[TheRealThing]

I tend to agree with Truth and thank him/her for his/her pm. My purpose is not to attack Christians who have their beliefs sealed in concrete. I am merely stating that absolute faith in the light of what goes on in the world is not an easy concept. Saying that we humans are worthless and slothful doesn't suffice- particularly to those who are suffering with no relief but promises of a better tomorrow somewhere down the line.

Understood. I cannot speak for God in that I could satisfy you or anybody else as to why there are those with such need in this world, (not that I claim to know). God has said this with regard to the poor; Matthew 26:11 (KJV)
" 11 For ye have the poor always with you;"

I can say this however, whether drowning in need, or swimming in riches, men apart from Christ are never happy. The quintessential case in point would be the familiar story about the man who entered a convenience store in Westwood, Kentucky with only enough money to buy a coke and a lottery ticket. The man winds up winning hundreds of millions of dollars only to see it all wasted in a few short years. Point being, would helping and giving ever really rescue the poor, or make them happy?

I just do not accept the premise that a man cannot make his way in this country if he is willing to work. People would not be pouring into this nation from Mexico if there were not work to be had. Granted, it may not be the work that many might want but, work none the less. In my mind there are only two possibilities with regard to faith. We either have faith or we do not. To understand faith we must first see what God has said about how one acquires faith. Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV)

"8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast."

So, first is the fact that faith comes to man via "THE gift of God." Secondly, is Hebrews 11:6 (KJV)
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Therefore, it my contention that though I may not fully understand why God does what He does, if a man seeks Him (at the behest of his own prodding conscience) God will give that man the faith to believe.

We will always have the poor. I would venture that many times being poor hasn't got the first thing to do with a degree, it's more about attitude. At any rate, I would advocate that we should reach out to the poor, helping them in any way that we can. Total eradication of poverty was the vision and the dream of the late Lyndon Baines Johnson. He reasoned that if there were a place on earth, in any time where poverty could be wiped out, it was the USA. And as you said, it isn't working well, is it?