Rewriting the Bible

reply to post by chiron613


OK, they were Tony Soprano and his ilk.

I have to say, Chiron, that I respect your research.

reply to post by chiron613


yeah, i just see the idea of taking money from people to the point they can't afford to support themselves (et.al, have their own business) as an example. back then, the poor were the people that had to work for someone else (enslaved) or couldn't find a job. we're so use to it now, we don't realize the implications.

taking advantage of little old ladies and such, for big money is a problem everywhere, but i think what he really was ticked off about was that they were basically denying people the right to be cleansed of their transgressions, by charging exorbitant amounts of money for the sacrificie, so that it was a matter of being forgiven or eating. it wasn't even the cost, it was the extortion for forgiveness.

reply to post by undo


I agree that the forgiveness was a part of it, but I think it was more general than that. The religious elite set up a system where the people could not find comfort in the church, never find absolution for their sins, comfort in times of grief, healing of their spiritual and physical sicknesses. It was Big Business, where the elite took the money and kept the people in a constant state of feeling they had to give more. They set it up so that the people were denied the fruit of the spirit.

And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD to the shepherds: "Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? "You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool; you slaughter the fatlings, [but] you do not feed the flock. "The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor sought what was lost; but with force and cruelty you have ruled them. "So they were scattered because [there was] no shepherd; and they became food for all the beasts of the field when they were scattered. "My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and on every high hill; yes, My flock was scattered over the whole face of the earth, and no one was seeking or searching [for them."] Ezekiel 34:1-6 (NKJV)

That's the sort of thing I'm talking about.

This is still happening, but now instead of the Scribes and Pharisees, it is the loudmouthed Christian bigots. Certainly not all Christians are bigots; in fact, very few are. But the ones who shrill the loudest about who's going to hell are the ones who least follow what Jesus taught.

I am *not* knocking Christians. I am knocking hypocrites. It just happens that the current crop of hypocrites are Christians, using the Bible to justify their bigotry and cruelty when convenient, and then glossing over the parts that don't agree with their limited outlook.

Hypocrisy is not uniquely Christian. Every religion, and every non-religion, has hypocrites. However, it is the Christians (or the so-called Christians, for they are that in name only) who are the most vocal and prolific here in the US. Were I in India, I might write something similar about Hindus.

I wholeheartedly agree that it is not good for someone to become impoverished, in order to give alms. One should always ensure that he has enough, before giving. I also agree that giving should be completely voluntary, as long as it works. However, in the US, it doesn't work. We have people starving here in the US, people with no place to live, people who cannot afford health care. Many of these people actually work, but cannot earn enough to meet all the expenses.

I don't like the idea of the Government picking the pockets of people, in order to help others. In so doing, the Government often causes those people to become impoverished. This is harmful.

Unfortunately, our politicians don't have the cojones to tax the people who *do* have the money, insisting on sparing them so that the economy can "trickle down". "Trickle down" economy means it's good to let rich people pee on you.

Now, I don't know where anyone gets the idea that I think God or Jesus is Communist. Communism takes from people through force. From my read of the Bible, God simply wants us all to play nice; and if someone is having a hard time, He wants us to help them out. That's all. There's plenty for everyone, if we all share. Otherwise, some get fat and others starve.