Sometimes,war is a necessary means to end. When vulnerable
people are being oppressed, it is the job of the powerful to defend them with
all the might and resources that is available. The intent of the war is to
stamp out anything that inflict pain on others. The United States has always
been willing to step up to the plate. But what if the required war is on
poverty?, will the U.S. fight this war as it has previous ones?

Today, on just about every news outlet, politicians make noise
about the national debt. Their concern is that the U.S. is spending too much
money that they don't have. I suppose that American's should applaud their
honorable efforts. According to Babylon.com, the
national debt is a bit over 13.6 trillion dollars and growing. But here is a
bit of other relative news, according to costofwar.com, the two wars in Afghanistan and
Iraq adds 1.6 trillion dollars to the debt.

War proponents continue to say the war is a necessary means to an
end. They also believe that the wars should continually be funded to support
the commitment that the U.S. made with the two embattle countries. Meanwhile
the citizens of the United States is bracing themselves for the eventual cuts
in funding to domestic programs, as the new conservative movement moves into
the House and Senate.

Attention, politicians and American citizens, Poverty should be
the new war. According to, FeedingAmerica.org, in
2008, 4.8 million citizens used food assistant programs, that works out to 4.1%
of the U.S. Citizenry.  Similarly to the claims that international
war-proponents make, inaction on poverty causes death as well; little or no
health care causes serious decisions to be made, often leading to death;
malnutrition resulting in ill health and depressed and frustrated communities
increases the statistics of victims of violent crime. The depression of 2008
has pushed unlikely Americans in to the poverty class. Some of the new
impoverish have never saw their incomes grow be low a middle class income, they
now themselves asking the government for help to feed their kids or buy
medicine.

A slew of ultra-conservative elected officials are ready to slash
programs, make laws that further depressed communities. All this, to curtail
spending and slow down the deficit. If not, generations of Americans will have
the debt hanging around their neck many years after the death of the citizens
who created the debt. It is a noble and necessary cause.

 Isn't equally important to feed, clothe and provide shelter,
for the present citizens?  The new lawmakers have a choice to make; do
they decrease social programs and continue to fund international ones? or
simply, cut both significantly.  Clearly, whatever is done, more people
will suffer if America drawback its money, support or manpower toward the wars.
That is, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, because the war against poverty has
hardly been started.

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The past few years have witnessed the fallen grace of
“Persons of the Cloth”; Catholic Priests, Evangelical Mainline denominational Pastors, including mega- church Pastors. It’s brought great sadness to those  who have seen their faces on books, CD’s, and
DVD’s and felt spiritually awakened with their on air sermons via radio or cable. The words are inspiring. But what should we think or say when they commit the very sin that they preached against?.... Oops?

Their “oops!” moments have included having relationships with prostitutes, personal secretaries under age adults, and other peoples’ spouses while they were supposedly happily married. All this while others assumed they were celibate or straight. 

Ted Haggard headed a large association of Evangelicals and was an openly vocal critic of the gay lifestyle. Ironically, He was ousted by a meth drug user. The meth-head revealed He and Haggard smoked drugs and had sex. The reverend started a new venture, in a
press conference he states,…”we will welcome everyone including gay, straight, bi, tall and short”.

Hey Rev…seems you have already done this?

It would be interesting to spend time giving a take on their hypocrisy; it too would be equally hypocritical for us to do the same, sense we know all of us have had our own embarrassing or sin-filled moments.  Instead, “Get Provoked   asks, when a Pastor takes this great stumble, whose paying for it?

Let’s be clear, no one is suggesting that Pastors are perfect. “Get Provoked” is only pointing out that their claim to fame came from their ability to sway people that they deserve large salaries to preach the same Gospel others are preaching for a fraction of the amount. Then, some use their influence and riches to perform dastardly or bastardly deeds.

Most Pastors can’t afford to make cash settlement; estimates  have put some small churches salaries for their Pastor at, $40,000-$50,000 not including all the perks like allowances for cars, housing, health care and school. Pastors with this nominal salary who is sued will be left to go to trial will rely on God to get them out of trouble. However, Reports are that mega- church salaries can provide mega income as well. Christianpost.com  reports that mega-church Pastors can bring in $140,000-$500,000 dollars annually. This doesn’t include their speaking fees   gifts they receive during special occasions. The compensation can easily make the Pastors,
million-are within a few years. Unfortunately, this fallen Pastor settles out of court and pays millions to their victims while suppressing the truth at the same time.

Bishop Eddie Long, Pastor of New Missionary Baptist Church reportedly used church resources to go on
trips with young men he was supposed to be mentoring. We will never find out all the facts because Pastor Long settled out of court for an undisclosed amount of money.

The latest news is Pastor Long is suing Jamal Parris, Spencer LeGrande and Centino Kemp for spilling the beans even though they signed a confidentiality agreement.

What we want to know is Who is recouping the cost from the church resources he used to entertain the young men?

anyway, We don’t have an answer do you?

Questions or comments?

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