Poverty in Britain

Question 1

What quotes from The Bible can be applied to poverty in Britain ?

Answer 1

“You cannot serve both God and money”
“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven”
“Love thy neighbour”
“The love of money is the root of all evil”
The parable of the sheep and the goats
The parable of the talents

Question 2

What quote from Joseph Fletcher can be applied to poverty in Britain?

Answer 2

“Do the most loving thing”

Question 3

What quotes from Muhammad and the Qur’an can be applied to poverty in Britain?

Answer 3

“Richness does not lie in abundance of worldly goods, but in a contented mind” - Muhammad (pbuh)
“He who eats whilst his brother is hungry is not one of us” - Muhammad (pbuh)
“Of their goods, take zakat, so that you might purify and sanctify them” - The Qur’an

Question 4

What is the parable of talents?

Answer 4

• A master gave 3 servants amount of money which he told them to spend however they wanted. The first two invested their’s and doubled it. The last buried his money to keep it safe because he thought he would lose it.
• When the master came back he praised the two who invested and angry at the servant who buried it because he wasted it.

Question 5

What do Christians learn from the Parable of the Talents?

Answer 5

It is not wrong to be rich, but it is wrong to be obsessed with money.

Question 6

What is the parable of the sheep and goats?

Answer 6

“I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” - Jesus

Question 7

What do Christians learn from the parable of the sheep and the goats?

Answer 7

That people who help out others throughout their lives would go to heaven and those people that acted selfishly and didn’t help others were sent to hell.

Question 8

What does the quote “no one can serve two masters … you cannot serve both God and money” mean?

Answer 8

Putting money before God is wrong.

Question 9

What does “Love thy neighbour” mean?

Answer 9

We have a responsibility to use our money to help others less fortunate than ourselves.

Question 10

What does “He who eats and drinks whilst his brother goes hungry is not one of us” mean?

Answer 10

Muslims believe that money is a gift from Allah and should be used to help those in need.

Question 11

What does zakat mean?

Answer 11

It means purification and Muslims believe giving this money makes the rest of their money clean.

Question 12

What is the quote about zakat?

Answer 12

“Of their goods, take zakat, so that you might purify and sanctify them” - Qur’an

Question 13

What does this quote “No one eats better for than that which they have earned with their own labours” teach Muslims?

Answer 13

They believe that money should be earnt not won or gained from interest.

Question 14

Why are people rich?

Answer 14

• born rich
• marry into wealth
• inherit wealth
• very few win on the lottery
• work hard

Question 15

Why are people poor?

Answer 15

• unemployment
• low wages
• wasteful spending
• debt

Question 16

How can people escape poverty?

Answer 16

• Education - gain qualifications to get a good job.
• Counselling - career guidance to look how they can improve their chances of finding a good job.
• Government help - benefits for people who don’t work or cannot work as well as others.

Question 17

What are the Christian attitudes to using wealth responsibly?

Answer 17

Christianity teaches that wealth should be shared with the poor.
Jesus praised a poor widow for giving what she had to charity as God provides what is rich in heaven.
Jesus also taught us to “love thy neighbour” and so we should help those less fortunate than ourselves.
Maggs day centre

Question 18

Give an example of a Christian charity for the poor

Answer 18

Maggs Day Centre is an open-door, free-access day centre in Worcester, catering for anyone who is homeless, isolated or lonely across Worcestershire. They offer food, shelter, support, clothing, washing/bathing facilities and laundry facilities.

Question 19

What are the Muslim attitudes to using wealth responsibly?

Answer 19

Islam teaches that the value of money is in what it can do rather than what it is.
Wealth is a blessing from Allah and should be used wisely for the benefit of the poor as well as oneself.
Families will support other families with interest free loans.
Zakat, the third pillar of Islam when 2.5% of wealth is given to charity.

Question 20

What are the Muslim views on the lottery?

Answer 20

Muslims believe that gambling is wrong as wealth should be sought by work.

Question 21

What are the Christian views on the lottery?

Answer 21

Some (Methodists) don’t agree with gambling as they believe it encourages laziness and promotes greed.
Others (Church of England and Roman Catholics) don’t encourage gambling but allows believers to gamble in moderation.