Yeah, Carol, I'll grant that there are a few religious groups (and others, and perhaps one political party I can think of...) who blame the poor for their poverty or say that it's well-deserved punishment from God - but I'm hoping people who think like that are a minority.

Many other religious groups have been in the forefront of the fight against poverty. Certainly, there are nonbelievers who work to resolve the injustices of poverty - but I think there are relatively few secular non-government entities involved in dealing with the problems of poverty. This is an area where the more progressive religious groups do a real service to society.

-Joe Offer-