Believing that in todays world of racial hatreds and conservative ideologies
That is such a fantastically broad generalization, compounded with a frighteningly small world view, that your entire post should be discounted as, certainly biased, if not completely derelict. I dare you to put me in to a religious, or racial ideologue catergory. I double dog dare you. I will eat your lunch. Having said that, there is equal racial hatred and ideologues on all sides.
that it's the governments fault, that the government removed the "urgency and tradition of the community to step in" is delusional and part of the problem.
So, what nefarious faction IS responsible for the breakdown? Hmmmmm?
There is such diversity in churches and their thinking that I don't see how they could ever agree on a plan to help millions.
Even as an Atheist, I can agree that the one fundamental function that A church provides is charity. I have seen it in action at local levels, only to be stymied at state levels and forced to divert resources to fundametally "righteous" causes IN OTHER COUNTRIES. It is actually easier to send missionaries in to foreign countries than it is to allow a church to bring charity to its own state, and sometimes, town.
But, you have your opinion and I have mind on the causes.
Ah. The "Lets agree to disagree argument." Here's the thing. Fundamentally, using actual logic, there is a right and wrong answer. If it is so hard to defend your answer, then you might be on the wrong side.
How do we fix that? How do we get past the "blame game" and help people in real need?
Allow society to function how it should and allow people to decide, on their own, what is profitable for them. Let them negotiate their own market value rather than be forced to live up to a skill set that they are not only not prepared to perform, but also one that is going to make emloyers increasingly more critical of who they hire. Irregardless of the law, employers are still going to hire whom they deem most fit for the position. In terms of everyone else. Phase out nationally subsidized public assistance programs, not just money to states, but also medicare, medicaid, social security, federal unemployment assistance, everything. When people realize there is no safety net, they turn to the free market. Is it chaotic at the onset, well, yeah, but no more so than than the stock market, which is, fundamentally IMAGINARY. You eliminate the barriers to free trade, with REAL, goods and services, and the government holdings might collapse, but the market won't. Actually, it cant. Somebody is always going to have something that someone else wants. Fundamentally, this isn't Re-growng society. It's not a fix, its a Do-over.
I think we tell our government what we want them to do as a plan.
Do you really get the impression that anyone in the governement is listening to you?
We make them more accountable to the people, not corporations and millionaires. There is a process in place for that. It's the voting booth.
Wrong. It's in your every day life. It is what you watch, what you listen to, what you buy, what you shove in your hippie face and what you smell and decide to rebel against (which I sort of agree with, but, if you don't like the smell of fermenting wood pulp, don't move to a town with a paper mill, OR suck it up and quit being a whiny bitch.) At the end of the day though, your $$$ is worth 1000x your vote. If you can turn your local gov't against your local paper mill, good for you, BUT, don't bitch when unemployment hits 20% or higher in your town. At the end of the day, it's ALWAYS easier for people who don't have a dog in the fight to speculate what is a good idea. And you know what? It's usually a shitty idea. i.e. voting = responsibility.
We have to believe in the process and get out and vote.
Yeah, we do. But it matters what we're voting on. AND people can't take an ambivilant attitue towards local elections. Honestly, that is where policy is made. It's not grass roots. It's just normal. Local policy is what shapes a region and what shapes a nation. If only we could repeal the 17th amendment, we'd be on the road to realistic representaion at the national level. Meaning, even if your state didn't agree with some nationalistic idea that you didn't agree with, you could actually choose to live in a state that truly represented your ideals, and have a realistic shot of actually electing representatives that refleted your ideals, instead of having a nationalized political cartel tell you what you should and shouldn't believe on every subjuct and make you feel pigeon-holed in to voting for the lesser of two evils.
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I realize that I am talking to a lost cause, but in the spirit of equality, I offer this: Don't Take my word. Venture out of your comfort zone, truly study philosophy and find the actual truth. I assure you, it is there. Logic and reason are not very hard to find, as long as you are willing to do some introspective, critical thinking. You will find the answers to human nature, but more importantly, truth. Here's a hint, it's not nearly as fantastic as you imagine.