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Showing posts with label social justice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label social justice. Show all posts
Sunday, November 13, 2016
Direction on Power
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Conversion to the neighbor, part 2
Gustavo Gutierrez
Spiritual Writings
Sunday, April 21, 2013
The false promise of neutrality
-- Desmond Tutu
Thursday, April 04, 2013
April 4, 1968
It was one of those moments that I will never forget. I recall exactly where I was and what I was doing when the news reports crackled into the radio of my 1957 Buick.
My good buddy, Eddie Wilson and I were putting school board campaign signs out in yards where they had been requested. I can't remember the name of the candidate my father was supporting, but we were working for him.
I was 18-years-old, a senior in high school about ready to go off to college.
The news bulletin: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gunned down and dead in Memphis, Tennessee where he was supporting striking sanitation workers.
Dr. King. . .dead.
April 4, 1968.
I am remembering today.
Crushing injustice!
This in from The New York Times, Sunday, March 17, 2013 by Paul Butler, "Gideon's Muted Trumpet."
A poor person has a much greater chance of being incarcerated now than when Gideon was decided, 50 years ago today. This is not because of increased criminality — violent crime has plunged from its peak in the early 1990s — but because of prosecutorial policies that essentially target the poor and relegate their lawyers to negotiating guilty pleas, rather than mounting a defense.
After Gideon, things got better for poor defendants in the short term. Thousands who had not had lawyers at trial were released from jail. Many states and localities created public defenders’ offices. But political and legal developments soon eroded those achievements.
Read the entire report here.
Wednesday, February 06, 2013
Monday, October 08, 2012
Paved super highway to success. . .if you can pay!
But there is something a bit off-center about the expansion plans for I-635 LBJ Freeway and its new toll lanes.
Dallas Morning News columnist, Steve Blow placed the spotlight on the problem in last Sunday's paper ("Untolled to untold inequity on LBJ," B-1). It seems there is a contest to name the new, super fast lanes that will carry with them a toll.
The extra toll lanes are designed to get more traffic down the ever-crowded thoroughfare. Those who can pay will be able to access the new lanes and will get down the road faster. Those who can't afford them will not be able to take advantage of the new passage.
Some have suggested that the toll lanes be named "Lexus lanes."
What's really revolutionary about these lanes, as Blow points out, is the fact that the toll on the lanes will be recalculated every five minutes based on the number of cars attempting to access the new lanes (three lanes in each direction). The more cars in the lanes, the higher the toll. And, once fully implemented, there will be no cap on tolls. Electronic signs will notify drivers of the "going rate" at the time. Classic matter of supply and demand.
Here's Blow's conclusion: "It's just inevitable that the fast lanes will be filled with the well-heeled and the slow lanes with the paycheck-to-paycheck crowd. And are we OK with that?. . .Can any nation remain strong when the gap between rich and poor grows wider in every way--right down to the streets they drive on?"
Here's an idea. With the current technology available, we could read the license plate number and charge a toll based on the make, model and vintage of each car that passes through the toll lane. If I drive a Lexus or a Jag, my toll will be higher. If I drive a 12-year-old Chevy, then the toll is assessed accordingly.
The ability to pay out of pocket should not be the measure of everything. The enterprising desire to work and to drive to work, even at a low wage job, should be rewarded by equity in public transit.
Fast lanes should be for everyone who's battling to get somewhere.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
"Poverty can't be ignored any longer," or maybe it can be. . .
Opinion: Poverty met with silence
By Juan Williams - 09/19/11 05:00 AM ET
from The Hill. . .
As Congress’s supercommittee started work behind closed doors last week on long-term spending cuts, there was a public display of Democrats and Republicans singing very predictable and partisan songs over President Obama’s jobs bill.
All of these songs featured clichés about not raising taxes at all — the Republican chorus — or protecting the middle class and small business from tax hikes — the Democrats and Republicans in stereo choral suite.
And then, for a moment, the singing stopped.
The troubling moment of silence came from a Census Bureau report last week that showed a record 46.2 million Americans living in poverty last year. That is the highest number in the 52 years the statistic has been measured.
That means 2.6 million people fell into poverty in just the last year.
That prompted more silence from the big voices on Capitol Hill.
The percentage of the population who are in poverty stands at an alarming 15 percent. For black Americans, the poverty rate zoomed to 27.4 percent. Hispanic Americans’ rate of poverty climbed to 26.6 percent. Asian-American poverty hit 12.1 percent while white American poverty was at 9.9 percent.
Yet in an instant, the congressional choir returned to singing its standard songs.
Maybe the congressional leadership, the budget committees and the supercommittee did not know what to say. Maybe the many millionaires in Congress suffered their bouts of speechlessness from embarrassment.
Earlier this year, 235 House members and 40 senators voted for the Republican budget authored by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.). The Ryan budget appears to call for the elimination of the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit, and for deep cuts in food stamps and Pell grants.
And the Cut, Cap and Balance Act, passed in July by the GOP House majority, and Speaker John Boehner’s (R-Ohio) proposals during the debt-ceiling talks ended longstanding exemptions to cuts on programs to keep people out of poverty.
The Bowles-Simpson proposal for balancing the budget kept those programs in place. So did the proposals from the bipartisan Gang of Six.
The Ryan budget also ends Medicare — which prevents the elderly from falling into poverty because of health problems — as a guaranteed program. It also slashes funding for programs that benefit poor children, such as Head Start and the Women, Infants and Children nutrition program.
This is nothing to sing about.
Keep in mind that the poverty line is just $11,139 for an individual and $22,314 for a family of four. Yet 1 of every 7 Americans now falls below it. And still Congress averts its eyes and continues to sing the same old hymns to people with money to donate to political campaigns and money to lobby for their pet programs.
“Programs for the poor are not politically popular because there is no constituency,” said Isabel Sawhill, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who studies public policy on poverty. “If it is a choice between cutting programs for veterans and cutting spending for poor mothers and infants, guess who wins? It is not that veterans shouldn’t get help. It is just the political reality.”
To read entire report click here.
Proverbs 31:9
By Juan Williams - 09/19/11 05:00 AM ET
from The Hill. . .
As Congress’s supercommittee started work behind closed doors last week on long-term spending cuts, there was a public display of Democrats and Republicans singing very predictable and partisan songs over President Obama’s jobs bill.
All of these songs featured clichés about not raising taxes at all — the Republican chorus — or protecting the middle class and small business from tax hikes — the Democrats and Republicans in stereo choral suite.
And then, for a moment, the singing stopped.
The troubling moment of silence came from a Census Bureau report last week that showed a record 46.2 million Americans living in poverty last year. That is the highest number in the 52 years the statistic has been measured.
That means 2.6 million people fell into poverty in just the last year.
That prompted more silence from the big voices on Capitol Hill.
The percentage of the population who are in poverty stands at an alarming 15 percent. For black Americans, the poverty rate zoomed to 27.4 percent. Hispanic Americans’ rate of poverty climbed to 26.6 percent. Asian-American poverty hit 12.1 percent while white American poverty was at 9.9 percent.
Yet in an instant, the congressional choir returned to singing its standard songs.
Maybe the congressional leadership, the budget committees and the supercommittee did not know what to say. Maybe the many millionaires in Congress suffered their bouts of speechlessness from embarrassment.
Earlier this year, 235 House members and 40 senators voted for the Republican budget authored by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.). The Ryan budget appears to call for the elimination of the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit, and for deep cuts in food stamps and Pell grants.
And the Cut, Cap and Balance Act, passed in July by the GOP House majority, and Speaker John Boehner’s (R-Ohio) proposals during the debt-ceiling talks ended longstanding exemptions to cuts on programs to keep people out of poverty.
The Bowles-Simpson proposal for balancing the budget kept those programs in place. So did the proposals from the bipartisan Gang of Six.
The Ryan budget also ends Medicare — which prevents the elderly from falling into poverty because of health problems — as a guaranteed program. It also slashes funding for programs that benefit poor children, such as Head Start and the Women, Infants and Children nutrition program.
This is nothing to sing about.
Keep in mind that the poverty line is just $11,139 for an individual and $22,314 for a family of four. Yet 1 of every 7 Americans now falls below it. And still Congress averts its eyes and continues to sing the same old hymns to people with money to donate to political campaigns and money to lobby for their pet programs.
“Programs for the poor are not politically popular because there is no constituency,” said Isabel Sawhill, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who studies public policy on poverty. “If it is a choice between cutting programs for veterans and cutting spending for poor mothers and infants, guess who wins? It is not that veterans shouldn’t get help. It is just the political reality.”
To read entire report click here.
Proverbs 31:9
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Reconsidering the "Texas Miracle"
The entrance of Texas Governor Rick Perry into the already swift moving presidential race for the 2012 nomination in the Republican Party prompted stories about the so-called "Texas Miracle." At the heart of the case for proving up the miraculous performance of the Texas economy stands jobs creation data that appears impressive. On the other hand, we find quality of life issues that concern growing numbers of hard working Texans.
Consider the following from the Texas Legislative Study Group, "Texas on the Brink":
Consider the following from the Texas Legislative Study Group, "Texas on the Brink":
- Tax revenue raised per capita--46th in U. S.
- Tax expenditures per capita--47th in U. S.
- Sales tax per capita--15th in U. S.
- Public school enrollment--2nd in U. S.
- Average salary of public school teachers--33rd in U. S.
- Expenditures per pupil in public schools--44th in U. S.
- % of population 25 and older with HS diploma--50th in U. S.
- High school graduation rate--43rd in U. S.
- % of uninsured children--1st in U. S.
- % of children living in poverty--4th in U. S.
- % of population without health insurance--1st in U. S.
- % of low income population covered by Medicaid--49th in U. S.
- Per capita spending on mental health services--50th in U. S.
- % living below federal poverty level--4th in U. S.
- % of population who visit a dentist--46th in U. S.
- % of pregnant women receiving prenatal care in first trimester--50th in U. S.
- % of women living in poverty--6th in U. S.
- Median net worth of households--47th in U. S.
- Amount of carbon dioxide emissions--1st in U. S.
- Amount of toxic chemicals released into water--1st in U. S.
- Amount of cancer-causing carcinogens released into air--1st in U. S.
- Income inequality between rich and poor--9th in U. S.
- Median household income--34th in U. S.
- % of households with Internet access--42 in U. S.
- Number of executions--1st in U. S.
- Rate of incarceration--9th in U. S.
- % of voting age population that is registered to vote--43rd in U. S.
- % of voting age population that votes--45th in U. S.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Monica and Jose
Thankfully, President Obama's executive order on Thursday regarding children and youth who pose absolutely no threat to our nation caused authorities here to be willing to reconsider action to remove these two fine young people from the country.
Talk about an answer to prayer!
Critics of Mr. Obama and those who so often disagree with me here need to reconsider their positions.
If these two children were your children, what would you want for them?
Remember all that we have invested in them to this point in public education, health and other community benefits, such as those we've shared with them from our community development organization's efforts.
Why would anyone want to throw away such a long-term investment?
Pray for Monica.
Pray for Jose.
They need to stay in the United States.
Three years ago, I flew to Washington, DC with these two great young people. They spoke with Senator Hutchison's staff. Unfortunately, Senator Cornyn would not allow them in his office. Disgusting.
They toured the national monuments.
They stood where Dr. King stood on the marble slab that marks his presence on the day of the 1963 March on Washington and his famous "I Have a Dream" speech.
I observed their tears.
I listened to their fears and hopes.
They are part of my family.
We must find a way for them to stay here.
[For more information on these young people and their terrible situation, read my post from yesterday.]
Monday, August 15, 2011
For your calendar: Emerging Christianity Conference
Friday, September 30 & Saturday, October 1, 2011
Brian McLaren has said, "People aren't seeking religion-they're seeking spirituality."
In this conference, the EXPERIENCE of learning and sharing in community will likely be as memorable and enriching as the teaching and inspiration from the keynote speakers. By sharing with others in small group encounters, participants will deepen their understanding and practical knowledge of Emerging Christianity.
FRIDAY: All participants will gather to hear internationally respected theologians and teachers Nadia Bolz-Weber, Brian McLaren and Suzanne Stabile. While sharing about the current state of Emerging Christianity, Nadia, Brian and Suzanne will discuss the thrilling and sometimes uncomfortable realities of standing in liminal, sacred space. They will set the stage for discussion and sharing the following day.
To read more about this unique event, click here.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Charity
The following proverb intends to offer up praise for "charity." In fact, for those of us who spend our days in the center of the city, it points up charity's most obvious limitation:
Charity sees the need, not the cause.
German Proverb
Charity sees the need, not the cause.
German Proverb
Thursday, June 09, 2011
Senior citizens and hunger, poverty
Coalition Urges House of Representatives to Reject Cuts to Nutrition Programs
CHICAGO, June 1, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On May 31, The House Committee on Appropriations approved dramatic cuts to several federal nutrition programs that would eliminate nutrition assistance for hundreds of thousands of low-income seniors, women, infants, and children and cut support for charitable food assistance by over 20 percent.
"The proposed cuts are staggering," said Vicki Escarra, President and CEO of Feeding America. "It is not an overstatement to say that the House bill would make it harder for millions of low-income Americans to get enough to eat – Americans who are already struggling just to get by from day to day. These proposed cuts are indefensible. There is no other word for it."
A coalition of 34 national organizations signed a letter circulated by Feeding America urging House Appropriators to reject the cuts to nutrition programs, stating that the "legislation would have a devastating impact on our most vulnerable citizens and erode the foundation of the emergency food network." The letter was signed by a coalition of anti-hunger, faith-based, children, seniors, and other organizations.
"The House proposal would push more people to local charities at the same time it slashes emergency food assistance for food banks, church pantries, and other charitable food providers," Escarra said. "Not only will our food banks not be able to meet the increased demand for food assistance if the cuts to nutrition programs go through, we will have to reduce current levels of support for existing clients."
Feeding America is the nation's largest hunger relief organization, providing food to nearly 6 million people across all 50 states every week through 61,000 food pantries, soup kitchens and other emergency feeding facilities. The number of clients served by the Feeding America network has risen 46 percent in the past four years.
"We are doing everything we can to help, but local food banks and pantries are already stretched thin and charity cannot solve the problem alone," Escarra said. "Feeding America was already concerned about the prospect of bare shelves later this year due to an expected drop off in federal commodities, and we simply could not meet the increased need in communities across America if Congress approves reductions to federal nutrition assistance programs."
Many struggling families are able to put food on the table only because of the safety net provided by federal nutrition programs – including SNAP, The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), the Commodity Supplement Food Program (CSFP), and the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). More than 40 million Americans live at or below the federal poverty level. One in seven Americans, half of whom are children, is enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) program.
"Members of Congress have an opportunity to reject these harmful cuts with the bill goes to the House floor for a vote later this month," Escarra said.
About Feeding America
Feeding America provides low-income individuals and families with the fuel to survive and even thrive. As the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity, our network members supply food to more than 37 million Americans each year, including 14 million children and 3 million seniors. Serving the entire United States, more than 200 member food banks support 61,000 agencies that address hunger in all of its forms. For more information on how you can fight hunger in your community and across the country, visit http://www.feedingamerica.org. Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/FeedingAmerica or follow our news on Twitter at twitter.com/FeedingAmerica.
Ross Fraser
Feeding America
312.641.6422
Monday, June 06, 2011
Deep cuts in food programs harmful, unnecessary
Furthermore, a common notion (read just here "myth") is that private non-profits, churches and other NGOs will be able to "pick up the slack" or close the gap in providing needed benefits and services. Of course, anyone who works in the sector and understands the magnitude of the problems facing poor folks also knows that such a suggestion is simply not feasible. While non-profit groups have a role to play, often in administering public funds via grants and/or contracts, they can't be expected to manage the problems created by massive cutbacks. The scale of the need and the challenges facing our low-income neighbors are simply too large to effectively address without adequate, realistic public funding.
A factor few people bent on budget cuts often overlook is the high return on investment achieved by the strategic use of public benefits to help lift people from poverty. Each dollar spent to help improve the lives of low-income persons and families is immediately injected into our economy. Poor people don't leave their funds unspent on any sideline!
In addition, effective programs for the poor prevent costly problems down the road. For example, funds invested in infant and childhood nutrition reduce health care costs later in life among this population.
As the following report makes clear, our times call for thoughtful leaders, not knee jerk reactions. These tough times for so many also call for fairness and equity in policy matters. Let me know what you think after you've read the report.
Bait and Switch
Congress Chooses One Week’s Worth of Tax Cuts for Millionaires over Nutrition Assistance for Families that Need It
By Melissa Boteach, Seth Hanlon
June 2, 2011
If House Republicans get their way in the federal budget for fiscal year 2012 beginning in October, nearly 500,000 women, infants, and children could be deprived of basic nutritional assistance. Though Republican leaders justify this decision on the grounds that budget deficits require "shared sacrifice," the tax cuts they recently fought to extend will give away more money to America’s 300,000 millionaires this week than it will cost to adequately fund nutrition programs for all of next year.
That’s the story and the math behind the Republican-led House Appropriations Committee decision to slash the budget for the Special Supplemental Nutritional Program for Women, Infants and Children, or WIC, by $833 million in FY 2012. WIC provides nutritious foods to low-income pregnant women, new moms, babies, and children under 5 who have been identified as nutritionally at risk. The program has done this successfully for nearly 40 years at a relatively modest cost to the federal government, which is why the program has traditionally enjoyed strong bipartisan support.
The bill approved this week by Republicans on the House Appropriations Committee upends that bipartisan commitment, imposing deep and harmful cuts to WIC and denying assistance to 325,000 to 475,000 eligible mothers, infants, and children. In fact, not content with cutting WIC, the House Republicans also placed on the chopping block the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, which delivers nutritionally appropriate meals to low-income, often homebound seniors. Tens of thousands of vulnerable seniors would lose access to these meals if these cuts totaling $38 million are ultimately signed into law.
Conservatives often claim that private charities and faith-based organizations will simply pick up the slack. Yet the funding bill for agriculture and nutrition programs also slashes the very funding that supports emergency food bank networks, through both food commodities and storage and distribution. The bill cuts $63 million from The Emergency Food Assistance Program, a decision that would significantly impede the ability of private food banks, shelters, and pantries to meet the rising need.
All told, the bill cuts $934 million out of these three federal nutrition programs. House Republicans say that given our nation’s fiscal challenges, these draconian cuts are unavoidable. Indeed, when announcing the cuts to nutrition services, Agriculture Subcommittee Chairman Jack Kingston patted himself on the back for “making some of the tough choices necessary to right the ship.”
But slashing federal nutrition assistance won’t right the ship. It would steer us in the wrong direction. The WIC program represents about two-tenths of 1 percent of the federal budget. Even if one disregards the negative consequences on family budgets and the overall economy, the proposed cuts would reduce this year’s federal deficit by less than one-tenth of a percent.
In all likelihood, these cuts would leave the country and the federal budget in worse shape. Investing in the nutrition of pregnant women, infants, and young children is often credited with saving federal dollars in the short term and long run. By ensuring vulnerable children have access to adequate nutrition, WIC often prevents more costly health problems down the line and improves children’s school performance. According to researchers at Children’s HealthWatch, children’s brain size more than doubles in their first year of life when they are provided with appropriate nutrition. By ensuring moms and new babies have the nutritional supports they need to thrive during this critical time, WIC decreases the risk of developmental delays and promotes school readiness.
The program’s biggest cost-savings, however, often come before the child has even turned 1 year old. Economists estimate that every $1 invested in WIC saves between $1.77 and $3.13 in health care costs in the first 60 days after an infant’s birth by reducing the instance of low-birth-weight babies and improving child immunization rates. In fact, it is estimated that the program has saved more than 200,000 babies from dying at birth.
Read the entire report here.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
The Theology of CitySquare
CitySquare University is our internal tool for providing our team members the professional training they need to lead, work, serve and grow inside our organization. A wide variety of class options make up our curriculum. Included in this array of training options is what we call "The Theology of CitySquare." The two-part training involves a fairly exhaustive review of the biblical literature regarding compassion, power, justice, community and faith's place in human relationships. I teach this highly interactive course.
Recently, after leading a class through part one, it occurred to me that I should post much of the content of the course here. What follows is a summation of my notes and a listing of many of the biblical texts that we "unpacked" together.
Part 1--the Hebrew Bible
In the Hebrew Bible justice is central to faith and to a genuine relationship with God. . . How do you define “justice”?
One of the long overlooked, and yet, central aspects of the biblical message is the commitment of God to justice in human relationships. . . How does justice work in human relationships?
Torah
Exodus 3:7-10
7 The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt."
Exodus 6:2-9
2 God also said to Moses, "I am the LORD. 3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, [a] but by my name the LORD [b] I did not make myself known to them. [c] 4 I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, where they lived as aliens. 5 Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant.
6 "Therefore, say to the Israelites: 'I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. 7 I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. 8 And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the LORD.' "
9 Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and cruel bondage.
Deuteronomy 26:1-13
1 When you have entered the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance and have taken possession of it and settled in it, 2 take some of the first fruits of all that you produce from the soil of the land the LORD your God is giving you and put them in a basket. Then go to the place the LORD your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name 3 and say to the priest in office at the time, "I declare today to the LORD your God that I have come to the land the LORD swore to our forefathers to give us." 4 The priest shall take the basket from your hands and set it down in front of the altar of the LORD your God. 5 Then you shall declare before the LORD your God: "My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down into Egypt with a few people and lived there and became a great nation, powerful and numerous. 6 But the Egyptians mistreated us and made us suffer, putting us to hard labor. 7 Then we cried out to the LORD, the God of our fathers, and the LORD heard our voice and saw our misery, toil and oppression. 8 So the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with miraculous signs and wonders. 9 He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey; 10 and now I bring the first fruits of the soil that you, O LORD, have given me." Place the basket before the LORD your God and bow down before him. 11 And you and the Levites and the aliens among you shall rejoice in all the good things the LORD your God has given to you and your household.
12 When you have finished setting aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give it to the Levite, the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied. 13 Then say to the LORD your God: "I have removed from my house the sacred portion and have given it to the Levite, the alien, the fatherless and the widow, according to all you commanded. I have not turned aside from your commands nor have I forgotten any of them.
Exodus 22:21-27
21 "Do not mistreat an alien or oppress him, for you were aliens in Egypt.
22 "Do not take advantage of a widow or an orphan. 23 If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. 24 My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless.
25 "If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not be like a moneylender; charge him no interest. [a] 26 If you take your neighbor's cloak as a pledge, return it to him by sunset, 27 because his cloak is the only covering he has for his body. What else will he sleep in? When he cries out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.
Exodus 23:9
9 "Do not oppress an alien; you yourselves know how it feels to be aliens, because you were aliens in Egypt.
Leviticus 19:9-10
9 " 'When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. 10 Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God.
Leviticus 19:33-36
33 " 'When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. 34 The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.
35 " 'Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity. 36 Use honest scales and honest weights, an honest ephah [a] and an honest hin. [b] I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt.
Deuteronomy 15:1-11
1 At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts. 2 This is how it is to be done: Every creditor shall cancel the loan he has made to his fellow Israelite. He shall not require payment from his fellow Israelite or brother, because the LORD's time for canceling debts has been proclaimed. 3 You may require payment from a foreigner, but you must cancel any debt your brother owes you. 4 However, there should be no poor among you, for in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, 5 if only you fully obey the LORD your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today. 6 For the LORD your God will bless you as he has promised, and you will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. You will rule over many nations but none will rule over you.
7 If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. 8 Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs. 9 Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: "The seventh year, the year for canceling debts, is near," so that you do not show ill will toward your needy brother and give him nothing. He may then appeal to the LORD against you, and you will be found guilty of sin. 10 Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. 11 There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.
Deuteronomy 10:12-19
12 And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to observe the LORD's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?
14 To the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it. 15 Yet the LORD set his affection on your forefathers and loved them, and he chose you, their descendants, above all the nations, as it is today. 16 Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer. 17 For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. 18 He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. 19 And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt.
Deuteronomy 27:19
19 "Cursed is the man who withholds justice from the alien, the fatherless or the widow."
Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"
Songs and Wisdom
Psalm 9:9
9 The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.
Psalm 12:5
5 "Because of the oppression of the weak and the groaning of the needy, I will now arise," says the LORD.
"I will protect them from those who malign them."
Psalm 72:1-4, 12-14
1 Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness. 2 He will [a] judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice. 3 The mountains will bring prosperity to the people,
the hills the fruit of righteousness. 4 He will defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; he will crush the oppressor.
12 For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help. 13 He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death. 14 He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight.
Psalm 82:2-4
2 "How long will you [a] defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked? Selah 3 Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. 4 Rescue the weak and needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
Psalm 113:7-8
7 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; 8 he seats them with princes, with the princes of their people.
Psalm 140:12
12 I know that the LORD secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy.
Psalm 146:5-9
5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, 6 the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—the LORD, who remains faithful forever. 7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free, 8 the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous. 9 The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
Proverbs 14:31
31 He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.
Proverbs 19:17
17 He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done.
Proverbs 22:22-23
22 Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court, 23 for the LORD will take up their case and will plunder those who plunder them.
Proverbs 29:7
7 The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.
Proverbs 31:4-9
4 "It is not for kings, O Lemuel—not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer, 5 lest they drink and forget what the law decrees, and deprive all the oppressed of their rights. 6 Give beer to those who are perishing, wine to those who are in anguish; 7 let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more.
8 "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. 9 Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy."
The Prophets
Isaiah 1:10-17
10 Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah! 11 "The multitude of your sacrifices—what are they to me?" says the LORD. "I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. 12 When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts? 13 Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations—I cannot bear your evil assemblies. 14 Your New Moon festivals and your appointed feasts my soul hates. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. 15 When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood; 16 wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, 17 learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. [a] Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.
Isaiah 3:13-25
13 The LORD takes his place in court; he rises to judge the people. 14 The LORD enters into judgment
against the elders and leaders of his people: "It is you who have ruined my vineyard; the plunder from the poor is in your houses. 15 What do you mean by crushing my people and grinding the faces of the poor?"
declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty. 16 The LORD says, "The women of Zion are haughty, walking along with outstretched necks, flirting with their eyes, tripping along with mincing steps, with ornaments jingling on their ankles. 17 Therefore the Lord will bring sores on the heads of the women of Zion; the LORD will make their scalps bald." 18 In that day the Lord will snatch away their finery: the bangles and headbands and crescent necklaces, 19 the earrings and bracelets and veils, 20 the headdresses and ankle chains and sashes, the perfume bottles and charms, 21 the signet rings and nose rings, 22 the fine robes and the capes and cloaks, the purses 23 and mirrors, and the linen garments and tiaras and shawls. 24 Instead of fragrance there will be a stench; instead of a sash, a rope; instead of well-dressed hair, baldness; instead of fine clothing, sackcloth; instead of beauty, branding. 25 Your men will fall by the sword, your warriors in battle.
Isaiah 10:1-4
1 Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, 2 to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people, making widows their prey and robbing the fatherless. 3 What will you do on the day of reckoning, when disaster comes from afar? To whom will you run for help? Where will you leave your riches? 4 Nothing will remain but to cringe among the captives or fall among the slain. Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised.
Isaiah 58:1-12
1 "Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Declare to my people their rebellion
and to the house of Jacob their sins. 2 For day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God.
They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them. 3 'Why have we fasted,' they say, 'and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?' "Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers. 4 Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high. 5 Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself? Is it only for bowing one's head like a reed and for lying on sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD ? 6 "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? 8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness [a] will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. 9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. "If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. 11 The LORD will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. 12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.
Jeremiah 5:26-29
26 "Among my people are wicked men who lie in wait like men who snare birds and like those who set traps to catch men. 27 Like cages full of birds, their houses are full of deceit; they have become rich and powerful
28 and have grown fat and sleek. Their evil deeds have no limit; they do not plead the case of the fatherless to win it, they do not defend the rights of the poor. 29 Should I not punish them for this?" declares the LORD. Should I not avenge myself on such a nation as this?
Amos 2:6-7
6 This is what the LORD says: "For three sins of Israel, even for four, I will not turn back {my wrath}. They sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals. 7 They trample on the heads of the poor as upon the dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed. Father and son use the same girl and so profane my holy name.
Amos 5:11-12
11 You trample on the poor and force him to give you grain. Therefore, though you have built stone mansions, you will not live in them; though you have planted lush vineyards, you will not drink their wine. 12 For I know how many are your offenses and how great your sins. You oppress the righteous and take bribes
and you deprive the poor of justice in the courts.
Amos 6:4-7
4 You lie on beds inlaid with ivory and lounge on your couches. You dine on choice lambs and fattened calves. 5 You strum away on your harps like David and improvise on musical instruments. 6 You drink wine by the bowlful and use the finest lotions, but you do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph. 7 Therefore you will be among the first to go into exile; your feasting and lounging will end.
Amos 8:4-8
4 Hear this, you who trample the needy and do away with the poor of the land, 5 saying, "When will the New Moon be over that we may sell grain, and the Sabbath be ended that we may market wheat?"—
skimping the measure, boosting the price and cheating with dishonest scales, 6 buying the poor with silver
and the needy for a pair of sandals, selling even the sweepings with the wheat. 7 The LORD has sworn by the Pride of Jacob: "I will never forget anything they have done. 8 "Will not the land tremble for this, and all who live in it mourn? The whole land will rise like the Nile; it will be stirred up and then sink like the river of Egypt.
Micah 6:6-8
6 With what shall I come before the LORD and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8 He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
Ezekiel 16:49
49 " 'Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.
Part 2 to follow soon. . .
Recently, after leading a class through part one, it occurred to me that I should post much of the content of the course here. What follows is a summation of my notes and a listing of many of the biblical texts that we "unpacked" together.
Part 1--the Hebrew Bible
In the Hebrew Bible justice is central to faith and to a genuine relationship with God. . . How do you define “justice”?
One of the long overlooked, and yet, central aspects of the biblical message is the commitment of God to justice in human relationships. . . How does justice work in human relationships?
Rooted in every part of the Hebrew Bible:
- Torah or Law of Moses
- Hymnology and Wisdom Literature
- The Prophets
Torah
Exodus 3:7-10
7 The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt."
Exodus 6:2-9
2 God also said to Moses, "I am the LORD. 3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, [a] but by my name the LORD [b] I did not make myself known to them. [c] 4 I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, where they lived as aliens. 5 Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant.
6 "Therefore, say to the Israelites: 'I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. 7 I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. 8 And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the LORD.' "
9 Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and cruel bondage.
Deuteronomy 26:1-13
1 When you have entered the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance and have taken possession of it and settled in it, 2 take some of the first fruits of all that you produce from the soil of the land the LORD your God is giving you and put them in a basket. Then go to the place the LORD your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name 3 and say to the priest in office at the time, "I declare today to the LORD your God that I have come to the land the LORD swore to our forefathers to give us." 4 The priest shall take the basket from your hands and set it down in front of the altar of the LORD your God. 5 Then you shall declare before the LORD your God: "My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down into Egypt with a few people and lived there and became a great nation, powerful and numerous. 6 But the Egyptians mistreated us and made us suffer, putting us to hard labor. 7 Then we cried out to the LORD, the God of our fathers, and the LORD heard our voice and saw our misery, toil and oppression. 8 So the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with miraculous signs and wonders. 9 He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey; 10 and now I bring the first fruits of the soil that you, O LORD, have given me." Place the basket before the LORD your God and bow down before him. 11 And you and the Levites and the aliens among you shall rejoice in all the good things the LORD your God has given to you and your household.
12 When you have finished setting aside a tenth of all your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give it to the Levite, the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that they may eat in your towns and be satisfied. 13 Then say to the LORD your God: "I have removed from my house the sacred portion and have given it to the Levite, the alien, the fatherless and the widow, according to all you commanded. I have not turned aside from your commands nor have I forgotten any of them.
Exodus 22:21-27
21 "Do not mistreat an alien or oppress him, for you were aliens in Egypt.
22 "Do not take advantage of a widow or an orphan. 23 If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. 24 My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless.
25 "If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not be like a moneylender; charge him no interest. [a] 26 If you take your neighbor's cloak as a pledge, return it to him by sunset, 27 because his cloak is the only covering he has for his body. What else will he sleep in? When he cries out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.
Exodus 23:9
9 "Do not oppress an alien; you yourselves know how it feels to be aliens, because you were aliens in Egypt.
Leviticus 19:9-10
9 " 'When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. 10 Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God.
Leviticus 19:33-36
33 " 'When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. 34 The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.
35 " 'Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity. 36 Use honest scales and honest weights, an honest ephah [a] and an honest hin. [b] I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt.
Deuteronomy 15:1-11
1 At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts. 2 This is how it is to be done: Every creditor shall cancel the loan he has made to his fellow Israelite. He shall not require payment from his fellow Israelite or brother, because the LORD's time for canceling debts has been proclaimed. 3 You may require payment from a foreigner, but you must cancel any debt your brother owes you. 4 However, there should be no poor among you, for in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, 5 if only you fully obey the LORD your God and are careful to follow all these commands I am giving you today. 6 For the LORD your God will bless you as he has promised, and you will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. You will rule over many nations but none will rule over you.
7 If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. 8 Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs. 9 Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: "The seventh year, the year for canceling debts, is near," so that you do not show ill will toward your needy brother and give him nothing. He may then appeal to the LORD against you, and you will be found guilty of sin. 10 Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. 11 There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.
Deuteronomy 10:12-19
12 And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to observe the LORD's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?
14 To the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it. 15 Yet the LORD set his affection on your forefathers and loved them, and he chose you, their descendants, above all the nations, as it is today. 16 Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer. 17 For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. 18 He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing. 19 And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt.
Deuteronomy 27:19
19 "Cursed is the man who withholds justice from the alien, the fatherless or the widow."
Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"
Songs and Wisdom
Psalm 9:9
9 The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.
Psalm 12:5
5 "Because of the oppression of the weak and the groaning of the needy, I will now arise," says the LORD.
"I will protect them from those who malign them."
Psalm 72:1-4, 12-14
1 Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness. 2 He will [a] judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice. 3 The mountains will bring prosperity to the people,
the hills the fruit of righteousness. 4 He will defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy; he will crush the oppressor.
12 For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help. 13 He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death. 14 He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight.
Psalm 82:2-4
2 "How long will you [a] defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked? Selah 3 Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. 4 Rescue the weak and needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
Psalm 113:7-8
7 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; 8 he seats them with princes, with the princes of their people.
Psalm 140:12
12 I know that the LORD secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy.
Psalm 146:5-9
5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, 6 the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—the LORD, who remains faithful forever. 7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free, 8 the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous. 9 The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
Proverbs 14:31
31 He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.
Proverbs 19:17
17 He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done.
Proverbs 22:22-23
22 Do not exploit the poor because they are poor and do not crush the needy in court, 23 for the LORD will take up their case and will plunder those who plunder them.
Proverbs 29:7
7 The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern.
Proverbs 31:4-9
4 "It is not for kings, O Lemuel—not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer, 5 lest they drink and forget what the law decrees, and deprive all the oppressed of their rights. 6 Give beer to those who are perishing, wine to those who are in anguish; 7 let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more.
8 "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. 9 Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy."
The Prophets
Isaiah 1:10-17
10 Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah! 11 "The multitude of your sacrifices—what are they to me?" says the LORD. "I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. 12 When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts? 13 Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations—I cannot bear your evil assemblies. 14 Your New Moon festivals and your appointed feasts my soul hates. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. 15 When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood; 16 wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, 17 learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. [a] Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.
Isaiah 3:13-25
13 The LORD takes his place in court; he rises to judge the people. 14 The LORD enters into judgment
against the elders and leaders of his people: "It is you who have ruined my vineyard; the plunder from the poor is in your houses. 15 What do you mean by crushing my people and grinding the faces of the poor?"
declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty. 16 The LORD says, "The women of Zion are haughty, walking along with outstretched necks, flirting with their eyes, tripping along with mincing steps, with ornaments jingling on their ankles. 17 Therefore the Lord will bring sores on the heads of the women of Zion; the LORD will make their scalps bald." 18 In that day the Lord will snatch away their finery: the bangles and headbands and crescent necklaces, 19 the earrings and bracelets and veils, 20 the headdresses and ankle chains and sashes, the perfume bottles and charms, 21 the signet rings and nose rings, 22 the fine robes and the capes and cloaks, the purses 23 and mirrors, and the linen garments and tiaras and shawls. 24 Instead of fragrance there will be a stench; instead of a sash, a rope; instead of well-dressed hair, baldness; instead of fine clothing, sackcloth; instead of beauty, branding. 25 Your men will fall by the sword, your warriors in battle.
Isaiah 10:1-4
1 Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, 2 to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people, making widows their prey and robbing the fatherless. 3 What will you do on the day of reckoning, when disaster comes from afar? To whom will you run for help? Where will you leave your riches? 4 Nothing will remain but to cringe among the captives or fall among the slain. Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised.
Isaiah 58:1-12
1 "Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Declare to my people their rebellion
and to the house of Jacob their sins. 2 For day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God.
They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them. 3 'Why have we fasted,' they say, 'and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?' "Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers. 4 Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high. 5 Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself? Is it only for bowing one's head like a reed and for lying on sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD ? 6 "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? 8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness [a] will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. 9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. "If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. 11 The LORD will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. 12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.
Jeremiah 5:26-29
26 "Among my people are wicked men who lie in wait like men who snare birds and like those who set traps to catch men. 27 Like cages full of birds, their houses are full of deceit; they have become rich and powerful
28 and have grown fat and sleek. Their evil deeds have no limit; they do not plead the case of the fatherless to win it, they do not defend the rights of the poor. 29 Should I not punish them for this?" declares the LORD. Should I not avenge myself on such a nation as this?
Amos 2:6-7
6 This is what the LORD says: "For three sins of Israel, even for four, I will not turn back {my wrath}. They sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals. 7 They trample on the heads of the poor as upon the dust of the ground and deny justice to the oppressed. Father and son use the same girl and so profane my holy name.
Amos 5:11-12
11 You trample on the poor and force him to give you grain. Therefore, though you have built stone mansions, you will not live in them; though you have planted lush vineyards, you will not drink their wine. 12 For I know how many are your offenses and how great your sins. You oppress the righteous and take bribes
and you deprive the poor of justice in the courts.
Amos 6:4-7
4 You lie on beds inlaid with ivory and lounge on your couches. You dine on choice lambs and fattened calves. 5 You strum away on your harps like David and improvise on musical instruments. 6 You drink wine by the bowlful and use the finest lotions, but you do not grieve over the ruin of Joseph. 7 Therefore you will be among the first to go into exile; your feasting and lounging will end.
Amos 8:4-8
4 Hear this, you who trample the needy and do away with the poor of the land, 5 saying, "When will the New Moon be over that we may sell grain, and the Sabbath be ended that we may market wheat?"—
skimping the measure, boosting the price and cheating with dishonest scales, 6 buying the poor with silver
and the needy for a pair of sandals, selling even the sweepings with the wheat. 7 The LORD has sworn by the Pride of Jacob: "I will never forget anything they have done. 8 "Will not the land tremble for this, and all who live in it mourn? The whole land will rise like the Nile; it will be stirred up and then sink like the river of Egypt.
Micah 6:6-8
6 With what shall I come before the LORD and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8 He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
Ezekiel 16:49
49 " 'Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.
Part 2 to follow soon. . .
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Just Provider and Liberator
"He gives justice to the poor and food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free."
Based on this verse, how would you describe "the Lord"?
"Justice to the poor". . .would this description keep some people away from this God?
What does the assumption of the presence of oppression and the need for intervention say to you about the values of God?
Psalm 146:7 Contemporary English Version (CEV)
Based on this verse, how would you describe "the Lord"?
"Justice to the poor". . .would this description keep some people away from this God?
What does the assumption of the presence of oppression and the need for intervention say to you about the values of God?
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Update from Texas House on Payday Lending legislation
Rev. Gerald Britt, CitySquare's VP of Public Policy and Community Program Development, has been working hard for changes in the payday lending laws in Texas and in Dallas.
One outcome of his vision and hard work was a visit to CitySquare last Friday by Elizabeth Warren, Assistant to the President and Special Advisor to the Secretary of the Treasury.
Another result is documented in the press release below that was issued by Texas state Rep. Rafael Anchia and Rep. Marc Veasey on Friday. The progress is not all that we hoped, but a step in the right direction. And, the effort is not complete, as the legislation must come to the full House for a vote and work must be done on the Senate side to get a new law. It is important that we express our concerns to our representatives and to our Senators here in Texas about this important issue.
For Immediate Release:
April 8, 2011
Payday Lending Bills Pass Out of Committee
Bills do not address all concerns with payday lenders, but represent improvement from current law.
AUSTIN -- On Thursday, April 7th, the House Committee on Pensions, Investments, and Financial Services unanimously approved House Bills 2592, 2593, and 2594, by Rep. Vicki Truitt (R-Southlake). These bills create a system of regulations for payday lenders, who currently are subject to very little state oversight.
At the outset of the legislative session, State Rep. Rafael Anchia (D-Dallas) and State Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Fort Worth), who serve on the committee, had hoped for stronger regulation. Both representatives authored or co-authored bills that would have provided for more restrictions on payday lenders. Those bills would have restricted the lenders' ability to roll over past due balances into new loans, charge exorbitant interest rates, and saddle consumers with unexpected debt.
“This bill, although not perfect, brings significant new regulation to an industry that, until now, has been free to operate in Texas with very little oversight,” Rep. Anchia said. He added, "Significantly, the Office of the Consumer Credit Commissioner now has the power to move against the bad actors in the industry on behalf of consumers who look to the state for much-needed protection from predatory lenders."
Despite their preference for stronger legislation, Rep. Anchia and Rep.Veasey voted in favor of the payday lending bills. They feel that the legislation provides as much protection and regulation as possible while ensuring that the bills can obtain the support of the majority of the Legislature. Both representatives believe that the need for regulation of payday lending is too pressing to delay by waiting for more perfect legislation.
“Although I wish that we could pass a bill that would do more to protect consumers, I support this legislation because I believe it is the most we can accomplish this session, and it represents a significant improvement over current law,” Rep. Veasey said.
State Representative Rafael Anchia is currently serving his fourth term in the Texas House. He is the vice-chair of the Pensions, Investments, and Financial Services Committee, and also serves on the Land and Resource Management Committee. Residents of District 103 are encouraged to contact Rep. Anchia at (512) 463-0746.
State Representative Marc Veasey is serving his fourth term in the Texas House. He is a member of the Elections; Pensions, Investments and Financial Services; and Redistricting Committees. Residents of District 95 are encouraged to contact Rep. Veasey at (512) 463-0716.
One outcome of his vision and hard work was a visit to CitySquare last Friday by Elizabeth Warren, Assistant to the President and Special Advisor to the Secretary of the Treasury.
Another result is documented in the press release below that was issued by Texas state Rep. Rafael Anchia and Rep. Marc Veasey on Friday. The progress is not all that we hoped, but a step in the right direction. And, the effort is not complete, as the legislation must come to the full House for a vote and work must be done on the Senate side to get a new law. It is important that we express our concerns to our representatives and to our Senators here in Texas about this important issue.
For Immediate Release:
April 8, 2011
Payday Lending Bills Pass Out of Committee
Bills do not address all concerns with payday lenders, but represent improvement from current law.
AUSTIN -- On Thursday, April 7th, the House Committee on Pensions, Investments, and Financial Services unanimously approved House Bills 2592, 2593, and 2594, by Rep. Vicki Truitt (R-Southlake). These bills create a system of regulations for payday lenders, who currently are subject to very little state oversight.
At the outset of the legislative session, State Rep. Rafael Anchia (D-Dallas) and State Rep. Marc Veasey (D-Fort Worth), who serve on the committee, had hoped for stronger regulation. Both representatives authored or co-authored bills that would have provided for more restrictions on payday lenders. Those bills would have restricted the lenders' ability to roll over past due balances into new loans, charge exorbitant interest rates, and saddle consumers with unexpected debt.
“This bill, although not perfect, brings significant new regulation to an industry that, until now, has been free to operate in Texas with very little oversight,” Rep. Anchia said. He added, "Significantly, the Office of the Consumer Credit Commissioner now has the power to move against the bad actors in the industry on behalf of consumers who look to the state for much-needed protection from predatory lenders."
Despite their preference for stronger legislation, Rep. Anchia and Rep.Veasey voted in favor of the payday lending bills. They feel that the legislation provides as much protection and regulation as possible while ensuring that the bills can obtain the support of the majority of the Legislature. Both representatives believe that the need for regulation of payday lending is too pressing to delay by waiting for more perfect legislation.
“Although I wish that we could pass a bill that would do more to protect consumers, I support this legislation because I believe it is the most we can accomplish this session, and it represents a significant improvement over current law,” Rep. Veasey said.
State Representative Rafael Anchia is currently serving his fourth term in the Texas House. He is the vice-chair of the Pensions, Investments, and Financial Services Committee, and also serves on the Land and Resource Management Committee. Residents of District 103 are encouraged to contact Rep. Anchia at (512) 463-0746.
State Representative Marc Veasey is serving his fourth term in the Texas House. He is a member of the Elections; Pensions, Investments and Financial Services; and Redistricting Committees. Residents of District 95 are encouraged to contact Rep. Veasey at (512) 463-0716.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Payday loans. . .local action now!
Even though the state battle to provide more robust regulation of the payday lending industry is about over, a very important local effort is still very much in play. Read what follows and then take personal action to help in our efforts to protect our low-income neighbors.
STOP PREDATORY LENDING IN DALLAS
Predatory lending is a big problem across Dallas. In recent years, the number of auto title and payday lending locations has exploded and now over 200 storefronts exist within the city.
Payday and auto title lenders have found a loophole to escape state licensing and are “legally” able to charge outrageous rates, trapping many people in cycles of debt while draining community resources. The Texas Legislature must ultimately act to regulate these lenders so that their practices are fair and reasonable; however, since there is a heavy concentration of these locations in Dallas neighborhoods – particularly in areas already struggling economically -- the Anti-Poverty Coalition of Greater Dallas is calling on the City of Dallas to take action and reduce the negative impact of these lenders through a strong zoning ordinance.
These loans create a treadmill of debt. Few borrowers can repay the loan in full, plus interest, and pay for other monthly expenses. Thus, borrowers must to re-borrow, or “rollover”, the loan in order to fill the gap in their budget created by their loan. None of the rollover payments apply towards the loan principal, so the cost to borrow the money frequently exceeds the original loan principal. Over half of payday borrowers rollover at least once before they pay the loan off – and nearly one in four borrowers rollover loans multiple times.
The average payday borrower pays $840 for a $300 loan.
Because payday loans are secured by a borrower’s post dated check, payday lenders can hold borrowers’ bank accounts hostage.
If the borrower cannot pay in full or the exorbitant fee to rollover the loan, they will face heavy charges from both the payday lender and from their bank in overdraft charges.
Fees for a one-month $4,000 auto title loan exceed $1,000. This $1,000 fee must be paid every month until the loan is paid in full, or a missed payment can result in repossession of the car.
Last year, nearly 200,000 vehicle liens were filed in Texas by unlicensed auto title lenders.
TAKE ACTION
Contact your State Senator and Representative to tell them that you support Texas regulating payday and auto title lenders.
Sign the petition asking the City of Dallas to enact an ordinance to lessen the concentration of payday and auto title stores and reduce their harmful impact on our neighborhoods.
THE ANTI-POVERTY COALITION OF GREATER DALLAS
The Anti-Poverty Coalition of Greater Dallas is a new coalition that seeks to move 250,000 people out of poverty permanently by 2020 by coordinating efforts to keep people from falling into poverty and increasing pathways out of poverty. We are a broad-based coalition that unites the business community, faith-based organizations, social service agencies, and foundations. Join our fight today!
Predatory lending is a big problem across Dallas. In recent years, the number of auto title and payday lending locations has exploded and now over 200 storefronts exist within the city.
Payday and auto title lenders have found a loophole to escape state licensing and are “legally” able to charge outrageous rates, trapping many people in cycles of debt while draining community resources. The Texas Legislature must ultimately act to regulate these lenders so that their practices are fair and reasonable; however, since there is a heavy concentration of these locations in Dallas neighborhoods – particularly in areas already struggling economically -- the Anti-Poverty Coalition of Greater Dallas is calling on the City of Dallas to take action and reduce the negative impact of these lenders through a strong zoning ordinance.
These loans create a treadmill of debt. Few borrowers can repay the loan in full, plus interest, and pay for other monthly expenses. Thus, borrowers must to re-borrow, or “rollover”, the loan in order to fill the gap in their budget created by their loan. None of the rollover payments apply towards the loan principal, so the cost to borrow the money frequently exceeds the original loan principal. Over half of payday borrowers rollover at least once before they pay the loan off – and nearly one in four borrowers rollover loans multiple times.
Because payday loans are secured by a borrower’s post dated check, payday lenders can hold borrowers’ bank accounts hostage.
If the borrower cannot pay in full or the exorbitant fee to rollover the loan, they will face heavy charges from both the payday lender and from their bank in overdraft charges.
Fees for a one-month $4,000 auto title loan exceed $1,000. This $1,000 fee must be paid every month until the loan is paid in full, or a missed payment can result in repossession of the car.
Last year, nearly 200,000 vehicle liens were filed in Texas by unlicensed auto title lenders.
TAKE ACTION
Contact your State Senator and Representative to tell them that you support Texas regulating payday and auto title lenders.
Sign the petition asking the City of Dallas to enact an ordinance to lessen the concentration of payday and auto title stores and reduce their harmful impact on our neighborhoods.
________________________________________
THE ANTI-POVERTY COALITION OF GREATER DALLAS
The Anti-Poverty Coalition of Greater Dallas is a new coalition that seeks to move 250,000 people out of poverty permanently by 2020 by coordinating efforts to keep people from falling into poverty and increasing pathways out of poverty. We are a broad-based coalition that unites the business community, faith-based organizations, social service agencies, and foundations. Join our fight today!
Friday, April 08, 2011
Hunger fast
Here's part of a report that Jim shared on Thursday with his online community. He asks provocative questions. For those of us who live and work among the urban poor, the questions are more than understandable.
What do you think?
The message of the fast gets clearer each day — fasting tends to focus you, and the message is that a budget is about the choices we make. This fast is not just about cutting spending, but about the values that will determine our priorities and decisions. Should we cut $8.5 billion for low-income housing, or $8.5 billion in mortgage tax deductions for second vacation homes? Should we cut $11.2 billion in early childhood programs for poor kids, or $11.5 billion in tax cuts for millionaires’ estates? Should we cut $2.5 billion in home heating assistance in winter months, or $2.5 billion in tax breaks for oil companies and off-shore drilling? This debate isn’t about scarcity as much as it is about choices.
Jim Wallis
Sojourners
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