Editorial: Managing God’s creation with egalitarianism in mind

["Taiwan Church News" <enews@pctpress.org>]

      Taiwan Church News

      3052 Edition

      August 23~29, 2010

       

       

      Editorial: Managing God’s creation with egalitarianism in mind

       

      Translated by Lydia Ma

       

       

      A report published by the Executive Yuan on August 19 claimed 
that the wealthiest in Taiwan 

      have 66 times more money than the poorest. Civil rights groups 
across Taiwan responded to 

      this report by calling a press conference to urge the 
government to protect the right to life of 

      Taiwanese people.

       

      They emphasized the gap between rich and poor was widening too 
fast, people’s incomes 

      were decreasing while the amount of taxes they paid kept 
increasing, and berated the 

      government for sitting on its hands in the face of these 
alarming trends.

       

      Many people in Taiwan have even noticed the widening gap 
between the rich and the poor on 

      the streets of Taiwan in recent years. For example, they’ve 
seen walking on one side of the 

      road a young lady donned in designer clothes and expensive high 
heels. But on the other side 

      of the road is an old lady on her scooter carrying a stack of 
cardboard boxes piled high 

      enough to obstruct her view. These boxes that she’ll exchange 
for cash are barely enough to 

      pay for 3 meager meals for the day.

       

      By the same token, we can find a meal for NT$6,600 on one 
street corner and another eatery 

      that promises to feed a family for just NT$100 on the adjacent 
corner. Then, there are 

      mansions selling for NT$10 million on one side of the street 
and there are people standing on 

      the other side of the street who don’t even know what NT$10 
million looks like.

       

      These social and economic disparities won’t be resolved 
overnight, but we can start effecting 

      change through the way we live and the choices we make every 
day. We can start by helping 

      disadvantaged people and sharing our wealth with them. We can 
also pressure governments 

      to stop discriminating against the poor in favor of the rich.

       

      As Presbyterians, we can learn much from John Calvin when it 
comes to handling and 

      enjoying material and financial wealth. Calvin was a proponent 
of living simply, rejecting luxury, 

      and keeping a leash on human lusts. 

       

      Calvin also emphasized that we don’t own what we’ve been given 
as we’re merely God’s 

      stewards. Hence the reason he considered a sin to abuse 
resources at our disposal and 

      championed egalitarianism during his life. He believed the rich 
should share their wealth with 

      the poor and despised humanity’s endless pursuit of profit. 

       

      As Presbyterians who fare pretty well financially in Taiwanese 
society, Calvin would likely say 

      we’re sinning if we don’t see our social calling as taking care 
of poor and marginalized 

      people.

       

      We could probably learn a lesson from Finland, which allegedly 
fines its citizens according to 

      their ability to pay. It was reported that Nokia’s CEO Anssi 
Vanjoki was issued a citation in 

      January 2002 amounting to a whooping US$1,250,000 based on his 
income and ability to pay 

      – the costliest speeding ticket in history.

       

      Though the fine was eventually reduced to US$103,600 because 
Vanjoki claimed a glitch in 

      government records, this story is a reflection of aspects we 
admire most about European 

      culture. One of these aspects is the reminder that for those 
who’ve been given much, much is 

      expected from them in terms of fulfilling their social 
responsibilities.

       

      Dr. David Landsborough, Jr. used to remind us often while he 
was still with us that Changhua 

      Christian Hospital should always remain a hospital where the 
poor feel comfortable walking in 

      and seeking assistance. He said Christians should never forget 
the reason God blessed them 

      with so many resources is so that they will manage them wisely. 

       

      As we ponder on news about the income disparity between the 
rich and the poor, Isaiah’s 

      warning to the Israelites about having hands full of innocent 
people’s blood should be a wake-

      up call for us all as well.

                                   

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