Poverty and the Poor

What Does the Book of Mormon Say About Inequality? Series

The Book of Mormon contains some surprising insights concerning economic inequality.  This series explores several topics addressed by the LDS scripture and its insights for today.

This article part of a chapter on the teachings of the Book of Mormon concerning inequality, organized in order to deconstruct the prosperity gospel and other modern bad ideas.  If you haven't already, take a look at the introduction to this chapter which explains what I mean by 'prosperity gospel', otherwise enjoy and feel free to join in the discussion.

In the past, we have discussed how the pseudo-Christian concept of the 'prosperity gospel', and other related bad ideas - including the notion that poverty is a sign of moral degradation - severely limits a discussion on solutions to poverty and inequality, and is ultimately not supported by the Book of Mormon.  This article addresses what the Book of Mormon actually says about those who are poor, and poverty in general.

For clarity, know that I am identifying poverty as not having enough, or barely having enough, to meet basic needs.

Blessed are the Poor

The Book of Mormon teaches that poverty is a burden to be alleviated, and that the poor have the privilege of being assisted by the members of God's church. 

When Jesus visits the Nephites he imparts to them a portion of his Sermon on the Mount from the New Testament.  3 Nephi 12 and Matt 5 both read:

"3 Yea, blessed are the poor in spirit who come unto me, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

Many have assumed that the classifier "in spirit" means this passage isn't actually referring to those in economic poverty; but this isn't completely correct as those who are in poverty are also the people who are 'poor in spirit'.  This is evidenced by Alma's mission to the Zoramites, where the only people humble enough to listen to his message were those who were poor.

The Book of Mormon identifies the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of god as Christ's church - both on earth and in heaven - and so Jesus is saying that the poor are the ones who are given the church. 

King Benjamin explains one way that the church itself is for the poor in his famous address (Mosiah 3-6).  He teaches his people that in order to receive a remission of sins and enter into Christ's church one must sincerely repent and covenant to keep God's commandments.  But in order to retain a remission of sins, one must assist the poor:

Mosiah 4:16 & 26 - "16 And also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need; and ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish.    ...

"26 And now, for the sake of these things which I have spoken unto you - that is, for the sake of retaining a remission of your sins from day to day, that ye may walk guiltless before God - I would that ye should impart of your substance to the poor, every man according to that which he hath, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and administering to their relief, both spiritually and temporally, according to their wants."

So the very structure of the church is designed to require wealthy members to administer to the relief of the poor, or else their sins are not forgiven.

Furthermore, the very qualities of a broken heart and a contrite spirit which poverty inspires are actually requirements for entering the Lord's church in the Book of Mormon (3 Nephi 9:20; Moroni 6:2).  Perhaps this is what inspires the famous bible phrase: "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God" (Matt. 19:24; see also Mark 10:25, and Luke 18:25).

The rich find a difficult time entering in the kingdom of God because the kingdom is the church, and the church requires one to be of a broken heart and contrite spirit, and to be willing to help the poor without pride, envy, or judgment - characteristics which cannot be created in the ease of wealth.  As we discussed in Wealth and the Rich, wealth does not easily facilitate putting away envy and pride, and gaining charity.

The poor are therefore 'blessed' for several reasons.  Although they may struggle, the "kingdom of God is theirs" - as it grows with members who put away selfishness and envy, and covenant to help the poor without judgment, then their needs will be met in time.  Furthermore, their poverty is a spiritual elevation which cultivates attributes necessary to socially and spiritually enter Christ's church; and upon entering, and thereafter the worst parts of their suffering can be alleviated through the magnanimity required of all its members.

I explore the relationship between the gospel, the church, and economics in more detail in the article The Gospel and the Free Lunch.

Poverty Because of Wickedness and Laziness?

But aren't people poor mainly because they are lazy, or otherwise wicked?

No they aren't, and no this thought is not supported in the Book of Mormon.  In fact, while the rich are warned dozens of times in the Book of Mormon for all manner of wickedness connected to their wealth, the poor only receive one warning of any kind found again in King Benjamin's address, and this warning is not because of laziness:

Mosiah 4:24-25 - "24 And again, I say unto the poor, ye who have not and yet have sufficient, that ye remain from day to day; I mean all you who deny the beggar, because ye have not; I would that ye say in your hearts that: I give not because I have not, but if I had I would give.

"25  And now, if ye say this in your hearts ye remain guiltless, otherwise ye are condemned; and your condemnation is just for ye covet that which ye have not received."

As part of the gospel, the poor are asked to give just like anyone else, and if they do not have the capacity to give they are at least to have the heart to give.

Aside from this warning, the poor are never singled out for their sins in the entire book, and the only people to characterize the poor in any way are the iniquitous practitioners of priestcraft, and they are fully condemned for their iniquities.

To be sure, laziness is condemned in the Book of Mormon, while industriousness is praised, but the poor are never described as the lazy ones, and industriousness is never prescribed as a solution to their poverty.

We will talk more about this in the article on Self-Reliance.

Commandment to Give Regardless of Circumstance

So the Book of Mormon does not claim that the poor are in poverty because they are lazy.

It does not point out any wickedness that the poor have committed that would justify their poverty.

It does not even point out flaws of the poor, unlike it frequently does of the rich.

There is never a claim that the poor have earned their fate.

But, regardless the book does make one critical distinction, and that is the message to never withhold giving to someone in need - especially not because you think they deserve their fate.

More of King Benjamin's address:

Mosiah 4

"17 Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just - 

"18 But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he hath done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God.

"19 For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have...? ...

"22 And if ye judge the man who putteth up his petition to you for your substance that he perish not, and condemn him, how much more just will be your condemnation for withholding your substance, which doth not belong to you but to God, to whom also your life belongeth; and yet ye put up no petition, nor repent of the thing which thou hast done."

Pretty straightforward.  Regardless of what an individual has done in their life - even if someone is in poverty as some sort of 'punishment' (as if that is even a thing) - one is required to give to them.  And if not, you then condemnation is swift and just, certainly more just than whatever 'condemned' the poor to their poverty.