Is it OK to eat cake when other people on the planet are starving?

"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you..." (Matthew 7:12)

I think if my children were starving I would like other people to go without their cake and instead put the money towards bread for my children.

What do you think?

I guess that would have to go for "beer" and/or "cigarettes" and any other unnecessaries, wouldn't you say? (who knows... )

It sure would! And I want beer out of my life, its such a nuisance to me. I'm practicing that now actually, but any prayer-support would be much appreciated.

I'm working on an idea for a bumper-sticker - "Make Jesus your Ice-cream!" - any thoughts?

I am all for feeding hungry kids,
Is it just me, or do others see that when they show the kids starving on TV, the mothers look well fed.
And why do they keep having kids when they can not feed the ones they have.
How about giving up the smart phones, PCs, internet, suit and tie worn on Sunday.
There are a lot of things more valuable than cake that could be given up to feed hungry kids.

Had my mother not had the children she birthed, I, being th last of five would not be here, and we were very poor. I was born with a nutrition deficiency, and I had mal-nutrition much of my childhood. My Mom has gone to be with the Lord, I lvoe her, and my Father, and to wonder why "they keep having them" is really not for others to judge on. I know God loves my Mom and my Dad.....all people. Try to imitate Him in this regard. Because of our dear Lord'slove for me, I do the same. Do not fault children being born. I had the worst of experience, and and I will always love my parents just for bringhine me into this world. Allow tohers todo the same.

Best option yet would be to get rid of all the corrupt government, the slave traders and the war mongers. For these countries to instead have facilities for water, crops, food health, homes etc. Processes in place so children don’t starve, die of simple health issues etc etc.

The problem is their governments aren’t actually interested in the welfare of their people.

If your children were starving would you want others to go without paying an internet bill? Cable? Laptops or computers or phones?
There are a lot of things that cost more than cake, yet ridding ourselves of such things would cause an actual change to our accepted lifestyles.
It seems once a Genuine self sacrifice is called for suddenly those who suppose lesser luxuries be given up aren't around.

Starving children are a political problem like Miri pointed out. Our doing without cake or other luxuries will not feed them. I have lived in the streets doing mission work and there is plenty of help for those that need it in the USA. Not true everywhere else.

Sometimes young parents in the USA and other developed countries are too proud to accept help feeding their youngsters. I know I had issues like that when first serving the Lord. But He rid me of those issues rather quickly. The developed world is very prosperous right now but I feel it is not permanent. Any church worth its oats will have a poverty outreach program. It is part of obeying the word.

From what I glean from the news of the world, many countries, perhaps all, have turned on their own populaces in favor of greed being good in the new philosphy. There are many individuals and some groups that do help the neeedy. All blessings in Jesus, Yeshua to all.

Agree totally and it’s good to help.

The main issue is it will never be enough. Im sure billions has been
given over the years and it’s never enough, it never will be while ever
corrupt governments and factions are in charge of these countries.

We have some missionaries supported by our church who work in India.
They set up a Christian book shop as part of a missionary outreach idea.
It took months and months just to get approval and planning. The reason
being is that in India you make an application, then it sits on
an officials desk and not looked at until they receive a bribe. The missionaries
refused to do this. Pretty much nothing gets done on India without under the
table bribes, so poor people don’t have a chance.

Then look at all the relief provisions when disasters strike, there are always reports
that much doesn’t reach the people it’s intended for due to corruption.


Even Jesus said the poor will always be with you. I wonder if in some way they
are both a test of our compassion and a sign of how far mankind had fallen.

Subhumanoidal already touched on this, but I always find it ironic that calls for higher moral callings and self-sacrificial standards of living (such as the one presented here), are so often done so by people typing on the internet.

In other words, somehow, they have access to electronic devices, electricity, and access to the internet, but yet are calling for OTHERS to sacrifice what THEY have for others. Wouldn't they first have to at least give some hint to their own sacrifices before placing those demands on other people?

I'm not saying that as anything personal against you, Paul, it's just that I always find it... ironic, to put it mildly.

I believe that people should do what they can and what God calls them to do, and people will be called in different ways. Maybe some will be actively involved in changing a corrupt government, maybe some will invite others into their homes, and yet others might serve as volunteers or be led to help in whatever way God calls them. And while corrections may be necessary, it's not our job to judge how much or in what ways people NEED to be doing the work of God.

When I was about 3 days old, I was found in a cardboard box in front of a theater, taken to a police station, and then to an orphanage, or so the story goes. I have since read that many adoptees from my birth country are told such fantasies because the actual truth was much more sordid.

For reasons unknown to me, God saw to it that I was adopted by an amazing Christian couple when I was very young.

But I try very hard never to forget what my beginnings were, and the terrible things that most likely would have been my fate had God not rescued me.

In my 20's, I went back to the orphanage where I came from on a tour with other adoptees. It. was. heartbreaking. I'm not usually a crier, but seeing those kids everyday and wondering why God didn't do the same for them as He had for me had me feeling an overwhelming sense of guilt and sadness that had me bawling every night.

And these kids were giving US gifts--they would run to the vending machines to buy us stickers and sodas with the very little money they had, because they saw us as heroes, all because had something they longed for every day -- a family.

There was a little girl I became especially attached to while I was there, and asked the social workers about sponsoring her (and then also her twin sister when I found out she was a twin.) Happily, I was told that both of these girls had been adopted by a family and were just waiting for the paperwork to go through.

I had always thought I would adopt from that same agency someday, but that's not how my life turned out. However, I asked God how I could help in other ways, and He has been faithful.

Some of the means He has provided is by allowing me to sponsor other children, and to help those who are trying to adopt, because the costs for international adoption have skyrocketed.

So, am I eating cake? Much to the dismay of my fat cells, yes, I confess to splurging every now and then. But, I try to make sure that a few others can have cake now and then, too (quite literally, because you're offered the chance to donate towards a birthday party for your sponsored child every year.)

Am I typing on a computer that is connected to electricity and has access to the internet? Yes, but I tried my best to look for money-saving options so that I could hope to further fulfill the goals God has put in my heart, such as helping others receive an education.

God has graciously allowed me to help in my own small ways, and I pray that He will give me the heart and wisdom in order to maximize that calling.

I have often said that when I get to heaven, I wonder if God will have that little cardboard box waiting for me (if the story happens to be true), and if that will be where I will live in heaven, because I ask Him regularly to never allow me to forget where and what I came from.

After all, heaven is the only place... where a cardboard box can become a mansion.

I also need to add, I think it's great that you're making these kinds of choices in your own life -- many kudos to you! I also want to sincerely apologize, because I read your first post as a judgment of what everyone else should be doing, when I think you were actually just trying to present a few personal thoughts and find out what other people's experiences have been. I am sorry for misreading.

It's kind of ironic that your first post listed cake as an example. I'm sure it was a metaphor, but, it's funny how literally you were speaking into my own life.

I mentioned this earlier regarding sponsoring children and that one of the options is to donate extra money for a birthday party. Birthdays were never that big of a deal in my family, so my train of thought was to take the money I could have used for a literal piece of cake for one child and use it towards sponsoring an additional child instead.

So the question literally becomes... Should a homeless child's cake be taken away, too, in order to give another homeless child the chance to eat rice?

For a long time, I had the goal of trying to sponsor one additional child each year as God allowed. However, I've found lately that God seems to be convicting me to use what I have to give more to the children I already sponsor, including the chance to give them a birthday party, because of the joy it would bring to their lives. However, these are only my personal convictions, and I can't speak for anyone else.

The funny thing is that we humans tend to take everything to the extreme, never knowing when enough is enough. I had a job situation for many years in which my hands were always torn up, so I was always a bit embarrassed by them.

When I moved on to a different job, I thought it would be nice to finally be able to polish my nails now and then without having them all torn off and jagged. But I literally wrestled with myself in the store over whether I should spend $5 on a bottle of nail polish or save the money and give it away.

Needless to say, I came home without the nail polish. But there are some days where I feel literal agony over whether God would be okay with me buying what seems like the simplest of items (such as coffee), to the point where it actually feels like spiritual warfare (because it borders on struggling with despair: "I don't think God wants me to have ANYTHING.")

Find balance in nearly every area of life has always been my biggest challenge, so I pray you'll find what works for you with a lot less conflict.

Best wishes to you!

Mathew 6:31-35
King James Version

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day [is] the evil thereof.

Hi seoulsearch,
Thanks for your words.
And thanks for your best wishes. Please know that you have my best wishes too.
Sorry this isn't a proper reply but I'm very tired and just need to go to bed now.
Take care!
Paul

Right now I am vacationing in the Dominican Republic. As we drive through the city there is obvious poverty according to my standards. However, I think it’s interesting that first, because they have little, they are more thankful for what they have, and what they receive. Second, when this is your status quo among many other impoverished people, you don’t realize what you are missing. Third, instead of placing their importance on material possessions many of them hold relationships and family at a much higher value. Lastly, 50% of their economy is based on tourism. Affluent people come to places like this putting money in the hands of locals who have chose to improve themselves with education and work ethic to earn food for them and their families. History has proven that those who receive something for nothing have less appreciation for it and it actually impedes their desire to be a contributive member of society. Check the stats on social assistance. Many (not all) welfare recipients are generationally supported by this system. Just like in nature, if you feed the animals they lose their desire to hunt. The hand that feeds very often becomes the hand to hold them down.

Thanks, hungry. I agree w/ much of what you said.

Me, i'll eat my cake when i'm hungry. But when i'm not, no, i dont have to=).

I would not expect anyone to pay towards feeding my daughter or grandchildren. Personally, I would go without cake so my daughter has bread but would not expect someone else to shoulder responsibly for I should be taking care of myself. I would also give up cake to feed a starving child too, and I have donated money to feed the hungry, but the thing is, I could give up eating entirely and donate everything I earn and there would still be children starving.

Cake = Cigarettes

I
Well i think your right. People sadly for the most part may not agree with you. If people really wanted to help others truly the way they would like to be helped the world would be a much more beautiful place. But people until they find themselves in a needy situation really would rather eat the cake. People are.selfish like that. Fortunately there are enough unselfish people to do what they do to feed the hungry...God bless them.
Well thats my short opinion. God bless.....

Eat and drink and be merry; for tomorrow you die.