In Matthew there’s a different side on money and riches. It doesn’t talk about money getting in the way of God exactly; instead it says, “ Do not store up riches on earth as they mean nothing in heaven.” Basically saying that everything you have on earth you won’t have in heaven for starters and even if you did, it would be worth nothing.
Money can easily become the most important thing in your life if you let it, but not only that it can affect other things. St. Paul said, “The love of money is the root of all evil”. When earning money becomes like an addiction people stop caring about who they hurt, can get involved with bad/evil things to get more of it and the addiction takes over everything.
In the Bible there are many references on money and wealth but the main teaching is the same. Money should not be your main priority, you shouldn’t love it in any way, as if you love it, then it’s more important than God. We are also taught that we should love our neighbour as ourselves, our neighbour is anyone who is in need. This is taught in the parable of the Good Samaritan.
One way of loving our neighbour would to give to charity regularly; some would say to give away about 10% of what you have. However, we are meant to give to charity, but in private and to be boastful about it, plus what we give must be reflected on what we have. In the Bible there was an incident when the Pharisees were showing off to everybody showing the bags of money they were giving away even though it wouldn’t even make a “dent in their wallets” so to speak, but when the old woman gave two coins and said nothing about it she had given so much more as it was all she had, and she was doing it to look good.
Money can do a lot of good, by helping those who need it those in poverty, but to those who love money, it can do great damage. The Bible warns everyone to not fall in love with money and to keep their sights on Him.
A2
Describe, analyse and explain the need for world development.
World development is a greatly needed thing. The world is split into MEDC (More economically developed countries) countries and LEDC (Less economically developed countries) countries by the North South divide. Fortunately for us we are an Medc country.
The North South divide is defined because the wealthy countries seem to be more in the south and the poorer countries in the north. A developed country is based on lots of statistics. For example, adult literacy rate, birth mortality rate, death rate, annual income etc. These are the characteristics on which a developed country is called a developed country are based. A big thing is obviously money, if people have money they can do a lot. They can do a lot of good, but they can also do a lot of bad. When people have lots of money it starts off a chain. Money=wealth. Wealth=power. Power-control. A country that is in control tends to be quit well developed or has he power to become more developed than they were.
Development is the idea of making things better, improving the condition of life for someone for a better place of living etc. Absolute poverty is “ A condition of life so characterised by malnutrition, illiteracy, disease, infant mortality and low life expectancy as to be beneath any reasonable definition of human decency.” If any country fits under this category then it’s in desperate need of development.
Development is focused on widening people’s choices, making lives easier more enjoyable and prolonging life with no disease, pain and suffering. Development isn’t all about making life enjoyable, yes that would be great if everyone actually got to sit back and enjoy their life, but it’s just about making life liveable for those who can’t see how it is. It’s unfair how there are people in the world living in conditions that they do, which is another reason why development is needed so badly.
Development is very important, and is needed in so many places. I feel that it’s important that we help world development to occur as poverty is everyone’s problem and we should care for those less fortunate then ourselves. After all, it’s what we would want if we were in their shoes. I believe that when we help others e.g. giving up money to charity, we get rewarded in some way even if it’s just a good feeling, so I don’t think that developing other countries is just an advantage to the people living there, I also think that in some way we would benefit.
