Lawrence Rodgers<\/a><\/p>\nPoverty is not a sin.\u00a0 It is not a necessary evil.\u00a0 Poverty is the product of greed.\u00a0 However, capitalism is a religion to itself, Santa Claus is one of its patron saints, greed is its creed, and the cardinal sin is poverty.\u00a0 However, it takes a seriously warped view of Jesus to mesh his ethic with capitalism. Among the most misused passages by capitalists are Luke 7:37-39; Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; and John 12:1-8.\u00a0 These verses describe a Mary of Bethany who wants to anoint Jesus with expensive ointment.\u00a0 Judas scolds her, saying, \u201cWhy are you anointing Jesus with this expensive ointment? \u00a0We could have sold it and given the money to the poor?\u201d\u00a0 Jesus responds, \u201cFor you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jesus\u2019 words have been taken so far out of context that it is sickening.\u00a0 Jesus\u2019 response to Judas\u2019 shade has been used against the poor.\u00a0 It is a misreading of this story to say that it is pointless to eradicate poverty or to help the poor.\u00a0 I can only think of two reasons for this interpretation. The first is ignorance, just plain ignorance.\u00a0 A parrot theology, which is just the repeating of what one has heard from someone else.\u00a0 The second reason is opportunism: using Jesus\u2019 words to justify one\u2019s own greed and lack of compassion.<\/p>\n
So, what is Jesus really saying?\u00a0 He is saying, \u201cLet Mary of Bethany anoint me with oil because I am about to die and be gone, but you can help the poor once I am gone.\u201d\u00a0 Jesus is not telling the disciples to ignore poverty and the poor.\u00a0 Does this make any sense when we look at the entirety of Jesus\u2019 ministry?\u00a0 Jesus told the young rich ruler to sell all he had and give the proceeds to the poor so that he could follow him.\u00a0 Zacchaeus was so convinced after Jesus preached to him he returned all he had extorted as a tax collector fourfold.\u00a0 When Jesus preaches his eschatological vision in Matthew 25:31-46, he says the separation of the favored sheep and the disfavored goats is based upon acts of social compassion feeding the hungry, giving water to the thirsty, clothes to the naked, offering healthcare to the sick, and visiting people in prison.<\/p>\n
Jesus\u2019 entire ministry is dedicated to helping the poor and disinherited.\u00a0 To ignore this is to ignore Jesus.\u00a0 The struggle between capital and labor continues in America and around the world.\u00a0 Rich elites use racism, classism, sexism, and religion to control the working population.\u00a0 Without mental conditioning, labor would be quite uncontrollable.\u00a0 So, therefore from grade school onward, children are taught how to be good laborers.\u00a0 Most children are trained to be consumers to get jobs to support their consumerism.\u00a0 Once they obtain a job, the next goal is keeping the job, even if it sells out their dignity, violates their principles, the goal is maintaining a job at all cost because after all in capitalism the cardinal sin is poverty.\u00a0 Therefore many support efforts to create and perpetuate poverty so that they themselves can avoid poverty in a sick cycle.\u00a0 Some people live their entire lives without ever considering starting a business or exploring ways to navigate the capitalistic system, which can maintain one\u2019s Christian integrity. This speaks to the power of being conditioned.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately the religious right has been co-opted so badly by wealthy elites many have forgotten their call to mercy and they have forgotten Jesus was a homeless messiah who dedicated his life and ministry to mercy.\u00a0 Ultimately, if you cannot follow Christ\u2019s ethic, do not say you are or even worse try to morph Jesus into your own identity and agenda.\u00a0 Be honest and say you are a disciple of Ronald Reagan or the Koch brothers but do not bring Jesus into it by misquoting him and ignoring his work.\u00a0 Jesus loved the poor, Jesus said he came to preach to the poor, so do not use Luke 7:37-39; Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; or John 12:1-8 to justify your own heartlessness.<\/p>\n
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<\/a>by Lawrence Rodgers<\/a><\/p>\n