Reading Reflection 11: The Tin Roofs of Cange

The formal definition of the Liberation Theology is an attempt to interpret the Christian Scripture through the plight of the poor. In the eyes of the people living in poverty, they believed that the economic distribution of wealth was unfair and that they did not want to accept their plight. Their mentality was that although the wealthy class was making them suffer, God or a higher being is watching over them and keeping score. The poor believed that God gives everyone equal resources but that it’s the doing of the wealthy that makes the distribution of goods unjust.

The theology of Liberation also states that people need to address the horrors of poverty with community service and remediation. This idea fits Farmer perfectly and he decides to devote his life in helping the poor. After witnessing a poor market woman get run over by a large truck owned by the rich, his life was immediately impacted because he saw how sad life for the poor was and how nobody seemed to take notice of her death. Another event that changes his views on life was when he met a woman who was crying because her sister and her niece died from malaria because there they could not afford blood transfusion. Farmer empathized with the woman and asked donations for blood-banking equipment from his relatives. He then received a thousand dollars and donated it to a local hospital. This incident would soon foreshadow Farmer’s great contributions to the country and his growing heroic frame. Farmer would soon become an American doctor who loved the Haitians and would charge them free of service.

The Liberation Theology relates to my own interests because I also agree with how people, like myself, who are in relatively fortunate circumstances, need to help people in need. We often misjudge those living in poverty as those who did not work hard enough or that they deserved their situation. I believe that students like myself are the future and that we need to start working for the good of humanity. Throughout my life I have underestimated how lucky I am to be provided a shelf to live under, food every meal and a high education. Ever since I realized my lucky circumstances, I have tried in every way to give back to the community. For instance, I have donated clothes, worked at food banks, participated in beach cleanups, mentored children in high-risk neighborhoods, and has worked in street clean ups. In the future, I hope to make greater contributions to society through bigger volunteer projects and maybe even start my own non-profit organization.

From what I interpreted, liberation theology has to do with the way people living in oppressed environment interpret “religion” in general ; and this will differ based in their culture (as I didn’t quite get the meaning in the text, I decided to google different sites for a broader range of definitions and that’s what I came up with).

In the case of the Haitian peasants(going back to the text), they need their faith in order to keep living, since despair of having hungry children, poor medical practices, high medical costs, and lack of good water. Christianity for them was seen as “the shared conviction that the rest of the world was wrong for screwing them over, and that someone…just and perhaps omniscient, was keeping score.” It’s how they rationalized that there was unfairness in the world- as demonstrated in their saying,”Bondye konn bay, men li pa koun separe” (“God gives us humans everything we need to flourish, but he’s not the one who’s supposed to divvy up the loot”)

Though Farmer didn’t really seem to classify himself with a religion, he empathized with the Haitian belief more than his native land’s belief of religion being “disdained” (as a Western man, where science explains things). Though I don’t think that it was this idea that guided him directly (because for me it felt that it was his own personal drive that motivated him to reform the hospital’s inefficiency and corruption), he sympathized with the idea of Liberation Theology in the form that he believed that as a person in the upper hand who held the materials needed for them to flourish, he would help the more unfortunate side. Even if it strikes as being inconvenient for another person- because he has the chance (e.g. in contrast to the American doctor who returned home eagerly and dismissed the Haitian need of his services despite that he held good intentions because it was inconvenient without Western technology such as electricity).

If we have the chance to do something that will cause change towards the good, even if it feels inconvenient for us, I think we should strive to do it- even if its little things. I think, it’ll be really wonderful if my future career could help in changing current injustices as Farmer is doing now, even if it’s just by person by person. The two law speakers who came in Tuesday, I somewhat envy them because they have been lucky to do just that from the skills from fate they have obtained. It’s a wonderful goal, but one that I don’t know how to go about it. The best thing I can do right now is continue to explore my options and figure out what is the best way I can help out. I can do little things, but sometimes it feels that is not enough. Its a reminder that I need to sharpen my skills and continue to level “up” in standard like Farmer has been doing.

From my understanding, Liberation Theology is a movement in Christianity that explains or acknowledges the unjust treatment of the poor. God puts humans on Earth with everything they needed to flourish, but it is humans who have distributed it unequally. Those with the wealth will be judged for their greed.

Farmer’s life goal is based on LIberation Theology’s central imperative is “to provide a preferential option for the poor.” If he was going to practice medicine it made sense to practice in a poor region like Haiti, and if he were to practice medicine in Haiti, it makes sense to practice in Cange because it suffers most dramatically from poverty.

Farmer’s work relates to my own interest’s or career plans because I choose to work one day on my reservation. It has it’s challenges like poverty, low grade education, and access to good healthcare as well, and like Haiti, many do not prefer to stay and work where I am from. I do not believe it is as bad where I am from, but when compared to the greater United States, it differs drastically.

To work in such places, it is very challenging for an outsider, especially one from a different culture. I think Farmer’s background in Anthropology helps him as a physician. He’s a physician that is culturally aware, and this is KEY when working in places like Haiti, or my reservation. All people have when the systems are failing them is their faith. They cling to it with great rigor, and if you don’t have respect for it, you offend them and make it harder to help them. You may have the best intentions possible, but you must still maintain respect for people, and this should not be influenced by socioeconomic status, education, or whatever else puts them at a disadvantage. People need to have respect for people because we’re all human beings, and the only real difference between us is the distribution of the loot.

According to the reading Liberation Theology, was a doctrine created by Latin American theologist in the late 1960’s. Latin America’s catholic bishops had endorsed some of these tenets. Archbishop Oscar Romero was murdered for perching this doctrine. One bishop talked about oppression of the poor calling it “institutionalized sin.” They declared that the church had a duty to provide “a preferential option for the poor.” Farmer didn’t think this was any think like the Catholicism he had remembered. . The reading goes on to say that after reading and studying about all the social injustices that were happening in Latin America, Farmer “said he was more curious about the world than outraged. Truths about events in places like El Salvador are hidden from most Americans. This is how he got interested in the migrant labor camps not far from Duke.” We also see the practice of Farmer’s Liberation Theory from his love for the Haitians whom are in great poverty.

I think this way of thinking has enormous benefits’. I have thought about what I want to do with my life for a long time, and the only thing that I feel will give me a sense of purpose is helping someone in need. The thought of working the rest of my life for a company which is already wealthy and making them wealthier is a sad thought in my mind. I really think if we all worked to alleviate the issues & problems surrounding poverty; poverty would be only read about in history books.

Liberterian theologists believe in counter-economics, dispute resolution organization, economic freedom, egalitarianism, and free market ideals. They beleive in a free society that allows for free trade (laissez-faire) with people having free will and freedom of contract. Non-aggression and non-interventionism are ideals of liberation theologists. They believe in methodological individualism and self-governance and self-ownership. This is not in line with my career path because doctors have to follow strict guidelines and ,aws set forth. There is no room for libertarian theology in my chosen field of interest.

Liberation Theology is an interpretation of Christianity through the poor’s suffering. It is about the unjust social, economic, and political conditions of the poor and how we can help the poor because we live in a world where the rich has everything but rarely does anything to help. The poor Haitians only had religion to keep on living. When asked “how could a just God permit great misery?” The Haitians answered with a proverb, “God gives but doesn’t share” (79). The way Paul Farmer interpreted this was that “God gives us humans everything we need to flourish, but he’s not the one’s who’s suppose to divvy up the loot. That charge was laid upon us” (79). Basically, we have all the necessary things to survive, however, they were not distributed equally among the rich and poor. The poor got the worst end of the stick and it is our responsibility to help them out and help them where they are lacking.
Paul Farmer sees Liberation Theology as a guide for his work because during his stay at Haiti, he begins to feel the need to stay there and help the poor Haitians because they are more in need of help than the more fortunate people in America. He once talked to an American doctor who was so ready to go back to the U.S. and Farmer just didn’t feel the same way. When he decided to stay in Haiti to help after going to Harvard medical school, he realized that Haiti was in serious need for medical/health equipment but there was no easy way to get them. So, one day he returns to Haiti with a microscope that he stole from Harvard and he justifies his actions because he saw it as redistributive justice and Harvard already everything they needed in excess. Farmer was just “helping them not go to hell.”
This relates to my own interests and career plans because I also think that helping those in poverty is what I want to do. I’ve always wanted to help those in less fortunate countries and I really want to do what Paul Farmer is doing. I would like to become a doctor and travel/live in a different country and help the people any way that I can.

Liberation Theology does relate to the Christina beliefs. In the sense, Farmer does point out the need for help directing towards the poor. His life has taken this interest. For those that have the time or willingness, it is morally a good thing to help people. I feel that helping out in the community is very important in my life because I know it makes a difference for other individuals and myself. I know that in the future, if I do have the time I will utilize it by volunteering or even just helping out someone that seeks help. Any factor does make a difference. Honestly, having a career that is related to social service is not what I am looking for. It is not that I have no concern for the less fortunate, I just have residing interests when I look for a career. It also does not mean that I won’t volunteer or help out in the community. I would prefer to do it on my own time and boundaries. Like the speakers said on Tuesday, there are so many opportunities out there.

Liberation theology is a movement that interprets the teachings Jesus Christ in terms of freedom from unjust economic, political and social conditions. The movement began as a moral reaction to poverty caused by social injustices by the Roman Catholic Church. The Church believes that if God has blessed you with wealth then it is your responsibility to spread the wealth and help the poor.

Paul Farmer understands this idea and devotes his life to helping those who are in great need. He travels to Haiti to treat and cure people free of charge because he knows that they live in poverty and cannot afford any medications. Farmer not only helps those who come to him but he also takes time out of his busy schedule to go out and look for patients who miss their appointments because it is vital that they get treated. Liberation theology is a way of life for Dr. Farmer but he sees it as doing his job because he loves what he does and wants to make an impact.

As far as my future plans go, I do not think that I am necessarily following liberation theology I view it as my duty as a citizen to help this world become a better place. I have volunteered and been part of many after school and mentor programs that try to inspire children to go onto higher education and prepare them for their future. I do this because it hits close to home for me. Being from LAUSD I am aware that people do not have high expectation for students but I want them to defy the odds and succeed. I aspire to change the education inequity that we have in the United States.

Liberation Theology is the belief that uses the teaching of Chistianity to understand and explain the suffering of the the poor class. It is basically Christianity of through the eyes of the poor, and how their situation is them being displaced by those richer than them. It is almost a Marxist thought to say that acquiring too much wealth at the expense of putting others into the position of living in poverty.

Farmer is the best case of living by example. His belief that the rich are those who potentially can help those in need but rather displace other by putting them further in poverty by acquiring more wealth. Farmer has the potential to be the top medical professional working for one of the best medical school in the United States, possibly the world. He uses his talent and his wealth, however, to work non stop at the clinic. He fuel to help those at the clinic drives him to forget all the comforts he can earn with his talents, and continually devote his time and money into helping the Hatian people.

I aspire to have the same values as Farmer in my life. While I find myself giving into the comforts associated with my socio-economic situation, I always want to think of how I can help those around me, how to give my to my community, how to help those less fortunate than me. After college I want to dedicate my life to service and see how others live their lives. This will be the best way continually think about to help others around you and work towards liberating those in the worst socio-economic situations

Farmer sets truly admirable examples by self-sacrificing himself in his pursuit of serving sick people—particularly with the focus of poor people in Haiti. Such actions are guided by his belief in the Liberation Theology. Through this belief, he comes to feel that we owe poor people our commitment in fighting for the injustice they are suffering from. Farmer seems to be a strong believer in this system because he feels that these individuals under unfortunate, poor circumstances are stuck in a system that does not benefit them because of the determined structural aspect of our society, rather than their own personal sins committed. Thus, he says we need to “provide a preferential option for the poor,” and that we need to better distribute our wealth/resources. He also takes action in his belief by taking microscopes from the Harvard Medical School and saying, “Redistributive justice. We were just helping them not go to hell” (90). One thing I noticed was how his commitment to his goal guided by Liberation Theology affected his more intimate, personal relationships with people. Farmer seems to hold such strong obligations for others as a priority in his life that I think made people around him a bit lonely. In chapter 7, a letter composed to Farmer by a woman named Ophelia is revealed. In this letter, she writes why she is not able to marry him. And it is not because she does not feel love or commitment for him. She writes, “the qualities I love in you—that drew me to you—also cause me to resent you—namely, your unswerving commitment to the poor, your limitless schedule and your massive compassion for others” (66). While I respect and greatly admire Farmers for his passion and commitment, and feel a strong commitment towards community service too, one thing that occurred to me was that I would actually not be able to do it the way he does because family, friends, and personal relationships in my life would matter a great deal to me. It is actually a concept that never occurred to me before in how community service could affect our personal relationships, and through reading about Farmer, I was able to learn how others view community service and carry out their acts towards community service. While I would not be able to make contributions in the way Farmer does, I know that any act of kindness goes a long way—and I try my best to live my life making as much positive impacts to others.

Liberation theology is use of the Christian Scripture and teachings of Jesus Christ to uplift the poor from social, political and economic disadvantages. It is a belief by the poor that it is not God’s fault for their suffering and that in fact God is watching and “keeping track” of the poor and rich disparities. Furthermore, it is a movement to help those who are poor and in need.

Specifically in Paul Farmer’s case, this affected him while he was doing work in Haiti. Haiti is one of the (if not the single) most impoverished nation in the world. And Paul Farmer was able to see that through his own eyes. He was able to understand that the poor in Haiti have no chance against the rich and powerful in the country and because of that he felt compelled if not almost obliged to continue work in Haiti.

Personally, I may never enter into a career that is specifically targeted towards serving those who are in poverty. While that is the case, this still plays an important role in my life personally and morally. I feel that coming from a fortunate background, I have the ability to help out those who are in need. I have the ability and the resources to bring individuals, whether it be one or many, out of poverty. And because of that, while making a great career for myself in the banking industry, I will do everything I can to make sure I give back and help out those who are in poverty. My philosophy is something like this: we at UCI complain about problems with grades or the car we drive and what not. Well we should be happy that these are our problems. That we struggle for A’s and B’s while other people in the world struggle for food and clean water.

Just remember, that whatever profession you enter into, there is always room for serving and helping the community, the impoverished and those in need.

Liberation theology is a religious movement that started in South America in 1950s, where liberation from unjust economic, political and social conditions was explained through poor’s suffering, their struggle and hope. Paul Farmer called it a “powerful rebuke to hiding away poverty” (p.78). The people he talked to in Haiti believed that god gives everything humans need but it’s up to the humans to share it. I think Farmer understood this and that’s why he devoted his time to help the poor and be a person who ‘shares the wealth’ or give to the poor in whatever way he can. Personally, I too believe that sometimes economy, politics and social conditions can become barriers to helping and understanding the poor. I chose medicine or to become a doctor as my career plan because I felt like that’s one of the best ways to help people who can afforded it. I don’t think I necessarily follow the Liberation Theory in my life. I volunteer my time to help the community because I feel like it’s my responsibility.

Liberation theology interprets Christian teachings through liberation from unfair conditions poor people are suffering through. Farmer ‘s understanding of this theology influences his actions to reach out to the poor and offer his help to them. He sees life through their eyes to understand their sufferings and struggles and bring them hope through what he does for them. This relates soo much to my own interests and career plans because i plan on serving underprivileged people, especially in other countries. A lot of the basis and motivation for the things i do comes from my beliefs, similar to Farmer. Because i have been to various places where the unfortunate conditions and lifestyles of people are very apparent, i know that i am very fortunate and should be grateful and help others that are not as fortunate as i am. i often feel it is very unfair that i am where i am or have what i have while most of the world does not come even close to having the privileges, materials or opportunities that i have and experience. I think from understanding and realizing how fortunate we are and how much we can do for others, we should really use or time and resources to serve others. These actions that we do to offer what we can to help are beneficial and encouraging to these people because it brings hope for their lives and futures.

I have understood Liberation Theory to be related to the way Jesus Christ has lived. Jesus has gotten out of his way to help those in need and those who are suffering. It’s all about sacrifice – sacrificing time and other aspects of your life to help others. In a way, Liberation Theory reminds me of community service. Community has definitely expanded – people don’t only donate money but also their time, their homes, their food, their material belongings to those who need it most.

Mountains Beyond Mountains is basically a story of Liberation Theory. Farmer grew up humble. His family was not in the best economic situation. He grew up knowing that he had to work hard to get his rewards. After getting a degree, he used it to become a doctor. Through this, he was not only able to support himself but he was able to help others and give back. He traveled to Haiti to get a job at a hospital to help those who are in of medical need.

This really pertains to my interests because I love doing community service. I really love the feeling of helping others and to help those less fortunate most especially. I think it is a responsibility and an interest- sort of like education. You’re not required to attain education , but I feel like it’s the duty of every human being. Because it’s a habit that needs to be passed on from generation to generation to make the world better.

Liberation Theology is basically the concept that God created everything for everybody to share equally, but still the minority wealthy class causes an unequal distribution of resources and the poor are losing out. This viewpoint is in favor of the majority of poor people in the world who are unable to attain many necessities the wealthy take for granted. The belief is that God is watching everything on earth and he will be the ultimate giver of justice in the end.

I believe this concept is quite idealistic rather than realistic because people are justifying their plight as a ticket to God’s grace. It seems somebody with this mentality will never be able to rise out of the poverty they are in because they accept it as unchangeable without the intervention of God. I personally do not agree with this mentality because I feel everything here on earth was given to us for the taking. In the Bible itself it states that man is to have dominion over all other creatures and living things on earth. Therefore, I argue we should strive to attain our true happiness since its here for the taking rather than succumb to a plight with hopes of a divine scoreboard in our favor.