Blessed are the poor...

The liberals lately are pulling out every "reverend" they can find to refute Glenn Beck's rendering of the goals of "social justice." They are accusing Glenn of hating Jesus, attacking churches and various "reverends." I do not not need to defend Glenn Beck, he is a big boy and can take care of himself. (No pun intended there Glenn.) I just find it interesting to see liberals that normally mock Christians and show contempt for religion so interested in "defending" Jesus from the likes of Glenn Beck.

Barack Obama has been very open with the fact that he wants to redistribute wealth. He believes in the redistribution of wealth in the name of "social justice." He believes the wealthy in America have built their fortunes on the backs of the poor. He also believes that America has built its wealth on the backs or poorer nations. I believe that the wealthy have taken advantage, not of the poor, but of the freedom afforded to us by this great nation and it's constitution. Everyone in America has the opportunity to be whatever they want to be. If you do not take advantage of the opportunities afforded you, then that is your fault, not the fault of anyone else.
The wealthy in America have not taken advantage of the poor, but have created opportunities for them. If you cannot keep a job because you are high all the time, and therefore cannot feed and house your family, what is the solution? A conservative would say the solution is to buckle down, put down the pot, get and keep a job and take care of your family. A liberal solution would be, keep smoking the pot, we will take money from people who do not smoke pot and do work and will give you food stamps, medicaid and a housing allowance. Is that social justice? For who?
Think that example is far fetched? I could give several specific examples, but I will not.

So back to the Bible, Jesus and social justice. In the 2nd book of Matthew, Jesus said, "Verily, Verily I say unto thee government, take money from the wealthy and distribute it to the poor." If you believe that, shame on you for not knowing there is not a 2nd book of Matthew. Jesus said things like, " ²⁰Looking at his disciples, he said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. ²¹Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied." That's in Luke 6, you will notice there is nothing about redistribution. What else did He say about the poor? Also in Luke 14: ¹²Then Jesus said to his host, "When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. ¹³But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, ¹⁴and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." How many Presidential banquets or balls have you seen poor, crippled, lame and blind at? Is Obama really interested in taking care of the poor as Jesus said? Another verse from Luke 18: ²²When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." There, finally, is some redistribution of wealth, but wait, what did he say? Sell everything you have and give to the poor and come follow him? So if you sell everything you have and give it away, wouldn't that make you poor? Perhaps Mr. Obama would like to lead by example? Of course, Jesus knew the man would not sell everything he had and give it to the poor and follow him, because he knew what was in the man's heart. Jesus wants our charity to be from our hearts, not because of a government mandate. Paul said in 2 Thessalonians 3: "We were not idle when we were with you, ⁸nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. ⁹We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow. ¹⁰For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat." ¹¹We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. ¹²Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat." That seems kind of contrary to the gospel according to Obama. Liberal charity is based on selfishness and greed, they want everyone else to be charitable for them. Charity comes from the heart, not from the end of a barrel of a gun. Charity can not be forced, that is not charity.

Finally, we find in James 1: ²⁷Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. If you consider yourself religious, here is the guide to follow, no government mandated "social justice" needed, simply take care of orphans and widows in their distress and keep yourself from being polluted by the world.