View Full Version : Bible Study - Interesting Differences Between Rich and Poor



Jzyehoshua
07-19-2011, 01:03 PM
From reading the book of James, one observes the following:

-The rich will not last eternally, while the poor will be exalted. (1:9, 2:5, 5:1-3)
-The rich keep wealth from the poor through fraud. (5:4)
-The rich condemn and kill the just. (5:6)
-The rich live in pleasure and want more. (5:5 - also Ecclesiastes 5:10)
-The rich are the ones who oppress Christians and draw them before the courts while blaspheming. (2:6)

-We are not supposed to treat the rich with special privilege over the poor. (2:1-4 - also Leviticus 19:15)
-Faith should produce works or is useless. Those who ignore the suffering of others, blessing them when not choosing to help them with food/shelter have a dead faith. (2:14-20)



James 1:9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:
10 But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. 11 For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.

James 5:1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
3Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
4 Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.
5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
6 Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.
7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.


James 2:1 My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;
3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:
4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?
5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?
8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?



The following are some more observations from the Bible:

-The poor are blessed in spirit, and will inherit the kingdom of Heaven. (Matthew 5:43)
-God does not care about fasting to afflict one's soul, but rather to unloose the bands of wickedness, undo heavy burdens, let the oppressed go free, break bondage, deal food to the hungry, and shelter the naked and poor. (Isaiah 58:3-7)



Matthew 5:43 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Isaiah 58:3 Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labours.
4 Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.
5 Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?
6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? 7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?


On prosperity:

-In this life at least, success does not depend on speed, strength, wisdom, understanding, or skill, but on time and luck for everyone. (Ecclesiastes 9:11)
-Death comes regardless of one's sinfulness, happening inevitably to everyone, and repentance for eternal life is what matters. (Luke 13:2-5)
-It is just that those who in this life receive good things receive bad in the next, and vice versa. (Luke 16:25)



Ecclesiastes 9:11 I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.


Luke 13:2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?
3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

Luke 16:25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.


And finally, a study on Proverbs and Ecclesiastes:

-It is better to be poor and walking in one's integrity than to be a perverse-tongued foolish rich man. (Proverbs 19:1, 28:6)
-Just as one comes naked from the womb, so one will go out, for we can take nothing physical with us. (Ecclesiastes 5:15-16 - also 1 Timothy 6:7, Job 1:21)
-Those who oppress the poor reproach God Himself, and those who have mercy on them honour God. (14:31, 14:21, 17:5, 19:17)
-Even the neighbors and brothers of the poor hate them, and will not befriend even when pursued with words, but the rich have many friends due to wealth. (14:20, 19:4)
-The rich take safety in their wealth, and are arrogant as a result. (18:11)
-The poor use requests/pleas but the rich answer rudely/arrogantly. (18:23)
-God makes both the rich and poor. (Proverbs 22:2)
-The sleep of a working man is sweet regardless of food, but the wealth of the rich won't allow him to sleep. (Ecclesiastes 5:12)



Proverbs 19:1 Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.
Proverbs 28:6 Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich.

Ecclesiastes 5:15 As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.
16 And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?

Proverbs 14:31 He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor.

Ecclesiastes 5:12 The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.

Proverbs 14:20 The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends.
Proverbs 19:4 All the brethren of the poor do hate him: how much more do his friends go far from him? he pursueth them with words, yet they are wanting to him.
Proverbs 19:6 Many will intreat the favour of the prince: and every man is a friend to him that giveth gifts.
7 All the brethren of the poor do hate him: how much more do his friends go far from him? he pursueth them with words, yet they are wanting to him.

Proverbs 18:11 The rich man's wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit.

Proverbs 18:23 The poor useth intreaties; but the rich answereth roughly.

Bunty
07-19-2011, 01:10 PM
Well, what's the use of building treasure on Earth, if you can't take it with your when you go to heaven.

Jzyehoshua
07-19-2011, 03:00 PM
Well, what's the use of building treasure on Earth, if you can't take it with your when you go to heaven.

Solomon all through the book of Ecclesiastes examines this question, actually. The whole book of it is written about his musings on this single dilemma - what is the purpose, then?

Just look at how he begins the book:



Ecclesiastes 1:1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. 3 What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.
5 The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.


Vanity in KJV-speak, Old English, is essentially futility, uselesness. Solomon constantly questions the worth of everything, and wonders essentially, "What's the point?"

Here's a quick breakdown of his thoughts:

-Points out that history repeats itself, and that despite all the labor, the same things from the past simply occur again, and nothing new happens, even though the former things aren't remembered. (1:6-11)
-Describes his situation as King of Jerusalem, to seek wisdom with his heart and figure out this life God has given mankind. (1:12-13)
-Says that all things done under the sun are futile and grievous. He chooses to use his wealth, wisdom, and knowledge to understand not just wisdom but insanity and foolishness, but in the process finds only sorrow, for wisdom increases sorrow. (1:14-18)
-Examines mirth and pleasure and finds it useless. He tries wine and builds great works of all kinds, gaining buildings, servants, riches, and music, and goes for whatever he wants. (2:1-10)
-He looks at it all, and realizes he leaves it all to someone who could be a fool after him.

... to be continued, short on time.

Jersey Boss
07-19-2011, 03:40 PM
I guess you missed the Frank Lutz talking point memo- "Always refer to the wealthy as 'job creators', whether they employ people or not.

Jzyehoshua
07-19-2011, 07:13 PM
Continued from before:

Solomon all through the book of Ecclesiastes examines this question, actually. The whole book of it is written about his musings on this single dilemma - what is the purpose, then?

Just look at how he begins the book:

Vanity in KJV-speak, Old English, is essentially futility, uselesness. Solomon constantly questions the worth of everything, and wonders essentially, "What's the point?"

Here's a breakdown of his thoughts:

-Points out that history repeats itself, and that despite all the labor, the same things from the past simply occur again, and nothing new happens, even though the former things aren't remembered. (1:6-11)
-Describes his situation as King of Jerusalem, to seek wisdom with his heart and figure out this life God has given mankind. (1:12-13)
-Says that all things done under the sun are futile and grievous. He chooses to use his wealth, wisdom, and knowledge to understand not just wisdom but insanity and foolishness, but in the process finds only sorrow, for wisdom increases sorrow. (1:14-18)
-Examines mirth and pleasure and finds it useless. He tries wine and builds great works of all kinds, gaining buildings, servants, riches, and music, and goes for whatever he wants. (2:1-10)
-He looks at it all, and realizes it doesn't matter. He sees that though wisdom excels foolishness, one walking in light and the other in blindness, that both die alike, so wonders why he tries to be wise, since he won't be remembered more than a fool. (2:1-16)
-Solomon hates life for this, since he'll leave his works to another after him who could be a fool yet get all that Solomon worked for, the evil fool inheriting the hard work of a wise righteous man. And after all the works of man, Solomon concludes it all as sorrows and trouble with no rest at night, futility. Solomon echoes the conclusion he'll repeat again and again, that there's nothing better for a man in this life than to eat, drink, and enjoy the good of his labour, God's blessing. (2:17-26)
-Solomon declares there is a time to everything under heaven, and questions what profit there is to a man who labors. After saying the below, however, Solomon concludes that whatever God does lasts forever and that He does this so men will respect Him. (3:1-15)


Ecclesiastes 3:12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.
13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.

-Solomon looks at the places of justice and righteousness (courts and temples?) and recognizes that evil is there. He realizes God will judge the righteous and wicked, and that God will bring everything to light that people will recognize themselves as mere animals, since like animals they all die. Solomon mentions that the spirits of men go upward while the spirits of animals back to the earth, and again states that the best thing is for a man to rejoice in his own works. (3:16-22)
-Solomon returns again and looks at the oppression which happens, and praises the dead, and even more those which died at birth for not seeing the evils of life.

To make what will be a much longer breakdown than I'd intended short, in summary, Solomon concludes in the last chapter, chapter 12, that a young man should remember his Creator in the days of his youth, and that the spirit will return to the one who made it. That all is futile, and much study is a weariness of the flesh. Lastly:



Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Brett
07-19-2011, 07:16 PM
Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich.
Napoleon Bonaparte

SoonerDave
07-20-2011, 08:27 AM
One item I would offer in this discussion, particularly as it pertains to wealth, is to remember that the traditional Jewish view in that era was that if you found favor with God, he showered you with riches. As a result, the popular view was that the wealthy weren't just highly regarded for their wealth, but for the implicit favor with God. Some point to Solomon's wealth as an example of this, but his wealth was a direct result of his pleading to God for "wisdom" first.

That leads to a few interesting realizations:

On the one hand, wealth, in and of itself, is not inherently evil. Conversely, however, it doesn't necessarily imply some sort of favor with God.

The scriptures illustrated above show that wealth proves nothing about faith or favor, but is very, very cautionary to those who believe one implies the other. The migration to the new testament illustrates the transition from physical wealth to spiritual wealth via a restored relationship to God through His Son, Jesus Christ.

-SoonerDave

Swake2
07-20-2011, 09:08 AM
Die Religion ... ist das Opium des Volkes

HewenttoJared
07-20-2011, 09:26 AM
Wealth only has value in that it gives you access to education and other ways of bettering yourself. Beyond that I think of wealth as primarily a burden.

Midtowner
07-20-2011, 09:34 AM
^ I will provide an address to send money to if you wish to unburden yourself!

BBatesokc
07-20-2011, 09:40 AM
Wealth only has value in that it gives you access to education and other ways of bettering yourself. Beyond that I think of wealth as primarily a burden.

IMO 'burdens' are most often something you place upon yourself regardless of your financial situation. I know 'poor' people with far more 'burdens' than 'rich' friends. It also comes down to your definition of 'financial wealth.' To me, I find someone who has no real debt (meaning they could pay it off in a short time if they had to), could continue their current lifestyle for up to a year if they suddenly lost their job, and is planning for their financial well-being in the future to be head and shoulders above most Americans and therefore are 'wealthy.'

From there, there are those that have far more money than they need. Personally, I'd rather be one of those people than to be truly 'poor.' Certainly having that much money should come with some personal and social responsibility, but simply having wealth is not evil and is an admirable goal in my opinion. But, on the flip side, I know people who live very modestly in modest homes and drive modest cars but don't owe a penny to anyone (no mortgage, no car payment. no credit cards) and can take trips and wake up and go to bed every night without want or financial worry. I find them equally 'wealthy.'

cameron_405
07-20-2011, 09:53 AM
The Giving Pledge is an effort to invite the wealthiest individuals and families in America to commit to giving the majority of their wealth to the philanthropic causes and charitable organizations of their choice either during their lifetime or after their death.

Each person who chooses to pledge will make this statement publicly, along with a letter explaining their decision to pledge. At an annual event, those who take the pledge will come together to share ideas and learn from each other.

The Pledge is a moral commitment to give, not a legal contract. It does not involve pooling money or supporting a particular set of causes or organizations.

While the Giving Pledge is specifically focused on billionaires, the idea takes its inspiration from efforts in the past and at present that encourage and recognize givers of all financial means and backgrounds. We are inspired by the example set by millions of Americans who give generously (and often at great personal sacrifice) to make the world a better place. (http://givingpledge.org)

-----------

...from Oklahoma's George Kaiser -- (http://cms.givingpledge.org/Content/uploads/634157635021843235_Kaiser_072610.pdf)

I suppose I arrived at my charitable commitment largely through guilt. I recognized early on, that my good fortune was not due to superior personal character or initiative so much as it was to dumb luck. I was blessed to be born in an advanced society with caring parents. So, I had the advantage of both genetics (winning the "ovarian lottery") and upbringing. As I looked around at those who did not have these advantages, it became clear to me that I had a moral obligation to direct my resources to help right that balance.

America's "social contract" is equal opportunity. It is the most fundamental principle in our founding documents and it is what originally distinguished us from the old Europe. Yet, we have failed in achieving that seminal goal; in fact, we have lost ground in recent years. Another distinctly American principle is a shared partnership between the public and private sectors to foster the public good. So, if the democratically-directed public sector is shirking, to some degree, its responsibility to level the playing field, more of that role must shift to the private sector.

As I addressed my charitable purposes, all of this seemed pretty clear: I was only peripherally responsible for my own good fortune; I was morally duty bound to help those left behind by the accident of birth; America's root principle was equal opportunity but we were far from achieving it. Then I had to drill down to identify the charitable purposes most likely to right that wrong.

The discoveries of stem cell research and brain development in recent years provided some guidance for me. Though almost all of us grew up believing in the concept of equal opportunity, most of us simultaneously carried the unspoken and inconsistent "dirty little secret" that genetics drove much of accomplishment so that equality was not achievable. What the new research seemed to suggest, however, was that brain cells were functionally unformed at birth and that only through the communication among them - driven by trial and error interpretation of sensory stimulation shortly after birth - did our cognitive and social/emotional skills develop. As I sometimes joke, I remember vividly that place before birth as being warm, wet, dark...and boring. Then, suddenly, as I emerged, I was bombarded with sensory overload and had to interpret all of that strange stimulus. Most of that interpretation takes place by age three; after that, we can modify our destiny but it is a lot harder.

No child is responsible for the circumstances of her birth and should not be punished for it in this life. (I will leave the question of second chances to other pulpits.) I have therefore developed my charitable focus around the concept of providing the greatest opportunity for self fulfillment for each child, focusing on those who arrive in the least advantaged circumstances. (A purer focus would be in areas of much greater disadvantage in the world where fewer dollars accomplish more. I honor the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's commitment to the principle that "every life has equal value" but will leave my justification for a primarily American focus to another dissertation.) That governing concept has led us to those initiatives which attempt to reverse the generational cycle of poverty, especially for very young children and their families: prenatal healthcare; early learning and development for at-risk kids, birth to three; family healthcare; parenting training; job and income assistance for families with young children; operating a robust program to provide alternatives to incarceration for mothers who have committed non-violent crimes, et cetera.

These efforts focus most heavily on the causes of poverty but we also dedicate resources to the symptoms, especially in these difficult times and in our relatively poor part of the country - food, clothing, shelter, healthcare and civic projects that promote inclusiveness and vibrancy. We generate a mix of projects, some of which are leading edge and more that import best practices from the greater creativity and experience of others. We attempt to leverage other resources, public and private, by our example. We try not to let a budget drive our expenditures but rather pursue those efforts through which we can make a true difference at an appropriate cost, whether less than or more than our targeted allocation. We remain lean in our central organization and partner with the leading practitioners in our fields of endeavor. We tend to direct our purposes and carefully monitor targeted results on a contemporaneous basis rather than scattering gifts and trusting to retrospective general narratives of success from the beneficiaries. All in all, it is an intoxicating and yet frustrating journey, led by an extraordinarily committed and talented cadre of leaders.

Now that I have told you far more than you wanted to know about how I arrived at my charitable commitment and direction, it is time to make the pledge: I am entranced by Warren's and Bill's visionary appeal to those who have accumulated unconscionable resources, to dedicate at least half of them back to purposes more useful than dynastic perpetuation. My family is very well provided for and they join me in my intention to devote virtually all of my financial resources to the same general charitable purposes I have pursued in life, better informed in specifics by our experience and the experience of others. If enough acolytes follow Bill's and Warren's example, then maybe we will more closely approach the ideal of equal opportunity throughout the United States and the world."


From Harold Hamm -- (http://cms.givingpledge.org/Content/uploads/634395268816429223_Hamm_041911.pdf)

"My family history of giving took root long before I was born. My father was in the ministry and was always finding someone in need of assistance that our family could help. As a child, it was sometimes hard for me to understand how we could give to others when we had so little, but over time I learned the importance of helping those who were unable to help themselves.

We live in an amazing country -- because of our capitalistic society and free enterprise system, I was able to work my way out of poverty. This process really began in high school when I discovered my passion for the oil and gas industry. My success in the industry has given me opportunities to help others discover and pursue their passions in life.

My family’s philanthropic pledge will benefit the life passions for which my wife, Sue Ann, and I care so much: improving health care and educational opportunities for people in the U.S. and throughout the world. We are primarily focused on people whose poverty limits their health care and educational opportunities.

Sue Ann and I have been blessed with good health and education. Education helped me end the cycle of poverty in my family. We are grateful for the educational opportunities that we had, and we are passionate about helping to provide better educational opportunities for people in need.

We also share a passion for improving health care. After being diagnosed with Type II diabetes in 2000, I found there was a large need for a world-class research facility focused entirely on this disease and committed to finding a cure. We also needed a world-class institution to take the lead in educating the public and improving the level of care for adults and children with diabetes.

We want to eradicate diabetes in our lifetime. This disease has such a terrible impact on the poor and minority communities in America. To pursue a cure, we helped form the Harold Hamm Oklahoma Diabetes Center at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. We have committed not only our financial resources, but also our personal involvement to support the HHODC in finding a cure for diabetes.

The final focus of our family’s philanthropy involves more humane treatment of animals. Sue Ann has been a prominent advocate in Oklahoma in working to eliminate the abuses of puppy mills and unregulated pet breeders. She was influential in supporting the 2010 passage of the Commercial Pet Breeders Act, which requires Oklahoma commercial pet breeders to be licensed and establishes minimum standards and enforcement for housing and care. We will continue to support decent care standards for pet breeding operations in our state and beyond.

We have always felt a strong obligation to lead by example. Through our giving pledge, we hope to encourage others to commit their time and resources to worthy causes that will enable other people with ambition and tenacity to achieve their goals.

We hope to extend this legacy of giving not only within our family, but also to all of society. We are humbled by what we have achieved and recognize the responsibilities that come with success."


And, in current events, "50 Cent Tweets Goal to Feed a Billion African People By 2016" (http://www.artistdirect.com/entertainment-news/article/50-cent-tweets-goal-to-feed-a-billion-african-people-by-2016/9008558)

50 Cent is always thinking and always tweeting. The rapper, who shoveled snow for neighbors during last year's brutal winter, tweeted that he has some serious plans that involve feeding a billion of people in Africa by the year 2016. He did not go into detail about those plans, but he did announce his intentions.

The G Unit leader told fans and followers that he has a five-year game plan via a Twitter post, which read as follows: "I want to impact peoples lives more. I created a new goal for my self, I want to feed a billion people in africa over the next 5 years."

That's a big goal and we're sure the rapper is working to put it into affect. We're very curious as to what steps he is taking to turn his idea into a reality.

What do you think of 50 Cent's goals/plans/tweet?

—Amy Sciarretto
07.18.11

USG'60
07-20-2011, 02:58 PM
If 50 cents just buys food and gives it away he will be making a huge mistake. If he will spend his money on factories, training schools, farm equipment and such, then his gift will keep on giving, perhaps, for generations. And as much as possible any food he does give away should be purchased as near to the need as possible, and not the overruns from US factories. Just some thoughts.

cameron_405
07-20-2011, 03:39 PM
If 50 cents just buys food and gives it away he will be making a huge mistake. If he will spend his money on factories, training schools, farm equipment and such, then his gift will keep on giving, perhaps, for generations. And as much as possible any food he does give away should be purchased as near to the need as possible, and not the overruns from US factories. Just some thoughts.

...in keeping with the theme of the thread -- far from being able to quote scripture, these were the closest verses I could find about "teach a man to fish" that perhaps echos your sentiment, USG.



"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 9 Or what man is there of you, who, if his son shall ask him for a loaf, will give him a stone; 10 or if he shall ask for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
Matt 7:7-11