 |
|
|
|
 The nation is being savaged by the Great Recession, but many pastors are afraid to talk about its causes, some say. Preachers confront 'last taboo': Condemning greed amid Great RecessionBy John Blake, CNN (CNN) – Bishop Harry Jackson is a former college middle linebacker who can still hit hard. He once described same-sex marriage as a satanic plot to destroy the family, called on Republicans to get “political Viagra” and said African-Americans needed to abandon what he called the Gospel of Victimization. Jackson is not shy about stirring up controversy, but he stops short when it comes to preaching about greed. The Maryland bishop said he encourages his congregation to get through the Great Recession by saving and sharing. But he doesn’t want to alienate well-off members by talking about what’s behind the nation’s economic woes. "I've got to watch it," said Jackson, pastor at Hope Christian Church in Beltsville, Maryland. "I could get into some big teaching on greed, but the reality is that a lot of that teaching may wind up creating anti-economic-growth and anti-capitalism concepts (in people’s minds). ... I always talk about personal responsibility so we don't get into the blame game." The Great Recession is more than an economic crisis. It has become a spiritual dilemma for some of the nation’s pastors and their parishioners, religious leaders say. Three years after an implosion of the nation’s financial system helped push the country into its worst economic nosedive since the Great Depression, pastors are still trying to figure out how to address people’s fears from the pulpit. But first they have to deal with their own fears, some pastors and scholars say. Though millions of Americans are angry over the economy, little moral outrage seems to be coming from the nation’s pulpit, they say. Too many pastors opt for offering pulpit platitudes because they are afraid parishioners will stop giving money if they hear teachings against greed, said the Rev. Robin R. Meyers, senior minister of Mayflower Congregational United Church of Christ in Oklahoma City. “Money is the last taboo in church. It’s much easier to talk about sex than money,” said Meyers, who wrote about greed and the other seven deadly sins in his book, “The Virtue in the Vice.” The anxiety from the pews has become so palpable for some pastors, though, that they now feel like they have no choice. Andy Stanley, a prominent evangelical leader, said some in his congregation cheered when he launched a preaching series called “Recovery Road” to talk about politically touchy issues such as personal greed, the federal deficit and the sins of subprime loans.  The Rev. Andy Stanley says he took a risk preaching about greed to his suburban Atlanta congregation, but it has paid off. The senior pastor of North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Georgia, north of Atlanta, told his church members they should look in the mirror before they start blaming politicians for the nation’s economic woes. Any economic recovery “begins with me, not they,” Stanley said. It continues when pastors ask how such a wealthy country can stumble into such a financial mess, Stanley said. “Any time the entire country is talking about something, pastors should pause and talk about it,” Stanley said. “We know what Republicans and Democrats think, but what does the Bible and Jesus say?’’ Other ministers say an economic recovery also must involve pointing fingers. They say Jesus calls his followers to struggle against those people and policies that helped lead to the Great Recession. Charity – feeding the poor, steering people to job fairs – must be accompanied by justice, said Meyers. “It’s good to pull people out of the river when they’re drowning,” the Oklahoma pastor said, “but it’s also good to go upriver to see who’s throwing them in the river.” Should pastors speak truth to economic power? During the Gilded Age of the late 19th century, Walter Rauschenbusch, a Baptist minister, inspired others to fight against the economic inequality of the time with the “Social Gospel.” During the Great Depression, Father John A. Ryan built such a national following condemning the excess of capitalism that he was invited to deliver prayers at a presidential inauguration. The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. spent the last three years of his life focusing on poverty. When he was assassinated in 1968, he was on the cusp of leading a nonviolent, interracial army of poor people into the nation’s capital to demand a fairer distribution of wealth. These ministers who took on the big economic issues of the day were inspired by the example of Jesus, who angered the powerful by condemning the economic exploitation of the poor, religious scholars say. His teachings are seen throughout the New Testament in parables such as “The Rich Man and Lazarus.” “Jesus took sides – he said he didn’t come to bring peace but a sword,” said Vincent Miller, a Catholic theologian and author of “Consuming Religion: Christian Faith and Practice in Consumer Culture.” Miller said pastors who are afraid of angering congregants by talking about touchy economic issues ignore the Gospel. “You can’t preach the Gospel without alienating people. That’s part of it. You’re not helping people if you’re not alienating them,” said Miller, the Gudorf Chair in Catholic Theology and Culture at the University of Dayton in Ohio. The recession divides preachers, not just politicians That leaves pastors with the challenge of interpreting Jesus’ message for today’s economic woes. On that front, the pulpit is as divided as the nation’s politics. Consider the cause of the 2008 economic meltdown. Was it primarily the result of Wall Street greed? Jay W. Richards doesn’t think so. Richards is a senior fellow at the conservative think-tank the Discovery Institute and author of “Money, Greed and God: Why Capitalism is the Solution and Not the Problem.” Greed was a factor in the 2008 financial crisis but not it’s primary cause, Richards said. There were other major factors, including the tendency of Americans to live above their means and policies that encouraged banks to dilute mortgage lending standards. In addition, he said, large financial institutions were encouraged to engage in risky behavior because they knew the federal government would bail them out. The causes of the 2008 crisis were so complicated that some of the smartest people in the world failed to anticipate it, Richards said. The first thing pastors should do during tough economic times is “pray for, comfort and encourage” parishioners, he said. “If a pastor suggests that the financial crisis happened because of a few greedy corporate titans and some Wall Street traders, that’s a sure sign that he doesn’t understand the crisis,” he said. Neither should Christians condemn the growing gap between rich and poor, Richards said. “Denouncing a presumed gap between rich and poor is, more often than not, a symptom of economic confusion, not prophetic wisdom,” he said. “It can also mask envy, and is usually invoked just before someone calls for the state to coercively confiscate the wealth of some and give to others.”  Bishop Harry Jackson says Americans can experience a miraculous economic recovery if they return to God. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, income disparity in the United States has increased 40% in the past 30 years. In 2010 the nation’s poverty rate rose to a 17-year high, with more than 46 million people – 15.1% of the population - living in poverty and 49.9 million living without health insurance. Despite these grim statistics, Richards said he believes people born in America today can still succeed if they work hard and get a good education. “The American Dream is still alive,” he said. “The fact that millions of people from around the world still want to come here is a sign of that. … If someone works hard in school and develops good financial habits, they’re more likely to do reasonably well financially than most people were for most of human history.” The Rev. Jim Wallis, a prominent evangelical who has worked with Democrats, has a different perspective. He said it’s clear that greed was a major factor in the economic collapse and that a wide gap between the haves and have-nots is social dynamite. “History shows that an increasing gap between the rich and the poor is a prime indicator of imminent collapse,” Wallis wrote in his recent book, “Rediscovering Values: On Wall Street, Main Street and Your Street.” Wallis said he hoped his book, written right after the 2008 meltdown, would spark a movement among the nation’s churches to re-examine the country’s economic values. But he said many of the nation’s pastors operate like politicians, afraid to alienate their wealthy donors. “We said the public is ready for this. The church is ready for this,” a weary Wallis said of his hopes for such a movement. “Boy was I wrong.” Where have all the prophets gone? Joel Osteen is the senior pastor of one of the nation’s largest churches, the 40,000-member Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. His 90-minute services are broadcast nationwide each Sunday, and he’s just come out with a book, “Every Day a Friday,” which encourages people to have a “prosperous, victorious year” and be “dream releasers” by helping others realize their goals. Osteen said some of his church members have been hit hard by the recession, but he prefers to preach about the cures, not the causes, for the nation’s economic ills. Part of his message: Live within your means, don’t give away your power, live without crutches and travel light. “We go through difficult times, and it’s easy to get trapped in the past thinking about what didn’t work out,” he said. “At some point, we gotta move forward. I’m not supposed to just endure my life. I’m supposed to enjoy it.” Back in Maryland, Jackson said he tells his congregation that the nation’s economic problems are partly God’s way of encouraging the nation to return to a “biblical faith.” He said there will be a “supernatural economic recovery” if Americans practice generosity. “If you have a bowl of rice, why not share a quarter of that bowl with someone who is needy?” he said. Those kinds of sermons annoy Meyers, the Oklahoma pastor. He said too many pastors have reduced Jesus to a “financial adviser, not a prophet.” He said pastors should also call for justice. He said it’s a crime that no bankers or financial leaders behind the 2008 collapse have gone to jail. “We’ll send an African-American teenager off to the slammer who robs a 7-Eleven, but we won’t do anything to a banker who helped cause the collapse of the entire banking system,” he said. But most preachers won’t say that, he said, because much of the church is too captive to greed to address the moral challenges of the nation’s economic problems. He doesn’t expect politicians or other leaders to step into that void because too many are beholden to the rich and powerful. “There just aren’t that many prophets left,” he said. “A prophet is someone who is willing to tell us the unpleasant truth about ourselves. If we can’t bring unpopular messages, who will?” |
  About this blog
The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Dan Gilgoff and Eric Marrapodi, with daily contributions from CNN's worldwide newsgathering team and frequent posts from religion scholar and author Stephen Prothero.  |
|
|
|
© 2010 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertise with us | About us | Contact us | Help | Advertising Practices
“The fact that millions of people from around the world still want to come here is a sign of that. … If someone works hard in school and develops good financial habits, they’re more likely to do reasonably well financially than most people were for most of human history.”
Given how people lived throughout most of human history that really isn't saying much.
...because through most of human history, and education was difficult to come by, and didn't guarantee you anything. What is for certain today is that if you don't know how to read and write, chances are you are going to be poor.
Religions "sell" salvation and make money from it. How is that different than "milk", "autos", "insurance"? Let them pay income tax like the rest of us.
Religions "sell" salvation and make money from it. How is that different than "milk", "autos", "insurance"? Let them pay income tax like the rest of us. Separation of church and state or "Congress shall make no laws prohibiting religion" DOESN'T preclude taxing them.
chesterton says that the late middle ages had the sanest economy.
Yes, darrin grove, Chesterton did say that. The late middle ages was also the time of " merry old England" and there is a reason for that, it was after the tribe had been kicked out. G.K. was one of those seeking and promoting a third way, but the tribe, in these latter days, with the help of the deceived, has won out. No one will seek after the truth.
The senior pastor of North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Georgia, north of Atlanta, told his church members they should look in the mirror before they start blaming politicians for the nation’s economic woes.
________________________________________________________
Stanley is 1000% right. While Congress is in session, the thing that will work is a variation of what MLK wanted to do. Every man, woman and child that can physically be able to needs to gather in Washington to swamp the offices of the WH, the Democrats and the GOP to demand that they stop acting for their own pockets and their political welfare and start acting on behalf of the USA. It needs to be non violent although this will be hard to enforce. A secondary method would be to swamp the Rep. and Senate District Offices while Congress is not in session although many of these guys will be on junkets. These guys will not pay attention to the people otherwise.
You are so confused about what he is saying – you are saying blame the politicians, he is saying don't blame the politicians, look at yourselves first. Poor financial management starts at home.
way to go cnn....lets inject even more vitriol into an already disastrous atmosphere by combining religion AND politics.
what an awesome idea. I think the last time religion and politics were mixed was in nazi germany, great results.
THERE IS A REASON POLITICS DOESNT GET MIXED WITH ELIGION, BECAUSE THEN IT BECOMES A POLITICAL SERMON
thats why the church is officially NEUTRAL on political matters (unless its war or mass starvation, genocide, s like that ). Show some respect.
They really need to start taxing the churches. Christ said to pay Ceasar what was Ceasar, basically. It also appears the Koch brother have purchased some god time through the Heritage foundation
Those who believe that we some of the roots of the crisis are largely due to the intrusion of Religion in matters of State are naive and should just revise US history or ask Karl Rove, if he would speak honestly.
Um.... Nazi Germany was definitely not the most recent time that religion was mixed with politics.
CNN Anti-Christian network: don't tell pastors what to preach and what not to preach, christians follow Jesus not CNN.
Uh! Did you read the article they were quoting religious leaders who are too afraid to talk to their congregation because they might lose that six figure income, retirement at 50, full health care benefits, free housing adn on and on. Christ would not have good things to say about todays "religious leaders"
Follow Jesus simply means vote Republican. Gotta keep those wealthy contributors to the church happy you know. Otherwise, how will the pastor live in his big house?
I agree. Let them say what they want, like any business. Just tax them like one!
There is a quote that has been attributed to everyone from Winston Churchill to Charlie Parker. "Christianity is a good thing, I just wish somebody would try it"
How true!
What would Jesus say? "The son of man has no where to rest his head", and "having sustenance and covering, we will be content with these things", and " Don't get angry over wicked people", and "Vengence is mine, I will repay, says Jehovah (God, the Father)". And finally, Matthew 6:25-33, but you will have to look that one up.
one must make an attempt to understand.
A lot of todays preachers would´nt know Jesus if they tripped over Him . Also alot of these word of faith preachers could
be held liable for the financial situation of many of their followers . You can tell who these weasles are by what they
preach . Always quoting from the Old Testament where if you give to God as the law said you abound in riches ,versus
the New Testament where Jesus said give it all away and come and follow him . These Word of faith preachers skin their
congregation bloody raw saying it´s a punishment from God if your not "Filthy Rich" and the only way to do that is to give
more than you can afford To them and that "seed" will assure you of riches beyond your wildest dreams !!
Great post, I couldn't agree more.
For those up early : (or from a different time zone)
Christian Economics/ Greed 101:
The Baptizer drew crowds and charged for the "dunking". The historical Jesus saw a good thing and continued dunking and preaching the good word but added "healing" as an added charge to include free room and board. Sure was better than being a poor peasant but he got a bit too zealous and they nailed him to a tree. But still no greed there.
Paul picked up the money scent on the road to Damascus. He added some letters and a prophecy of the imminent second coming for a fee for salvation and "Gentilized" the good word to the "big buck" world. i.e. Paul was the first media evangelist!!! And he and the other Apostles forgot to pay their Roman taxes and the legendary actions by the Romans made them martyrs for future greed. Paul was guilty of minor greed?
Along comes Constantine. He saw the growing rich Christian community and recognized a new tax base so he set them "free". Major greed on his part!!
The Holy Roman "Empirers"/Popes/Kings/Queens/Evangelicals et al continued the money grab selling access to JC and heaven resulting in some of today's richest organizations on the globe i.e. the Christian churches (including the Mormon Church) and related aristocracies. Obvious greed!!!
An added note: As per R.B. Stewart in his introduction to the recent book, The Resurrection of Jesus, Crossan and Wright in Dialogue,
"Reimarus (1774-1778) posits that Jesus became sidetracked by embracing a political position, sought to force God's hand and that he died alone deserted by his disciples. What began as a call for repentance ended up as a misguided attempt to usher in the earthly political kingdom of God. After Jesus' failure and death, his disciples stole his body and declared his resurrection in order to maintain their financial security and ensure themselves some standing."
aaaaaan then by historical account, after the disciples left their homes, gave all they had and hung out with poor people "to keep their good economic standing," cried in joy from beatings because they could serve Christ and not the world, and all of the twelve but one were beaten thoroughly and executed, becuase the one who lived was placed in boiling oil and WOULD NOT DIE in front of thousands of viewers ... "tooooo keep their 'good economic standing?' '
Jesus, who was nailed on the cross after feeding five thousand other people from out of his ass, walking on water, bringing back a boy they KNEW was dead because he was rotting and shouting down every single saduccee and pharisee for praising their white-washed selves and holding salvation from the masses, who never took money for himself, who historically KNOWINGLY gave his life for the rest of humanity,... "did it for the good economic standing?"
Religion has been described as the opium for the masses. It's been used for a long, long time by the haves to keep the havenots under control. It was even used in the U.S. as justification for slavery and for the genocide of the Native Americans. And, today, most major religions participate in the great greed epidemic as much as those who they are supposed to be condemning. Money makes the world go round, and the churches go round. And, I am a Christian. I don't have any issues with God. The issues come from those who are supposed to be spreading His word. Many are in the same category as the Congressional members who are supposed to represent us. Both groups put self-enrichment before all else.
Ask the Greatest Generation if the current state of the US economy is anything like the Great Depression. Do you see massive food lines, Hoovervilles, mass migrations of people looking for work? America is still the land of plenty. 2/3 of the rest of the world is out looking for firewood as I write this comment.
Actually, we've seen all those things, but by different names, since the economic collapse.
20 percent and rising are struggling with hunger. Maybe you only drive around in the nice communities.
I guess you're right. Let's CELEBRATE. The 75% that are employed, that is.
i was casually instructed by my best buddy about our future. Allen had found God, as many did in that era. his prophecy, gained by the meetings he went to was this. 1. there will be a machine with everyones names in it. 2. oil will be the cause of great strife. 3. man will unlock the heavens and see into space and begin to explain the origin of all existence, and become arrogant, 4. the USA will suffer a great financial downturn. this in 1969 or so, on the street we grew up on. i never forgot it. my mom said the bud dropped about then.
I typed a comment, what hppened to it?
God will not uphold an immoral nation that practices such perversions like the US has allowed. God has been thrown out just about everywhere, including the churchs, who lie, and do not talk about the Truth but what their members want to hear. The US will fall and soon, and those who take over, ya, do you think they will be kind and gracious, think again.
Your post got lost in the 'auto-filter' for the blog. Words like s-e-x and t-i-t and c-u-m, etc... need to be broken up. And it's not just when these are stand alone words, the 'auto-filter' will catch it in word fragments... for instance... const-itution.
Good luck..
Peace...
Wait which god are we talking about? Are you referring to the Christian, Islamic, Buddhist, Hindu, Sikhist, Mithraist, Taoist, Confucian, or Shinto God. I think there are some more but I can't keep up.
Actually in India the cow is considered holy. I live near a farm and yesterday a bunch of them told me to mooo–ve. I wonder did they mean out of the country? These god's sure are confusing. They should get together and form a committee; you know at least have a unifying message.
Most churches practically require their members to vote for the republican party. The republican party is controlled by big business. Why on earth should any man need more than 10 million dollars of net worth? That's what we should do. Put a cap on wealth. If you have more than 10 million dollars cash or invested you should be required to spend that money on your business. If your business has more than 10 million dollars, that is fine. There should be a limit on how much they can horde too though. Put that cap in place and you'll see the economy rebound like gangbusters.
Churches dont require their members to belong to any party, in fact the pastors are usually so busy and barraged with requests for help and running food ministries for the poor, they dont have time to be curious about party affiliation.
I wish that were true. Unfortunately they use the abortion issue to force the hands of their members. It goes like this. The members that contribute the most to the church are wealthy millionaires in local communities. These members do not want to pay any taxes. They convince the pastor to "encourage" their members to vote republican. The pastor complies because he knows who's buttering his bread.
Also, do you know how few churches actually give back to the community. It's a very sad state.
@Doris
" Churches dont require their members to belong to any party, they dont have time to be curious about party affiliation. "
You think so...? Well, it seems to me that a 'great deal' of them sure like to, hmmm.... "state their opinions" on whose the best candidate, what are the "correct" answers when voting on propositions, etc...
Why, just out in my home state of California... the Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints (Mormons) and... the Catholics, decided to get together and pour millions of dollars into California to defeat, proposition 8, which is... about 2 people of the same gender being able to marry and have the same civil rights under the law as hetero-married couples.
And 'that' is just 'one' example.
If you don't think that a 'majority' of Churches aren't overtly or covertly trying to sway their congregations opinion... thereby swaying the elections, I think you may be just a bit off in your view. (IMHO).
Regards,
Peace...
We HAD a cap...or, at least, a "near" cap before Ronnie Ray-Gun took over. It was 70% at the top levels. It WAS 94% during WWII but.....THAT was too Socialistic for Kennedy, who lowered it to 70%. We had NO problems then. The country prospered. And the "We need more tax breaks for the Rich" doesn't hold much water.
yeah it seems like the republican party is the christian party, anti-gay, anti-abortion, bible-believing. But what about the oppression of the poor? do i hear the words "you strain out the gnat but eat the camel whole"? i am all for capping wealth and severely limiting business growth.
it seems to be a problem that christians are unable to weigh issues.
sure gay is wrong
abortion is wrong
but i am still in my seat rolling my eyes at the liberals who are hot and bothered about their freedoms
but when the man, the capitolist tells us he's trying to get us jobs i scream that i don't want it
i am out of my seat
i am throwing things
i got my dignity
ambition
i am not going to take it
i am revolutionary america
This is based on the silly notion that poor people are poor because rich people are rich. Poor people are poor for a variety of reasons, mostly because people are not spending, so factories are not producing, and there are not as many jobs. If rich people did not open factories and produce goods, there would be a greater number of poor people. In fact most of us would be trying to scratch out a living on a farm with no modern equipment, hoping for enough rain to produce food for the next year, and dying at 35 yrs old from diseases now cured by drug companies.
That is only partially true. It use to be true. Unfortunately automation has gotten to the point where it only takes 10 people to do the job 100 use to take. Imagine what it's going to be like when it only takes 2 people. Do we let the business owners keep all the cash they get when they employ no one. If that continues to happen, no one will have any money and their businesses will not survive because no one can buy any goods or services. Automation is going to force us to closely examine capitalism.
How many rich people are opening factories as opposed to sending work to factories overseas?
Plus... there's that silly old issue of "education." Science, Math, Computer Science, etc... The areas of study, that if people focused on these areas, they may have more opportunities for greater jobs.
Seems that is where a lot of the job's are headed nowadays.
Peace...
Peacetoall – Math and Science ain't gonna help you if your engineering job is in Shanghai!
@BADGUY
Hey -Bad G...
What you said is certainly true, in some cases. And my point being without question, some of the best classes to master, are ...Math, Science, Computer Science, Physics, Languages, Business, Engineering, etc... Not to mention a solid class in 'critical thinking and logic.'
As from what I can tell, from talking to my business associates, and what I'm reading... that is a lot of the direction that the U.S. is going, and one will have the best opportunities in those fields. Sure... some jobs are going to be shipped over to other countries. Not 'all' but a lot of those jobs that get shipped besides just some of the manufacturing is 'customer service/call centers.'
Part of the reason that jobs are being shipped over-seas, besides the 'cost'... is that countries like India, etc...(as a general rule) are mastering the areas that I mentioned above.
Regards,
Peace...
Do we have any historians on economics on board here? Did the Industrial Revolution cause a depression, recession, or any of the problems that we are seeing these days? If so, how were those woes overcome?
@ Peace2All
Good grief, man... are you a closet Republican?
Jobs are shipped overseas for one reason. Cost. India and China will perform whatever tasks for pennies on the company's labor dollar. No unions. No strikes, no raises, no cost-of-living, no fuss, no muss.
Consequentially, no American jobs. Please don't tell me that you think we should have an unlimited H1b visa program because the American workforce is inept.
Just when I thought knew 'ye, I don't know 'ye at all... (that's someone's quote – I can't remember who...)
@BG
"Good grief, man... are you a closet Republican?"
LOL...!! Of course ! See, new surprises on the blogs !
Peace...
What nonsense. Many people saw what was coming and said so loudly. Alan Greenspan, an Ayn Rand devotee, said do not stop fraud, the market will correct it. George Bush created a climate of unrestrained greed and no punishment for corporate executives called Deferred Prosecution Agreements. The big players in the crisis were already under DPAs when they crashed the economy. Congress refused to regulate derivatives in 1999 when Brooksley Born tried to regulate as the head of CFTC. Congress stripped her of her powers. I will not take responsibility for these criminal behaviors of corporate executives and corruption in Congress. Instead of calling for ethics in government and corporations, these unholy men are wimping out. What about preaching on insane greed, which is in the top 10 commandments. I have always lived very modestly, and I am still having a hard time surviving this mess... who knows where I'll be next year? Kiss my grits. Phony Christians.
You are so right. Also the military is spending two billion every two weeks so the Bush friends can make tons of money fighting a hundred crooks in the Middle East. The population is also out of control which will be out downfall in the US. The Republicans are all for this.
But when Ronnie Ray-Gun started the "squash unions" movement by crushing the Flight controller's union and implementing "free trade" to kill the manufacturing unions...things started to go to h–l in this country. "Free Trade" is the Rich Elite's way to take full control.
The church is part of the economic problem. It has become a participant in the greed, and an enabler, and protector, of the wealthy. The church is corrupt to it’s soulless core.
As an atheist, I have to concede that the church has a firm grasp on our country, for now. Having said that, I do support church leaders saying that we must help ourselves and each other first if we're to expect the economy to rebound. I don't necessarily agree that the economic rebound will be "supernatural." However, praying isn't going to do any good either. Jesus isn't going to simply start building factories, thus providing jobs.
Since you are an atheist, as a Christian I wouldn't expect you to believe anything supernatural. I do commend your tone, however.
Job for everyone is the ONLY fix. If the federal government has to nationalize EVERY private business and tax EVERY Rich member of the ruling class.....so be it.
I would say that from my reading and studying the bible that we are going through a great shake up period. I don't know theological words. I just digest it all at my level. We all know we should care more, help more, connect more. We all know we have to down-size. Who needs a 4000 sqft house for two people? Seriously! What part of "interest only mortgage" struck fear in my limited financial knowledge and not in others? Who borrows money without the intent of paying it back? Who doesn't have an inner knowledge of their power to make money? That all being said, what about the horror of our leaders from right here in our town to the top world leaders? Are the only people left with common sense, the handful of hippies and Christians? That's what it seems to me. I agree with church structure.... it should be a building filled with food and stuff - the Mormons have a handle on that. Its nice to have "activities" but we need a little more reality.... We should be Habitats for Humanity Grand Central Station for crying out loud.... Everyone who goes to church is a sinner, so what's the big surprise? We are all sinners. We all fall short of the glory of God. Nothing is changing until we all get off our high horses and ask God for help in all things. Those of us who are doing that are being blessed. We're not perfect, we just came to the realization that we cannot do it with the help of God and God says, "Believe in my one and only begotten son, Jesus Christ." Once we put that back in our lives, things will just get better. We don't have to know how, we just have to put our faith in God, and not each other. Walk in faith, try and always do the right thing, and when we fail, get up and try again... walk in the faith of Jesus Christ and trust God. God is trustworthy, not us.
You dont need a god to be good. That is just a cop out.
And being God-less doesn't make you good (Mao, anyone?)
GOP Jesus loves tax cuts for the wealthy. He loves making seniors on Social Security eat dog food while corporate bailout queens eat caviar.
He simply LOVES hypocrisy!
"Greed is GOOD"...that's in the bible.....isn't it???
“I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, 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.”
this is what Jesus had to say about wealth, period. it shouldn't be so difficult for "holy" men to preach the word of God. the truth is, this country has been warped by money. the govt has been unduly influenced and the clergy has too. we're on a one way course down folks, see ya at rock bottom!
Perhaps it would be good to read the whole verse, because it says then if the rich cant get in then who can? Then Jesus says, what is impossible for man is possible for God. The point being that no one can get into heaven with out God's grace.
Exactly Doris. Social Gospel preachers are as bad as health and wealth preachers.
So it's OK to be filthy Rich and use the poor to leech even more money as long as you "Accept Jesus Christ as your personal savior"? Or, in other words, it's NOT what wickedness you do in your life, it's your state of beliefs when you die that will save you. How convenient....for the Rich!
Scott – So if your statement is true....then....say again..... what is the value of religion?
Doris – but you fail to go even FURTHER in his statements. No.... he insists IT IS harder for a Rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven because of all the "stumbling blocks" that are "part and parcel" of being rich (Greed, lack of humility, trust in wealth for protection, etc, etc, etc). His statement is very clear.