Engaging Gospel Doctrine (Episode 67) LESSON 38 “In Mine Own Way” Hook Goal Overview One of the most urgent problems we face today is also the most overwhelming… incomprehensible wealth inequality and literally a world of desperate need. Class members should gain a greater understanding of the problem of poverty and wealth inequality, understand God’s commands to care for those in need, and feel empowered to take steps to address the problem as they are able. The problem *Wealth inequality/poverty in the world *Wealth inequality/poverty in the US *Wealth inequality/poverty in the Church The solution *The very first step: Acknowledge there is a problem *Caring for the needy in the Church (Go over assigned readings) *Additional approaches (government, charities, NGOs etc) *Thoughts on increasing well-being (what is our responsibility? How can we care for ourselves? How can we give? How can we serve? More than tithing and fast offerings) What can we do? There are many more complex ways to look at this issue, but I find the “If the world were a village of 100 people” narrative compelling. The village would have 61 Asians, 13 Africans, 12 Europeans, 9 Latin Americans, and 5 from the USA and Canada 50 would be male, 50 would be female 75 would be non-white; 25 white 67 would be non-Christian; 33 would be Christian 80 would live in substandard housing 16 would be unable to read or write 1 50 would be malnourished and 1 dying of starvation 33 would be without access to a safe water supply 39 would lack access to improved sanitation 24 would not have any electricity (And of the 76 that do have electricity, most would only use it for light at night.) 8 people would have access to the Internet 1 would have a college education 1 would have HIV 2 would be near birth; 1 near death 5 would control 32% of the entire world's wealth; all 5 would be US citizens 48 would live on less than US$ 2 a day 20 would live on less than US$ 1 a day Problems in the US 400 households own 50% of the wealth in the US. I don’t know how anyone can be ok with that. “Wealth redistribution” seems like a bad word to many, but it seems unavoidable that is exactly what we need—the question is how. Should this happen naturally and voluntarily? Of course. But that is not happening. Bring up fourth mission of the church One of the great evils with which our own nation is menaced at the present time is the wonderful growth of wealth in the hands of a comparatively few individuals. The very liberties for which our fathers contended so steadfastly and courageously, and which they bequeathed to us as a priceless legacy, are endangered by the monstrous power which this accumulation of wealth gives to a few individuals and a few powerful corporations. By its seductive influence results are accomplished which, were it more equally distributed, would be impossible under our form of 2 government. It threatens to give shape to the legislation, both State and National, of the entire country. If this evil should not be checked, and measures not be taken to prevent the continued enormous growth of riches among the class already rich, and the painful increase of destitution and want among the poor, the nation is liable to be overtaken by disaster; for, according to history, such a tendency among nations once powerful was the sure precursor of ruin." BRIGHAM YOUNG, CHARLES C. RICH, GEORGE A. SMITH, LORENZO SNOW, DANIEL H. WELLS, ERASTUS SNOW, JOHN TAYLOR, FRANKLIN D. RICHARDS, WILFORD WOODRUFF, GEORGE Q. CANNON, ORSON HYDE, BRIGHAM YOUNG, JUN., ORSON PRATT, ALBERT CARRINGTON. SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH TERRITORY, JULY 10TH, 1875. (James R. Clark, comp., "Messages of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," 6 vols. (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1965-75), 2: 267-72.) (walk listeners through each of these resources) http://www.withoutend.org/winter-quarters/ http://www.wbir.com/news/article/279666/2/Tenn-pastor-goes-undercover-as-homelessman-for-week http://www.amazon.com/The-Hole-Our-Gospel-Changed/dp/0849947006 http://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Consecration http://eom.byu.edu/index.php/Humanitarian_Service And this: https://www.dialoguejournal.com/wpcontent/uploads/sbi/articles/Dialogue_V27N02_85.pdf (Relief society charity work between the world wars) If you want to mess with your head, two excellent, uncomfortable RadioLab episodes: http://www.radiolab.org/story/91508-morality/ http://www.radiolab.org/story/91930-killing-babies-saving-the-world/ 3 TED talk on how wealth inequality harms societies http://www.ted.com/talks/richard_wilkinson.html Life expectancy, literacy and math, infant mortality, homicides, imprisonment, teenage pregnancies, trust, obesity, mental illness, addiction, social mobility A playlist if you want to go deep: http://www.ted.com/playlists/67/the_quest_to_end_poverty.html http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2011/10/providing-in-the-lords-way?lang=eng Abundance Nudge! http://www.ldsinternationalsociety.org The Problem http://econ.worldbank.org/external/default/main?authorMDK=91636&theSitePK=469382 &piPK=64214942&pagePK=64214821&menuPK=64214916 (lots of reading if you really want to dig into wealth inequality) http://m.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/09/30/the-typical-americanhousehold-is-richer-than-93-percent-of-the-world/ wealth inequality in America: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPKKQnijnsM http://feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/hunger-studies/map-the-meal-gap.aspx http://www.magpictures.com/aplaceatthetable/ (on Netflix http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/A_Place_at_the_Table/70229262?sod=searchautocomplete) http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-february-26-2013/lori-silverbush---kristijacobson (and not a single word of profanity) Hunger and Poverty in America Documentary: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yL8oJJAEDs 4 http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865562123/1-in-7-Utah-households-struggle-toafford-food-USDA-reports.html?pg=all http://www.worldvision.org/sponsor-child Potential Solutions I came across a disturbing exercise in imagination while preparing for class (It was a handbook in Moral Philosophy, so serves me right): If you could push one button and give your child a memorable birthday, or push another button and save ten lives, which would you choose? Do you choose the nice shoes button, or the save twenty lives button? I am not saying we should not enjoy comforts and even luxuries. We should however do so with our eyes open and an awareness for ways we can help others while also caring for ourselves. And if we feel called to give up some of those comforts so others can have the necessities of life, well there is plenty of scriptural backing for that as well. We need to understand and take into account the limitations of human nature. Highly recommend the book “Nudge” which discusses “libertarian paternalism” Perpetual Education fund http://pef.lds.org/?locale=eng http://www.crowdrise.com/halftheskymovement http://www.kiva.org/start 5 http://www.thelifeyoucansave.org/ http://www.charitynavigator.org/ http://www.actionaid.org. Further Reading Abundance Some recommendations in Nudge about preventing another financial crisis Main thesis: We need to take into account our human limitations and frailty when making policies and approaching problems Specific problems include bounded rationality, self-control problems, and social influences Bounded rationality: We have limited ability to understand complexity and an abundance of choices overwhelms us. This has had serious consequences when it comes from mortgages changing from borrowing money from the bank to “mortgage backed securities” Refinancing has been presented in such a way that people have been drawn to that instead of paying off the mortgages Baseless optimism for rising home values became contagious—until it popped. Potential solutions: “Government and market should collaborate” Require more saving for mortgages, institutions could encourage paying off mortgage sooner rather than later. at the latest by retirement (instead we have “reverse mortgages”!) (Note that these pieces of good advice also fit well into our assigned reading) Refinancing should shorten not lengthen the payment period. 6