Saturday, March 16, 2013

"neither cold nor hot" - Poverty in 2012


Tokyo


Poverty in 2012



As the figure below shows, the number of hungry people has increased since 1995-97. The increase has been due to three factors: 1) neglect of agriculture relevant to very poor people by governments and international agencies; 2) the current worldwide economic crisis, and 3) the significant increase of food prices in the last several years which has been devastating to those with only a few dollars a day to spend. 925 million people is 13.6 percent of the estimated world population of 6.8 billion. Nearly all of the undernourished are in developing countries. 
http://www.worldhunger.org/articles/Learn/world%20hunger%20facts%202002.htm

It looks like we had been living in a better world till 1997.

But after 1997, despite the 9/11 Terror of 2001, aggression for wealth mostly generate in Wall Street and the City led to a hike in food prices, though this trend was somewhat suppressed by the 2008 global financial crisis.

Anyway, Europe and North America are enjoying a plenty of foods while other areas are suffering food problems.  Is this what the Vatican can accept?



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Rev 3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
Rev 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.