September 20, 2011

Disappointing

Not surprising, but disappointing. I have a conversation ongoing with a few conservative Christians through Facebook, and I am rather amazed at their lack of knowledge. One told me that feeding the poor was a "suggestion" but the real issue was getting them to Jesus.

No word about what to do to the poor people who have already converted. I guess they are good.

The other spouted Fox News talking points on everything from taxation rates, to welfare, to government ineptitude. This, from a guy who "ministers" to college students. Is it too much to ask that they at least have their facts straight?

Evidently. Jesus doesn't require attention to detail. Just fervency.

Pass.

4 comments:

ANewAnglican@gmail.com said...

I seem to remember something about a camel going through the eye of a needle. Must have read that somewhere . . .

Monk-in-Training said...

Typically these sorts of people read the Scriptures in a hyper individualistic manner. "You" is often plural, meaning the community, rather than individual. A common error.

I would use the Gospel of St. Luke 6-7 or perhaps the Epistle of James.

I don't know how you read them without a bit of trepidation.

James 5

1 Come now, you rich people, weep and wail for the miseries that are coming to you. 2 Your riches have rotted, and your clothes are moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be evidence against you, and it will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure for the last days. 4 Listen! The wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. 5 You have lived on the earth in luxury and in pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.

Monk-in-Training said...

I don't know if I should post this, but this young man has a great song that someone else adapted to video.

Powerful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cu-1SrYGfkU

Streak said...

Yeah, Anglican, I am told that it wasn't really an eye of a needle, and plus it is only a problem if you love money more than God, blah blah blah blah.

Oh, and then this little gem from my FB friend. I am sure you will all see the moment my head started to asplode: "The Tea Partiers that are saying, "people are out of luck if they cannot get health insurance" are not being hateful. I believe they see the reality of not being able to support a nationwide health insurance program. As far as I can tell, if people are unable to get health insurance right now, they can get it through the government of the state or the federal. Just this week my pastor went in for hip replacement surgery. He could not qualify for any insurance due to many health problems, so he got accepted to the national health care. His premiums are about $540 a month. I don't like that insurance companies will not take the risk on him, but they are in business. So that is where the government can come and help those who are uninsurable. But there should not be a national health system on the whole. "