This will be short.
I just want to ask you a question.
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Last week, I had lunch with a wealthy foreigner.
How wealthy? He was earning two million dollars a month. (I’m not kidding.) He was in the Philippines visiting our smaller islands.
“So how did you like your visit?” I asked him.
“I loved it,” he said, “I have never met a more polite, more courteous, nicer people than the Filipinos.”
“Thank you,” I beamed.
But then he frowned. “Bo, I also noticed how religious Filipinos are. I saw the tricycles with signs, saying, “God loves you” and “John 3:16”. There is so much God in your country. And yet there is so much poverty.”
Ouch.
That hurt because it’s so true.
His question reminded me about my visit to Vietnam a month before–and how disturbed I felt.
There’s not much God in that country. It’s been a communist country for decades. But the economy is exploding. And according to statistics, poverty has gone down by a huge 60%! Can you believe that?
One reason: Foreign investments.
Last year, the Philippine’s foreign investments reached a measly $2.5B.
In Vietnam last year, their foreign investments reached $15B.
And do you know what happened this year? From January to July 2008, foreign investments in Vietnam already reached $33B!
Look at China. Another “godless” nation. But poverty has gone down as well. And they’re now poised to be the next Superpower of the world.
Look at Japan. Only 2% of its population is Christian. Many of them don’t even have any religion. Yet their economy has been thriving for decades.
But look at a few South American countries. Like the Philippines, there’s a lot of religion and poverty there too.
So here are my questions:
· Why so much God and poverty in our country?
· Does a certain brand of religion cause poverty?
· Or am I missing something here?
Share me your thoughts below.
Tell me what you think.
Next week, I’ll give you my thoughts.
May your dreams come true,
Bo Sanchez
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