she work hard? How about the Chinese families that recycle old computer parts from the U.S. and E.U. in their corrugated plastic and tin homes in a town with dirt streets and no trees, all the while breathing the toxic fumes and smoke from burning plastic and heavy metals? What about the Mexican-Indian woman who cleaned government offices dutifully for 12 hours a day at or near minimum wage, only to be deported from the country so that politicians could say they were doing something about illegal immigration?

Perhaps these hard workers are poor because they are not "gods chosen people" or they don't belong to the right church. It seems strange to me that 21st century people with a bronze age mentality ("Christian Conservatives") are still taken seriously.

There may be some sophomoric Ayn Rand fans on here who have never heard of Globalization. Go to college.

Answer 2

In my many years as a member of the American work force, through good and bad economic times, I have come to this conclusion. If were born in the USA and you are poor, there can only be one reason; bad decisions.

If you only take advantage of the free public education, the free public library, work for a living and make good decisions, it is nearly impossible to end up poor in America.

On the other hand, no matter how much money you have, if you make the wrong decisions, you will end up poor.

That is one of the undeniable facts about life in the USA.

Your own final statement is proof. Some people do, indeed, have to work harder to succeed. But success is still there for the taking for everyone. I have no more than a high school diploma. I have not done as well as some of my piers who went to college. I am also doing better than some who have advanced degrees. There is equal opportunity to advance. No gurantee of equal results.

A few facts: If a person works hard and gets a highschool diploma, he can find a job. If he shows up everyday, sober and prepared to give a full days work and learn to imporve his value to the company, he can do pretty well pretty quickly. If he does not waste his money he can quickly accumulate a good sized nest-egg. He will have no trouble qualifying for credit cards. If he uses them wisely he will establish an excellent credit rating. Soon he will be eligible for a mortgage and may purchase a home.

Sometimes it does not work out the first, second or third time you try. But if you stick with the plan you can achieve the American dream. This is true for every American.

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Answer 3

You really don't get it at all.

While it is true that we don't all start at the same starting line, the undeniable fact is that we all end up the same way. (If you believe in the Paranormal, when have you EVER heard of someone being haunted by a dead relative for cutting corners on the funeral? "WoooOOOOooooOOOO! You buried me in a plywood box, and I wanted Mahogany!") What matters is what we do in the meantime. Real fiscal conservatives (religeous or not) do not see the benefit of having the government confiscate the product of the efforts of some (gifted hard workers or lucky heirs of previous gifted hard workers) to encourage those less favored by fortune to do nothing about their own situation.

I suspect that may be a bit difficult to grasp. I suggest reading it a second time.

In addition to the obvious subsidies, TRUE fiscal conservatives also oppose paying people to not grow a crop, or guaranteeing a minimum price for milk or sugar. Corporate subsidies are also economically inefficient.

Answer 4

Your argument is full of holes and generalizations.

You assume that all rich are of the same caliber as Bush and Paris. However, a VAST majority of those who you would consider wealthy have gotten there by working hard and taking risks. What percent of America's richest 500 people are "first generation rich"? ? That's what I thought.

Regarding the poor, it is unfair to compare the opportunities of Africans with those of American poor. Using your basis for comparison, I can state that American poor are rich, since they can make in a day what 3rd world workers can make in a week. The fact is, ANY American of sound mind and body can make at least a middle class life for himself with effort. The same can't be said in other parts of the world.

Not all rich are lucky, and not all poor are lazy, but instituting a system that penalizes success and rewards apathy will lead to fewer rich and more poor. This is just a matter of incentives.

Last, most Christian Conservatives agree that elderly and disabled people deserve help, but people who can work should. And no system should be in place that motivates people to not work so they can receive handouts sponsored by people who do.

Answer 5

This is what you don't understand. Conservatives have little tolerance for lazy people in the U.S. because they have EVERY opportunity to have a better life by working hard. This, however, does not mean we don't give to charities to help them get out of poverty. We just don't think it's right to support a lazy person their whole life.

Paris Hilton is rich because her Dad is rich, and she makes her own money now because of the sad side of America that worships celebrities. This is why 90% of celebrities are liberal because they didn't have to work hard for their money.

Conservatives have compassion for people in third world countries who don't have the same opportunities as we have in the U.S. (I don't know where you got the notion that we apply the same standards to people stuck in corrupt countries around the world). This is why Conservatives ALWAYS donate more to charities than liberals here and abroad. We do have compassion, we do understand that there are some rare instances where poverty can't be avoided.

But do some research, it's proved time after time that Conservatives are more charitable than liberals. Just because we stand up for our rights, our freedoms, and capitalism doesn't mean we don't want others to have the same.

Conservatives may (or may not) feel sorry for the poor in the U.S. because they actually have the freedom, ability, choice to work hard (barring any mental/physical handicaps) and have a better life without depending on government to hold their hand and take care of them.

It's a sophomoric, ignorant, and thoughtless talking point by Liberals to accuse Conservatives of not caring for others. We just don't have tolerance for whiners who make up excuses for themselves and freeload off of the hard working Americans who are actually helping our country and our economy. And your last sentence is correct. Some people have to work harder in order succeed. The one's that don't work hard are usually not successful. There's no such thing as "luck" in the real world.

Then again, "the harder I work, the 'luckier' I seem to get."

Answer 6

This question, like all of your questions presents a "straw man" argument. Meaning your present arguments that are completely beside the point and irrelevant.

Here is the point: Conservatives and Christians want to help the poor. And according to statistics, they do so more than liberals and non-Christians. HOWEVER, Conservatives and Christians believe in helping their fellow man out of love, compassion, and charity. If the government puts a gun to your head and steals your money to give to the poor, that is not love, compassion, or charity; that is extortion.

It is not a question of helping the poor, it is a question of HOW to help them. How a person became poor (born into it, lazy, unlucky, etc.) is completely irrelevant. The only relevant issue is HOW we help them, and being forced into it at gun point is EVIL. And if you don't think you have a gun to your head, try not paying your taxes, you'll find out just how big the gun is.

Answer 7

What does any of that drivel have to do with being Christian?

Oh I get it in you narrow view of the world all Conservatives are Christians.

So, I've met many Liberals who were morons so I guess by your logic all Liberals are morons.

Thank you for further validating my thesis.

Most rich people got it from their parents that is correct. Many wealthy people built there own success. Your socialist economic viewpoint will still allow those ultrarich people to be ultrarich it just won't allow me to build my success. There is no middle class in Socialism there is no upper middle class. There is only the rich aristocracy and the plebs, the serfs, the workers. You're welfare, socialized medicine and unconstitutional taxation can have only one goal, and that is Socialism. I much rather take my chances at working hard than never have that chance no matter how hard I work.

Uganda, what the f&*k does Uganda have to do with American Capitalism, are you guys serious?

Answer 8

Yes you're right, some people DO have to work harder to succeed. The problem is that they aren't trying. I know so many families (I work for my county so I see it ALL day) that are generation after generation of welfare recipients. They say that most people are only on it for a short time, which is true but those people aren't the problem. The lifers are the issue. They don't care. They just don't give a crap. Look around you and you'll see it where you live too.

Answer 9

Ditto Johnny except to say who ever said poor people are lazy?

The argument has been made that lazy people are poor because they are lazy, that's a completely different argument.

Answer 10

Well, Hilton's Family are Democrats...Strike one.
Hillary held on to Her Exxon, Halliburton stock until 3 weeks ago...Strike 2.
AlGore getting rich of Tobacco and Carbon credits..."Save the environment, but keep smoking and pollute all you want as long as I sell you a Carbon credit"....Strike 3...Yer out.
Kerry, the Ketchup Queen, Kennedy the boozer made their money the old fashioned way...Inherited it or married it...
Please.....