Basic HTML Version
show declining interest in
the well-being of senior
citizens. "There should
be sorne government pro–
gram" or "If we only had
more money for this" is
the attitude. The aged
increasingly are seen as
dependents ratber than as
individuals.
plained within this re–
vealed knowledge from
God.
God's instruction is,
"A good man leaves an
inheritance to bis chil–
dren's children ... "
(Prov. 13:22) . In today's
mixed-up world this be–
comes, for many, almost
impossible. Now tbe el–
derly have become over–
dependent upon govern–
mental support, which
younger taxpayers fund.
What government
overlooked is that the law
of God, surnmed up in the
Ten Commandments,
puts the responsibility not
upon government but
upon the next genera–
tion-the children- to
Miami, Florida, facility serves elderly two free meals
each week.
Governments have al–
ways reversed God's in–
struction. When social
care for elderly parents. "Honor
your father and your mother ... "
is the command (Ex. 20:12,
Revised Authorized Version
throughout).
God's way is for the children to
care for and assist their aged par–
ents, who, in the meantime, should
have provided for their own finan–
cia! needs in their old age so chil–
dren would not have that burden.
"For the children ought not to !ay
up for the parents, but the parents
for the children" (II Cor. 12:14) .
It
is not primarily a responsibility of
politicians in government to care
for the elderly!
The Neglected Solution
Man's government is inherently
unable to deal effectively with the
problem. This is not to speak dis–
paragingly of governmental efforts
to help aged populations. I t is to
say that the problem is too big for
roan to resolve fully.
Whenever a national leader pro–
poses changing a social security–
retirement system, the opposition
creates such a política! storm that no
long-term, permanent solution can
be enacted. Yet the permanent solu–
tion has been avai lable to govern–
ments for a number of years. The
book containing the solution proba–
bly sits upon government desks at
this very moment.
The book is called the Holy
Bible. Humans have neglected to
observe that the Bible is a book
containing sound economic infor–
mation. There is not one single
facet of life upon which the Bible
does not touch and, in principie,
tell people what todo. Personal and
national finances are clearly ex-
security-retirement programs were
first created-some about a cen–
tury ago--the government said in
effect, "We will provide for your
retirement."
People, believing the promises
and hopes of socially concerned
leaders, often stopped saving for
their retirement. And governments,
by gradual inflationary practices,
further reduced people's incentive
to save.
Now most elderly no longer
depend upon their savings or their
families for support. They must
rely upon a surrogate family- gov–
ernment.
Governments during the Great
Depression regarded social securi–
ty-retirement taxes as a quick-fix
measure to balance then-burgeon–
ing budget deficits. They never
(Continued on page 42}
parental home, they seldom
go very far- and almost
always one of the offspring
remains at home to care for
the aging parents" (Kessler,
Human Behavior).
An Arab sfudenf in
Lebanon: "
'There is no
greater disgrace than to
abandon the old' " (
The
Fami/y) .
The Bedouin:
"Among the
Bedouin, young men are
expected to defer to the
older generation at all
times"
(ibid.) .
extended family (or clan) in
providing day care for
children and ministering to
the health needs of the
elderly. lndeed, there are
proportionately few blacks
and Puerto Ricans in nursing
homes' '
(Currenf
April ,
1977).
philosopher Lin Yutang
wrote a few decades ago:
'How can one be thought
wise unless one is thought
lo be old? .. . There is no
sname
attached to the
circumstance of one's being
served by his children in the
sunset of one's lite. . . . The
symphony of lile should end
with a grand finale of peace
and serenity and material
comfort and spíritual
contentment, and not with
the crash of a broken drum
or cracked cymbals ' " (
The
Adult Years) .
The Rajput of India:
"Rajput women must cover
their heads with their saris
~
when an elder enters the
t
room"
(ibid.).
e
lmmigrants and minorities
~
in !he Unifed States:
" . .. students of immigrants
~
point to the value of the
Aborigine in Coober Pedy in Australia
Japan:
"The Japanese
consider it their natural duty
to care for and support an
ill or feeble parent;
throughout the Orient, to
neglect a paren! or to leave
a paren! in the care of
strangers is to disgrace the
family name" (
The Adult
Years).
China:
"Chinese
The affluent Western
world has a lot to learn!
-Ctayton Steep