Outline Christian and Jewish teachings on wealth and poverty.

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Shaan Bhatnagar        R.S        Course Work

RS GCSE Coursework

Wealth and Poverty

(a) (i)                Outline Christian and Jewish teachings on wealth and poverty.

Christians: Views on Poverty 

Christians believe that money can be used for good purposes such as helping those who are less fortunate than themselves. Christians should earn money in honest ways, and what you receive is a gift from God, so your wealth is not entirely yours.
In Timothy 6, Jesus states that religion can make you rich. The infamous quotation:

 

'Love of money is the root of all evil', indicates to us we should not be too obsessed with money as this way of thinking can break us. This is the teaching in which it speaks of people who have inherited money in evil ways. People have desired wealth and have inherited it in ways, which have gone against the principles against their religion, which means they have gone against God. They have forever pierced their souls with their wrongdoings all because of the desire for money. This is a warning of what money can do to people and tries to ward off people from committing evil deeds for money.  
In James 2, Jesus states; “if a person is hungry, one should feed him and if a person is cold, one should clothe him.” This suggests that you must share your money with the less fortunate, as they are more vulnerable.

In 2 Corinthians 9, Jesus states that “a person, who plants a few seeds, will have a small crop, but the person who plants many seeds will have a larger crop.” This quotation implies that fellow Christians should share their money and to be generous and in turn they will enjoy the benefits.

Christianity also teaches where money should fit in with your life. 1 John 3:18 teach that money should not be the most important thing in your life. The most important thing in your life should be to have love in your actions. "My little children let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth." This means that you should do deeds rather than speak or write things down and that is the most important thing to a Christian.                                                        
The Catholic Church tells us about that God believes that people who have helped the poor are very blessed. If you were not to give any money to the poor, you would be considered as a selfish individual and in the eyes of a Christian not be blessed.  This links back to the idea conveyed by Jesus in Timothy 6, “love of money is the root of all evil”. It also teaches by saying,

"Rich nations have a grave moral responsibility towards those which are unable to ensure the means of their development by themselves." Christianity is not based in one country alone so it is a person's duty to help those across the world. It teaches that every one is equal in the eyes of God.

Judaism: Views on poverty

Judaism teaches that wealth is a gift from God. The Tenakh explains that a Jew that keeps to mitzvot can only make money in the correct way.

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Jews are expected to give one tenth of their income to the poor as charity, which in the Tenakh is called tzedakah. The best form of charity being where one makes sure the poor never need charity ever again.  

Maimonides had 8 principles of giving to charity, the most important being  

Giving help to a person so that they become self-sufficient.

Maimondes is teaching: -

1/ Give help to a person so that they become self-sufficient.

2/ The provider does not know the receiver and that the receiver does not know who provided.

3/ The provider ...

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