post a 250-word reply to each of two classmates' threads.Major points are supported with textbook citations (and scripture, if applicable). Points must be elaborated upon and key concepts  must be demonstrated. Simply including a direct quote from the textbook will not earn full credit. 6 days ago Anna Johnson Forum 2, Module 3: Anna Johnson Collapse Top of Form Forum 2, Module 3 Poverty is, without a doubt, one of the biggest and most widespread cultural problems in our society today. But poverty is no new problem...nor is it just a product of our tumultuous economy. Poverty can be seen in all times and places, and among all ages and races. Yet why is it that some people fall into poverty, while others within the same society do not? What are some social "triggers" that might lead a person into a life of poverty? And lastly, how can we, as individuals, change the trend of our culture? Why do people find themselves in poverty? There are many reasons why a person may find themselves in poverty. A person may be born into a poor family and thus, simply "inherit" a life of poverty; a person may be fired or laid off from a job and, despite their best efforts, fail to find another source of income; and, lastly, a person may simply be unable to work and make money--be it due illness or other health conditions (such as mental illness) that prevents them from doing so.  What are some of the cultural components that lead to a culture of poverty? Although there are many personal reasons one might find themselves in poverty, the individual is not solely responsible for their financial situation. The society a person lives in, and the influences of that society and government they experience, both strongly impact an individual's personal situation. Some of the societal/cultural factors that contribute to the problem of poverty include national issues such as booms and busts, stagnant incomes, and a very high national debt (Henslin, 2014). Additionally, other factors such as a lack of governmental "encouragement" for people to find jobs (Welfare, Social Security, Unemployment Financial Assistance, etc.), and people that live in third world countries and experience constant devastation and destruction due to repeated natural disasters.  What other social issues can cause someone to find themselves in this situation? As Henslin notes in  Social Problems: A Down-to-Earth Approach,  social class has a huge effect on whether or not someone experiences a life of poverty (Henslin, 2014). For example, an individual that is born into a poor family has a very large chance of living in poverty their entire life--simply because they do not know how to "break the cycle." Furthermore, many individuals suffer from severe mental and/or social impairments ans thus, find themselves in poverty due to their inability to function normally within society. What can be done to improve this situation?  and  What should the role of the church and the family be in dealing with.

1. post a 250-word reply to each of two classmates' threads.Major
points are supported with textbook citations (and scripture, if
applicable). Points must be elaborated upon and key concepts
must be demonstrated. Simply including a direct quote from the
textbook will not earn full credit.
6 days ago
Anna Johnson
Forum 2, Module 3: Anna Johnson
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Top of Form
Forum 2, Module 3
Poverty is, without a doubt, one of the biggest and most
widespread cultural problems in our society today. But poverty
is no new problem...nor is it just a product of our tumultuous
economy. Poverty can be seen in all times and places, and
among all ages and races. Yet why is it that some people fall
into poverty, while others within the same society do not? What
are some social "triggers" that might lead a person into a life of
poverty? And lastly, how can we, as individuals, change the
trend of our culture?
Why do people find themselves in poverty?
There are many reasons why a person may find themselves in
poverty. A person may be born into a poor family and thus,
simply "inherit" a life of poverty; a person may be fired or laid
off from a job and, despite their best efforts, fail to find another
source of income; and, lastly, a person may simply be unable to
work and make money--be it due illness or other health
conditions (such as mental illness) that prevents them from
doing so.
What are some of the cultural components that lead to a culture
of poverty?
Although there are many personal reasons one might find

2. themselves in poverty, the individual is not solely responsible
for their financial situation. The society a person lives in, and
the influences of that society and government they experience,
both strongly impact an individual's personal situation. Some of
the societal/cultural factors that contribute to the problem of
poverty include national issues such as booms and busts,
stagnant incomes, and a very high national debt (Henslin,
2014). Additionally, other factors such as a lack of
governmental "encouragement" for people to find jobs (Welfare,
Social Security, Unemployment Financial Assistance, etc.), and
people that live in third world countries and experience constant
devastation and destruction due to repeated natural disasters.
What other social issues can cause someone to find themselves
in this situation?
As Henslin notes in
Social Problems: A Down-to-Earth Approach,
social class has a huge effect on whether or not someone
experiences a life of poverty (Henslin, 2014). For example, an
individual that is born into a poor family has a very large
chance of living in poverty their entire life--simply because
they do not know how to "break the cycle." Furthermore, many
individuals suffer from severe mental and/or social impairments
ans thus, find themselves in poverty due to their inability to
function normally within society.
What can be done to improve this situation?
and
What should the role of the church and the family be in dealing
with this situation?
There are many steps that can be taken to reduce the cycle of
poverty. First, the government should make more of an effort to
not only encourage people to pursue their education, but also
make it more financially feasible for all people--regardless of
finances--to get an education. Secondly, our nation should
earnestly strive to reduce the extreme national debt we have
accrued which would not only help our national economy, but
also improve the individual circumstances of each American

3. citizen individually. Lastly, we as Christians must remember
our calling to, "Speak up for those who cannot speak for
themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and
judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy," (Proverbs
31:8-9, The Holy Bible). Our ultimate duty as believers is to
"[g]o and make disciples..." (Matthew 28:19, The Holy Bible)
and, as we are reminded in Psalm 9:9, "The Lord is a refuge for
the oppressed; a stronghold in times of trouble." (Psalm 9:9,
The Holy Bible.) As followers of Christ, we must fulfill the
Great Commission and "love our neighbor as ourselves," (Mark
12:30) which may sometimes mean we must step outside of our
comfort zone, and into the worlds of those who experience
poverty. Through providing assistance to the needy, we are
simultaneously communicating a message they may not have
heard before: that Jesus loves them and died for
their sins
, so they can live free in Christ.
Although we may not be able to rescue people from a life of
complete financial poverty, we
can
seek to improve their situation by providing for their physical
needs, and, by doing so, rescue their
soul
from poverty, simply by using our acts of kindness as an
opportunity to tell them of the greatest act of kindness every
performed on their behalf--the death of Christ on the cross.
References
Henslin, James M. (2014) Social Problems: A Down-to-Earth
Approach, Eleventh Edition. Pearson Education, Inc. Boston,
Massachusetts.
The Holy Bible, New International Version.
2 days ago
Nathanial Totten
DB 2

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There is no single reason impoverished individuals find
themselves in their unique situations. For some, it’s by a series
of poor choices whether through investments that have failed,
gambling, poor fiscal management, and other decisions upon
which personal responsibility rests. For others, the poverty
comes through economic recession or depression, meaning they
experience the negative consequences of factors beyond their
control. There are homeless, impoverished veterans whose lives
were entirely undone after returning from war. There are
impoverished people who went to prison and were unable to get
back on their feet after returning to the free world. Many
perceive these forms of poverty as being the only or most
pervasive, but it is worse than that.
It is imperative we acknowledge systems of oppression whereby
people – especially ethnic groups and other minorities – end up
in great poverty through no act or choice of their own agency. A
report from the National Poverty Center at the University of
Michigan Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy provided some
incredible findings on race’s importance in the issue of poverty.
According to their study, one-in-four Latino children and one-
in-three African American children live in poverty; these rates
are two times higher than those found in white children (Lin and
Harris, 2009). By analyzing differences in vocabulary, the
effect of familial environments on minority children in
schooling, social networks, and public policy, the report found
significant discrepancies between the wellbeing of Latino and
African American due to deeply rooted systems of fiscal and
social oppression compounded by class conflict (Lin and Harris,
2009).
Racial prejudice and its implicit inequity in the minds of the
predominantly white males who shape and inform public policy
have much to do with the propagation of systemic injustice
throughout the course of history. Colonialism, manifest destiny,
and historical bias towards white supremacy have propped up

5. the white working class and upper echelons of society through
policy that is self-benefiting. This is a cultural issue many
thought was over after the Civil Rights victories in the courts
and Congress in the 60s and 70s, but that blindness to the true
issue has allowed more subtle forms of racism take shape
through systemic means such as mass incarceration, the war on
drugs, etc.
I would consider racial injustice as being the most significant
issue within the conversation around poverty. The first step in
dealing with this is acknowledging white privilege, finding
ways to see and eliminate it where it exists. By seeing the
problem, we can make well-informed policy decisions crafted
by those for whom they are intended to work, and in doing so,
allow for our systems to begin readjusting. I’m not educated
well enough in these issues to provide anything beyond my
simple white, privileged, male perspective on something that
has never negatively affected me. However, I believe it is my
responsibility to leverage my influence and privilege to benefit
those being harmed under the weight of racism and injustice.
It is devastating that the church has so often been responsible
for permitting and supporting racism through slavery,
segregation, and its historical tendency to prop up white persons
as being somehow ideal. The church has had incredible
responsibility in oppressing, hurting, and destroying the lives of
minority figures. What it can do now is embrace its role as the
champion for social justice, working without ceasing for equity
and justice as is essential to the Kingdom of God Jesus so often
referenced. In seeking justice through compassionate means, the
church more adequately embodies the Christ it says it exalts.
Word Count: 591
Source:
Lin, A. C., & Harris, D. R. (2009).
The Colors of Poverty: Why Racial & Ethnic Disparities
Persist
(Rep. No. 16). Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan.
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