Without a prayer...

With this link up, I had an idea to point out how un-Christian I felt the 2014 Budget was - I was going to change the words to a prayer accordingly. I googled a prayer for the poor, and this is what I found:

Prayer for the Poor

For the poor and the oppressed, for the unemployed and the destitute, for prisoners and captives, and for all who remember and care for them, let us pray to the Lord.
Lord, have mercy.

Source

While it's wonderful to ask the Lord for help, I do believe we can start to have a little mercy on them ourselves. I am unsure how the Christian chaplains in schools sits side by side with a budget that neglects the oppressed, unemployed and poor.

However, when I read this, it has stopped me in my tracks. The Liberal Government aims to "Cut $2.5 billion from aged care programs, such as Meals On Wheels." What kind of person cuts the funding from Meals on Wheels? Who doesn't see the value in that programme, run mainly by volunteers? What excuse can you give to yourself to justify the lack of compassion?

I am at a loss with this.  This budget appears to be turning it's back on 99% of Australia. It is uncharitable, uncaring and unchristian. It is heartless and self-serving. I don't believe it is in the best interests of the people of this country, despite what Mr Hockey says.

“Self-absorption in all its forms kills empathy, let alone compassion. When we focus on ourselves, our world contracts as our problems and preoccupations loom large. But when we focus on others, our world expands. Our own problems drift to the periphery of the mind and so seem smaller, and we increase our capacity for connection - or compassionate action.”
― Daniel Goleman, Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships

Mr Hockey & Mr Abbott, consider that quote and please try again. This time, take into account the poor, the elderly, the unemployed and under employed, those with disabilities, those with large families and low incomes, those with medical issues and pretty much everyone on less that $250k.

I'm sure the end goal you desire can come in a less detrimental fashion. When you made that policy poster, you obviously had some plan - stick to that. Your Real Solutions pledged no cuts to Education, no cuts to Health and no changes to pensions or GST. Why don't you come back with the budget that was drafted for the Real Solutions Campaign. There must be some middle ground between the two documents.

Let's hope those chaplains do more than just pray for the Nation. No one sums it up better than Sleeping Beauty in the fabulous Fables series by the incredibly talented Bill Willingham: "Well fuck us, huh? Can I get an "AMEN" on that?"

 

AMEN!

Linking up with Always Josefa with Conversations over Coffee on prayer, and with some Grace for FYBF.