Senate Understanding Christianity

Interesting. If this is verifiable, I like it.

https://www.forgeonline.org/blog/20...y5dv_r5LqxCySEiwb8Wozmkxq-VxZyO2-fMHkGU_YbRNA

 

It is, in fact, verifiable, although deciphering 4-5+ centuries' old text requires some training.

 

I'm a member of a Methodist church (in Salem) whose pastor is a lesbian.

I would have joined your stepfather's church.

 

Hey that's near me! I know there's a big Methodist church there that is pro-LGBT and that's great, but it's also a mega church and that's not for me personally.

 

What's the count of Johnson like?

 

Actually Johnson County, KS is one of the highest-income counties in the country. It's all rich folk. Hence why I live on the Missouri side. I did look there, but I couldn't afford it.

 

That's plain enough about the lowborn who live in that fiefdom, but how about the count himself?

(Yes, I know, the exit is over there )

 

The count is probably one of the Chiefs players who lives there.

 

I went to Kansas a couple of times with my parents on the way to see places in the Dakotas. I don't really remember much about the state. I still think of the Wizard of Oz in terms of Kansas.

I'm actually quite eccentric in my head. I quietly say, "The Kethodist church!" to myself...much like I call all men "Jones." My Eponym and a few people find it amusing.

 

Kind of its own interesting topic of discussion. But there was one group that he discussed primarily in terms of highlighting their wrongs: the religious leaders.

 

The Pharisees and those other groups had it out for him.

 

They had it out for him largely because he criticized their way of life, e.g. playing holier than though and praying on street corners, allowing money changing inside the temple, etc.

 

Jesus was charitable. He requires His followers to also be charitable. But he doesn't require that His followers give their wealth to a government so that government can distribute it in His name.

He wasn't a socialist.

And if I had the belief that Trump was a pedophile and a rapist, then you'd have a point.

 

He absolutely was a socialist. He tells his followers to give up their wealth, the kingdom of God is an explicitly post-capitalist society.

It will be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. I find it so telling how right-wing Christians flat out ignore the majority of Jesus' teachings or pretend like it's just an inspirational speech for how to live your life, when really it's a comprehensive plan for radically changing society.

Also: Trump is a classic Anti-Christ figure. He intentionally inverts morality, evil is good, hate is love, etc. We are locking up kids in cages out of love, etc. Most of Christianity in the U.S. has been hijacked by right-wing heretics to worship money and power, promising ignorant souls that idolatry will save them. That's why Falwell and the rest of the Christian right have so uniformly kneeled before Trump, they respect his power.

 

He also mentions taxes twice; in both instances, he recommends paying them. And he was talking about a foreign government that was occupying Israel. Truly tyrannical. Far worse than our current government in many ways.

 

Again, in context:


23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”

26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

27 Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you. What then will there be for us?”

28 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.

He was simply stating that no one, not even the rich, are deserving of the Kingdom of Heaven. But God is the way and in Him you can find salvation.

Read the whole thing, not just small quotes.

 

No, he was simply explaining to them that the kingdom is concept beyond their current conception. It requires God to make it happen, but it also requires people to give up their wealth. He's entirely serious about that. And the kingdom is not only a metaphysical concept either, he says it will happen in our corporeal world as well. And it is a revolutionary process, the last will be first and the first will be last.

But again, I can't take you seriously when you earnestly believe Trump is a good person doing the Lord's work. You are delusional, and out of touch with Christ's teachings. The only way you'll get back to it is if you make a serious effort towards radical empathy and compassion.

 

I copied the text for you. You can read it right there.

There is nothing I can do for people who simply want to be wrong.

 

I think his argument is that Jesus was for sharing amongst the church, and for giving to the poor and eschewing being wealthy... but this does not necessarily mean he's for the government being in charge of that church structure.

While I personally believe the government should fulfill some of those roles, I also understand people who don't agree and think it should be the church alone without government involvement.

 

The whole thing is Jesus telling His disciples that a rich man has a hard time getting into Heaven.

The disciples are astonished that Jesus would say this and asks, "Who then (if not a rich man) can be saved?"

Jesus lets them know that only through God can they be saved. Not through riches.

That's the lesson: Money won't make it easier to get into heaven.

The lesson isn't that "Rich people are evil."