5. Religious Attitudes to Rich and Poor in British Society.

L.O. To re-examine this topic in preparation for the GCSE exam.

Overview

You need to know and be able to discuss: Why people are rich/poor in the UK Sources of personal wealth Religious attitudes to money and the personal use of wealth Religious attitudes to responsibility for the poor How and why religious people help the poor in the UK How the state tries to help the poor in the UK Whose actual responsibility it is to help the poor in the UK Whether it is right to gamble in general and whether it is right

to gamble on the lottery How the lottery has created wealth in the UK.

Christian Attitudes to Wealth and Poverty Sikh Attitudes to Wealth and Poverty Jesus told the rich man to sell all he had and follow

him, the man could not do this. Jesus praised a tax collector who decided to give

half his wealth to the poor and compensate four times the amount he had cheated from people.

Paul said ‘the love of money is the root of all evil.’ (Not money itself).

There is nothing wrong with being rich it is how people use their wealth and their attitude to possessions that matter.

Being rich should be seen as an opportunity to be generous rather than a cause for pride.

Christian employers should create good conditions of employment, pay fair wages and not make profits by unjust means.

Some Christians accept the lottery if money raised goes to good causes but others think it just encourages greed and gambling addiction.

The Salvation Army is one Christian organisation that helps the poor in very practical ways.

‘Love your neighbour as yourself’ Luke 10:27

Wealth in itself is not wrong – it is a reward for the previous life (Law of Karma)

Poverty is not essential to goodness. The wealthy have a duty to help those less fortunate

and give what they can – dasvandh. This is related to the idea of sewa – selfless service to God by helping others.

Guru Nanak taught the importance of honest work. Gambling is not looked upon as earning your living

honestly and so it is not encouraged. Also they will not bid for lottery funding to help with projects for the Gurdwara or the Sikh community in general.

Sikh employers have a duty to give employees good working conditions and fair wages.

Guru Amar Das said, ‘Blessed is the godly person and the riches they possess because they can be used for charitable purposes and to give happiness.’

‘God’s bounty belongs to all, but in this world it is not shared justly.’ Guru Granth Sahib

Key words to learn for this topic

• Rich• Poor• Money• Wealth• Poverty• Charity• Inheritance• Wages• Homelessness

• Apathy• Gambling• Addiction• Counselling• Minimum wage• Excessive salary• Responsibility• Community• Lottery

Some Important Definitions

• Inheritance = When a friend or family member leaves you money or property in their will when they die.

• Excessive salaries = also known as ‘fat cat’ salaries, large amounts of money earned, plus possibly bonuses and share options.

• Poverty Trap = not being able to break out of poverty.

• Minimum Wage = the legal minimum amount which must be paid to a worker in the UK.

Who are the Rich and the Poor?The UK includes very rich people and very poor people as well as the vast majority who fall between these two extremes. The rich have acquired or inherited wealth in the form of money, possessions and investments. They have more money than they need to provide the basic necessities such as food and a home. Their lives are comfortable and they have few financial worries.

On the other hand anyone living in poverty struggles to afford food and the basic necessities for themselves and their family. Some will have a home, but it may not be suitable and they may be behind with their rent or mortgage payments. Others will be homeless, whether through difficult circumstances or because their own choices have led to that situation.

Many people would prefer there to be less of a difference between the rich and the poor. But complete equality is very likely to remain an ideal. Communist philosophy attempts to close the gap between rich and poor but other people think that complete equality is not desirable.

Causes and

Sources of Wealth

Born into a wealthy family, or inheritance.

Marry a rich spouse and share their

wealth.

Receive relative wealth through gifts, e.g. from older members of the family.

Winning the lottery - It has made over a

thousand millionaires.

Investing in stocks and shares

or savings

Inventing a new product or creating a

popular song or piece of art.

Having a talent that pays a good salary e.g. film or football star

Working hard and long hours e.g.

doctor or built up a healthy business

Do you think it is morally right for some people in Britain to earn excessive salaries (‘fat cat’)whilst others live in poverty?

Why are some people Poor?

Unemployment

Illness or Disability Poor education or

lack of skills

HomelessToo lazy or apathetic to

work

Low wages(at or slightly above

minimum wage)

Wasteful spending patterns

Alcohol Tobacco

GamblingDrugs

Debt(Financial

mismanagement)

Large credit

card billsToo big mortgage

Investments going wrong

Loan

repayments

Which of these would you say is the most common cause of poverty in Britain?

Breaking Free From Poverty

Education and Training, both at school and beyond

with vocational courses, adult literacy and

numeracy courses etc.

Getting the right advice – careers advisers,

Connexions service, Citizens Advice service.

Government help – since 1999 there is the minimum wage. Also state benefits to help individuals and families – unemployment,

invalidity benefit, tax credits and pensions for the elderly etc.

However, many extremely poor people in Britain cannot escape the POVERTY TRAP. They may live in socially deprived areas or on the streets. Without resources or confidence, they find that getting an education, qualifications, skills and a good job is just too difficult.

Who Cares?

Local Authorities have a responsibility to care for the poor and vulnerable in the

community. They provide social workers, advisers, support workers. They also provide

rented accommodation

Families may help each other in difficult times but it is not always

possible. Sometimes a breakdown in the family may be the cause of the poverty. On the other hand a

poor family can still be a loving and happy family unit.

Charities offer practical support to the poor, including redistributing second-hand clothes and household goods to families in need, supporting children e.g. NSPCC; the elderly e.g. Age UK.

Some charities like the Salvation Army are run by religious organisations.

Three Charities that help the Poor

in the UK

Salvation Army run hostels, soup

runs, advice, clothing etc.

Shelter provide housing, advice

and campaigning

Crisis run emergency

shelters, advice and soup runs.

Lotto – the National Lottery On 19th November 1994 the

first National Lottery in the UK was drawn. It was set up to give people the chance to become ‘rich beyond their wildest dreams’ and to help good causes.

Over the years it has grown to have more draws and also the introduction of scratch cards as well as a European lottery draw (Euromillions).

Despite its popularity it has gained many critics.

Money to Good CausesFor every £1 staked on Lotto 28 pence is given to ‘good causes’. Over £21billion have been distributed to these good causes. This money has to be bid for and there are strict rules about who or what can benefit. There are four categories: Arts (16.67%) Heritage (16.67%) Sport (16.67%) Health, education, the

environment and charities (50%)

Arguments for and against the Lottery

Arguments For• Over 1,000 people have

become millionaires since it began

• It benefits many charities and good causes

• Grants are given to preserve religious buildings

• Grants are given which help the community

Arguments Against• It is gambling and can lead to

addiction• It encourages greed• The gain is achieved by others’

losses• Those who buy tickets are

generally those who can least afford it

• Any gain depends on chance and is not earned through work or commitment

Religious Attitudes to the National Lottery

Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Islamic and Sikh teachings forbid any form of gambling, including the National Lottery, as it is seen as a way of earning money that does not involve doing honest work, and can promote greed and encourage laziness. For every person who becomes richer as a result of gambling, many others become poorer. These five religions will not bid for lottery funding for projects supported by their faith. The Guru Granth Sahib says: “He alone has found the right way who eats what he earns through toil and shares his earnings with the needy.”Some Christian denominations share these views on gambling (E,g, Methodists), but others such as Roman Catholics and Church of England, while not actively encouraging gambling, will allow believers to gamble in moderation. Christian charities have used the good causes fund from the Lottery and the Heritage Fund has helped with the upkeep of churches and cathedrals. Proverbs 23:4 says: “Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint.”

Religious Teachings on Wealth and Poverty

All religions teach:Every person should be valued and treated with respect and

careWealth is not wrong it is how it is acquired and used that is

important – exploiting others, greed and selfishness are wrong

Workers should receive a fair wage and prices for goods sold should be fair

Spiritual riches are more important than material riches – what matters is what a person does with their wealth, not how much they have. All religions expect rich people to use their wealth to help others.

Responsible use of wealth is another way in which people can reach their spiritual goals.

Christian Attitudes to Wealth and Poverty Sikh Attitudes to Wealth and Poverty Jesus told the rich man to sell all he had and follow

him, the man could not do this. Jesus praised a tax collector who decided to give

half his wealth to the poor and compensate four times the amount he had cheated from people.

Paul said ‘the love of money is the root of all evil.’ (Not money itself).

There is nothing wrong with being rich it is how people use their wealth and their attitude to possessions that matter.

Being rich should be seen as an opportunity to be generous rather than a cause for pride.

Christian employers should create good conditions of employment, pay fair wages and not make profits by unjust means.

Some Christians accept the lottery if money raised goes to good causes but others think it just encourages greed and gambling addiction.

The Salvation Army is one Christian organisation that helps the poor in very practical ways.

‘Love your neighbour as yourself’ Luke 10:27

Wealth in itself is not wrong – it is a reward for the previous life (Law of Karma)

Poverty is not essential to goodness. The wealthy have a duty to help those less fortunate

and give what they can – dasvandh. This is related to the idea of sewa – selfless service to God by helping others.

Guru Nanak taught the importance of honest work. Gambling is not looked upon as earning your living

honestly and so it is not encouraged. Also they will not bid for lottery funding to help with projects for the Gurdwara or the Sikh community in general.

Sikh employers have a duty to give employees good working conditions and fair wages.

Guru Amar Das said, ‘Blessed is the godly person and the riches they possess because they can be used for charitable purposes and to give happiness.’

‘God’s bounty belongs to all, but in this world it is not shared justly.’ Guru Granth Sahib