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Jesus Wants an Ethical Minimum Wage and a Serious Campaign Against Poverty
The Huffington Post ^ | May 1, 2015 | by Nancy Graham Holm

Posted on 05/01/2015 9:59:07 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer

Although his narrative never slides into an ardent polemic, it is arguable that Reza Aslan's Jesus is a bold and tireless advocate for the poor. A close read of Zealot, The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth makes this conclusion the Number One Take Away Point; a perspective not necessarily original, but nevertheless comforting and affirming if you're inclined to worry about white privilege and socio-economic inequality.

Aslan is not alone. Many scholars have postulated that Pauline Christianity - the version that eventually became imperial Christianity - was an extreme sharp right turn from the path on which both Jesus and his biological half-brother, James traveled. Aslan explores this turn to the right and offers explanations as to why the early Christian church preferred an altogether different guy, i.e., a peaceful, turn-the-other-cheek spiritual leader, seldom angry; a gentle soul who never spoke truth to power.

Aslan's Jesus, however, is a radical; a politically conscious revolutionary.

Were he alive today, this Jesus would be advocating an ethical minimum wage, a new consciousness about America's underclass and a serious campaign against global poverty.

On a global level, one billion people are still trapped in extreme poverty, which up close, means that 800 million people go to bed hungry; more than 700 million drink dirty water; and 57 million kids live without access to education.

Inevitable? Unavoidable? Evidently, Jesus didn't think so. Is there a relationship between Pauline Christianity and the excessive accumulation of wealth?

Equality. A fair distribution of a nation's wealth when it is common knowledge that no one makes a profit without somebody's labor.

(Excerpt) Read more at huffingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: religion
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To: boomop1; Oldeconomybuyer; I want the USA back
2 Thessalonians 3:10
In fact, when we were with you, we instructed you that if anyone was unwilling to work, neither should that one eat.

That was Paul, not Jesus.

21 posted on 05/01/2015 10:26:32 AM PDT by Mrs. Don-o (So to speak.)
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To: arthurus

I am not a Biblical scholar, but isn’t something in the Book about “God helps those who help themselves?” Not in a looting, robbing sense, of course.


22 posted on 05/01/2015 10:27:32 AM PDT by Safetgiver ( Islam makes barbarism look genteel.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Jesus is relying on us, he won’t have much to say when he returns because he has already said it.


23 posted on 05/01/2015 10:28:03 AM PDT by right way right
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To: Safetgiver

Actually, no. I don’t think that statement or one like it is in there. Jesus was not concerned with material prosperity at all.


24 posted on 05/01/2015 10:40:54 AM PDT by arthurus (it's true!)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer; All

Noting that the states have never delegated to the corrupt feds, expressly via the Constitution, the specifc power to regulate vote-winning intrastate minimum wage, Matthew 20:2 not only shows that Jesus taught that an employer and workers are free to negotiate a price before doing a job, but Matthew 26:11 also shows that there will always be poor people; no human remedy for poverty.


25 posted on 05/01/2015 10:41:43 AM PDT by Amendment10
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To: Alex Murphy

The reply this sad female will someday in some where/when get is ‘Depart from me, I never knew you.’ She quite obviously does not know Him.


26 posted on 05/01/2015 10:46:14 AM PDT by MHGinTN (Is it really all relative, Mister Einstein?)
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To: Safetgiver
I am not a Biblical scholar, but isn’t something in the Book about “God helps those who help themselves?”

No, that's found in Poor Richard's Almanac:
10 More Popular Bible 'Verses' That Aren't Actually in the Bible

27 posted on 05/01/2015 10:47:07 AM PDT by Alex Murphy ("the defacto Leader of the FR Calvinist Protestant Brigades")
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To: Olog-hai
isaiah/3-4 New International Version "I will make mere youths their officials; children will rule over them." New Living Translation I will make boys their leaders, and toddlers
-----------------------------------------------------

Leftist, democrat, progressive logic is totally juvenile.. They didn't grow up... are children.. obsessed with "MINE"..

and this scripture is also quite true of them...
-----------------------------------------------------------

2 Tim 3:
1 You must realize, however, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unfeeling, uncooperative, slanderous, degenerate, brutal, hateful of what is good, 4

traitors

, reckless, conceited, and lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. 5 They will hold to an outward form of godliness but deny its power. Stay away from such people. 6 For some of these men go into homes and deceive foolish women who are burdened with sins and swayed by all kinds of desires. 7 These women are always studying but are never able to arrive at a full knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men oppose the truth. They are depraved in mind and their faith is a counterfeit. 9 But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those two men,a their stupidity will be plain to everyone.
---------------------------------------------------

*** a cursory look at american politics will show this is true.. Prophecy?... maybe?.. Who cares.. it's true..

28 posted on 05/01/2015 10:47:40 AM PDT by hosepipe (This propaganda has been edited to include some fully orbed hyperbole..)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

What nonsense! Jesus told the parable of the man who went to the marketplace to find workers in the morning. He hired them for a certain sum.
Later in the day he hired others for the same wage.
Near the evening he hired others for the same wage.
when pay time came, all received the same wage making those hired earlier in the day very upset as they had borne the heat of the day and expected more.

Then there is the story of the master going away and gives three servants a certain amount and tells them to keep the business going till he gets back.
Upon his return, the first had doubled his amount by buying and selling in the marketplace, same for the second.

The third his his in the ground and the master got no gain from the unprofitable servant, and the master chews him out for not at least taking the money to the moneychangers and get gain by usery.


29 posted on 05/01/2015 10:50:52 AM PDT by Ruy Dias de Bivar (Some times you need more than six shots. Much more.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
Were he alive today?????

Jesus IS alive today.

30 posted on 05/01/2015 11:06:29 AM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
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To: GraceG

yOUR COMMENT: Jesus was also killed by Big Roman government who let him die at the hands of a mob in order to appease the mob....

After the leaders of the Jewish temple encouraged the mob so that they could protect their power base.


31 posted on 05/01/2015 11:06:37 AM PDT by ADSUM
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To: bmwcyle

The parable of the Workers in the Vineyard would be pretty tough for them to explain.


32 posted on 05/01/2015 11:12:35 AM PDT by Buckeye McFrog
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To: agere_contra

worth repeating...

He who does not work, neither shall he eat


33 posted on 05/01/2015 11:13:02 AM PDT by Drango (A liberal's compassion is limited only by the size of someone else's wallet.)
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To: ADSUM

[ yOUR COMMENT: Jesus was also killed by Big Roman government who let him die at the hands of a mob in order to appease the mob....

After the leaders of the Jewish temple encouraged the mob so that they could protect their power base. ]

So pretty much the “leaders” today are Al Sharton and his gang of thugs?


34 posted on 05/01/2015 11:35:31 AM PDT by GraceG (Protect the Border from Illegal Aliens, Don't Protect Illegal Alien Boarders...)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Jesus was an atheist communist. Who knew?


35 posted on 05/01/2015 11:40:48 AM PDT by DaxtonBrown (http://www.futurnamics.com/reid.php)
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To: Alex Murphy

I am not talking about material goods. I’m talking about self sufficiency (growing food, getting ahead, finding shelter for sharing) so I believe that would have been a great ‘parable’ to have been included in Jesus’ teachings. Ben Franklin was a VERY smart man.


36 posted on 05/01/2015 11:50:33 AM PDT by Safetgiver ( Islam makes barbarism look genteel.)
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To: Safetgiver
I am not talking about material goods. I’m talking about self sufficiency (growing food, getting ahead, finding shelter for sharing) so I believe that would have been a great ‘parable’ to have been included in Jesus’ teachings.

I'm sure the Holy Spirit will take it under advisement when it's time to put out The Third Testament, or a New New New Testament

37 posted on 05/01/2015 12:12:42 PM PDT by Alex Murphy ("the defacto Leader of the FR Calvinist Protestant Brigades")
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
Jesus Wants an Ethical Minimum Wage and a Serious Campaign Against Poverty

HMMMmmm...

Mark 14:7
The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want.
But you will not always have me.

38 posted on 05/01/2015 12:51:49 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: boomop1
He did say if you don’t work you don’t eat (paraphrase).

Actually...


Paul wrote that:


 2 Thessalonians 3:10-13    The Message (MSG)

10-13 Don’t you remember the rule we had when we lived with you? “If you don’t work, you don’t eat.” And now we’re getting reports that a bunch of lazy good-for-nothings are taking advantage of you. This must not be tolerated. We command them to get to work immediately—no excuses, no arguments—and earn their own keep. Friends, don’t slack off in doing your duty.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

39 posted on 05/01/2015 12:55:39 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Safetgiver
...but isn’t something in the Book about “God helps those who help themselves?”

No.

As a bible teacher; I've found that it is MUCH easier to teach what is actually in Scripture; than to UNteach what ain't!



The phrase "God helps those who help themselves" is a popular motto that emphasizes the importance of self-initiative and humanistic philosophy.

The phrase originated in ancient Greece and may originally have been proverbial. It is illustrated by two of Aesop's Fables and a similar sentiment is found in ancient Greek drama. Although it has been commonly attributed to Benjamin Franklin, the modern English wording appears earlier in Algernon Sidney's work.

The phrase is often mistaken as scriptural, but it appears nowhere in the Bible. Some Christians have criticized the expression as being contrary to the Bible's message of God's grace. A variant of the phrase, however, can be found in the Quran (13:11)[1]

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_helps_those_who_help_themselves

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

40 posted on 05/01/2015 12:58:53 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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