%PDF-1.7 1 0 obj << /Type /Catalog /Outlines 2 0 R /Pages 3 0 R >> endobj 2 0 obj << /Type /Outlines /Count 0 >> endobj 3 0 obj << /Type /Pages /Kids [6 0 R 21 0 R ] /Count 2 /Resources << /ProcSet 4 0 R /Font << /F1 8 0 R /F2 9 0 R /F3 10 0 R /F4 11 0 R /F5 12 0 R /F6 13 0 R /F7 15 0 R >> /ExtGState << /GS1 16 0 R /GS2 17 0 R /GS3 18 0 R /GS4 19 0 R >> >> /MediaBox [0.000 0.000 612.000 792.000] >> endobj 4 0 obj [/PDF /Text ] endobj 5 0 obj << /Producer (dompdf 3.1.0 + CPDF) /CreationDate (D:20250913072024+00'00') /ModDate (D:20250913072024+00'00') >> endobj 6 0 obj << /Type /Page /MediaBox [0.000 0.000 612.000 792.000] /Parent 3 0 R /Contents 7 0 R >> endobj 7 0 obj << /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 2011 >> stream xXˎ+*͇(J㌁g0L%$T[|mxO͹ZWp |9^r&i˿nxy/VUZ7/KTw7+^/~_e3ә"[&%*Y"VK03qx8z ^򉧿oYR^nW/1˫2Yfʏ^v! ~n;al:߾|TA1sTI#VH/m݃jDork᰷F~T4x9<-'C"ϵѵN ";6|^42(97enYqv;Z{E‬A<#O%AVҡ5p؎9Si?ʠBbnR0q[Lle'vNW0:A-w-p\GEkZF#)LhƓwɭC-QVfЍņ*DШ 6X (u7/ N*5ڃ> a!j\B2q_eYLeLX@i_0 1G.`>U6Z|1yJL~?ٶSHg|3aVEis`UN}[آ7%Ii-3ѮͥMĕ!+x| F'P JzJU :F*:Ɇh,&zPLV:+x@ FuGW8 {k1(;tԯ*^N1>"VNS {0iX`tt{AoOrF# Ã8(ܔtuJd )"C;V1u -dz~$ 4(XF]q0U}F*[71eLjHƜw5실m̲#"{dZ(DƔf6pѩ:0)b%jdQ 2Rxłzd2 wx @ȻN[U? DeLW!YܘאIvaϣqO9/|7$zȓQ?0J& ̒5SAtF# CSpHevq1oaOS W͚9X8W:UUηzJJ8ϊA:Vao[2yPK;+q,R"ak dyQYO@%9*k`|O҇ wj5ЄF*4MPS~&9#MbS@8%`k,MLY(+& 'R?%76e0][]ęIYf ޴H2 B]3xk̐ {Tm,Ҝ;[t!B  jbVeIccsB_ )͙;)1Geܑ?ĒuAM7xUYhSÔ1(Jy[u/9xγ}x]T2f-o$ԓw vM˼jyaB1yR2_> endobj 9 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F2 /BaseFont /Times-Bold /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 10 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F3 /BaseFont /Times-Roman /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 11 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F4 /BaseFont /Helvetica-Bold /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 12 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F5 /BaseFont /Times-Italic /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 13 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F6 /BaseFont /Helvetica-Oblique /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 14 0 obj [6 0 R /Fit] endobj 15 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F7 /BaseFont /Times-Roman /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 16 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /CA 1 >> endobj 17 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /ca 1 >> endobj 18 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /CA 0.3 >> endobj 19 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /ca 0.3 >> endobj 20 0 obj [6 0 R /Fit] endobj 21 0 obj << /Type /Page /MediaBox [0.000 0.000 612.000 792.000] /Parent 3 0 R /Contents 22 0 R >> endobj 22 0 obj << /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 496 >> stream xun0E{}- zs8pF)%+kf eP sl~ـ! 邯t^QĊ,B`s Y?<`VQXHfsi4mI8zN|vh)lu-1G~ ^(L^N8 hV,**pƜwze/HҼ_qj2*j4ڮ?:o8c7Ȯwd)mfIukTIX'Q QUug뽅VtQm>yŠm{꜊̜M#L;G-oUa^Fzq$w,O[7>WwT֊L:YK~~lYg\d=k@Pf>,NK9E9%!1ѷR)a;g,ܳ\3I endstream endobj xref 0 23 0000000000 65535 f 0000000009 00000 n 0000000074 00000 n 0000000120 00000 n 0000000412 00000 n 0000000441 00000 n 0000000590 00000 n 0000000693 00000 n 0000002777 00000 n 0000002884 00000 n 0000002992 00000 n 0000003102 00000 n 0000003215 00000 n 0000003326 00000 n 0000003442 00000 n 0000003471 00000 n 0000003581 00000 n 0000003638 00000 n 0000003695 00000 n 0000003754 00000 n 0000003813 00000 n 0000003842 00000 n 0000003947 00000 n trailer << /Size 23 /Root 1 0 R /Info 5 0 R /ID[<89a07153ac55aa0845aa78c7efabe7cd><89a07153ac55aa0845aa78c7efabe7cd>] >> startxref 4516 %%EOF On the Corner | Caring Magazine
Read Caring Magazine Volume 29

Vol. #29

Hope in Action

Read Issue

Latest Impact StoriesView All

Popular Topics

PopularView All

On the Corner

November 23, 2000
2 minute read
Total
0
Shares
0
0
0
Listen to this article

BY ROBERT DOCTER – 

“It’s the economy, stupid. It’s the economy.”

Jesus could almost (but not quite) have spoken these words inasmuch as he talked more about money issues than almost any other subject. The economic life of the Palestine of his day provided the backdrop for his messages. It was rough to live there, with its extensive slavery, burdensome taxation, an absence of political freedom, cultural conflict, a borderline caste system, and mountains of abject poverty.

Jesus didn’t spend any time proposing economic theories. None of his discourse attempted to revolutionize a population on economic grounds. He never had a favorite economic system. What seemed to trouble him the most concerned the difficulties experienced by those who had to live within the economy of that day. His was a message of compassion and hope.

Doing something about social injustice wasn’t easy then, and it isn’t easy now.

The image of the Army with the general public is that of a spiritually committed group of good people willing to sacrifice much of their own time and energy in helping the less fortunate. I think we foster that image. I think that one day it was even accurate. I’m not sure it fits us today. It hurts me to say it ­ deeply.

It was appropriate for us to professionalize our social service work. It needed to happen. The increased complexity of remedial and treatment services demanded it. We have some magnificent social programs that exist primarily because of the Army’s historic image in the minds of those who fund them. It was good and just for us to seek these funds in support of our social service programs. We could not assist those in need without them.

In the process, however, our soldiery –our membership–has, for the most part, not been challenged to that level of compassion demonstrated by the heroes of the past in years gone by. With a few significant exceptions, volunteerism among the soldiery seems shallow, weak, and occasional at best. Soldiers to me are more than members of a church. We are battlers in the cause of Christ. Soldiers seem to expect the officers and employees to do it all, and we have abrogated our soldiership and retreated to membership.

Sad!

And what of the leadership? I’m pleased that the national commander has encouraged action in the Call to Renewal’s “Campaign to Overcome Poverty.” I’m pleased we are part of a wonderful consortium. Great. But why have we been so silent ­ why are we reticent to speak up on behalf of the very same disenfranchised Jesus himself spoke about so often? Do we fear that some of our “membership” might not approve?

I know that sometimes it’s hard to differentiate a political issue from a social issue. Maybe this has slowed us. Forget the politics. Forget worrying about whether something is political or social. I’m talking about morality. Allowing homelessness to exist is an immoral blight. Ignoring hunger raises questions concerning our own morality. Turning our backs on the poor, the desperate, the downtrodden is a matter for us to plead at the bar of judgment

Download this page as a PDF

You May Also Like