We are seeing a nation being split by wealth and income where the wealthy, lets say upper 25%, live in a different world than the lowest 25%.
The upper levels have higher IQs and more education and tend to associate and marry those within their group who pass on the elements of success to their children, including intelligence while the lower level does the same.
We are watching society being split by intelligence with one group getting smarter and the other dumber.
Shades of Methuselah's Children.
[We are watching society being split by intelligence with one group getting smarter and the other dumber.]
Due to the dumbing down of the public education system.
Chelsea Clinton.
Other counterexamples abound.
The W Bush daughters.
There’s a long-observed maxim that the 4th generation offspring of wealthy circumstances are of substandard grit, not at all like the pathfinders of their lineage.
But of course there are exceptions.
The Trump family never allows a family member to live in idleness, they all work, they all work very hard. To listen to them, for example Eric Trump talk about construction, finishing, decoration, contracts, deal-making, one can see his father but those that know and see DJT also see DJT’s father Fred who made young Donald work under all the trades and to never have downtime on weekends except for Church where he would listen to the famous pastor Norman Vincent Peale.
But in general, you make a good point. Because even if the generations of the wealthy are not of the same grit as the members upstream of the lineage, the members who came into the wealth initially, they manage to hold onto their wealth because the principal heads saw fit to appoint lawyers, executors, and wealth managers to maintain the family fortune.
I believe that all human sentience was created. We are tasked with stewardship of that intelligence.
Adam was no more or less smarter than we are now. Over and IN time, human intellect has been nurtured to attain what we have now...thanks be to God. Smart doesn’t engender salvation before God.
All humans have the capability to attain intelligence that affords them the ability to survive and EXCEED in their lives...if they choose to exceed. That is not to say that ALL humans are ^required^ to exceed by God. We are all gifted differently. (Hey...I’m no billionaire, myself)
God cares not one whit about wealth or success or intelligence. FAITH is what He desires. FAITH is what saves. FAITH makes us righteous before God.
Yes, we appear divided along “humanistic” lines (wealth, intelligence, etc.) but God sees only FAITH. Sola Fides.
That 25% that appears “above me”? They will stand beside me in the eschaton. I know who stands between me and The Father.
/theology