the so fallible Bible

[Tonus]

I just alluded to the adherents of the prosperity gospel who have swallowed the idea that God wants them to be rich, which is obviously in opposition to JC's command to "sell all that you have and give it to the poor."

They can always turn to Luke, chapter 3, where John the Baptist explains that going halfsies with someone and keeping only your fair share is sufficient. Or chapter 19, where the wealthy Zacchaeus offers half of his possessions and a four-fold restitution if he happened to cheat anyone. Doing so was apparently enough for "salvation to come to [his] house."

Jesus also excused the purchase of a very costly jar of perfume which she poured on his head. "You'll always have the poor, but you won't always have me" he told his disciples. So sometimes it's okay to spend money on an ostentatious display instead of the poor.

But then... well... that young rich fellow really does get the sharp end of the spear. He had kept all of the "good things" that Jesus described, since he was a boy! Jesus does not dispute this, and in fact he "looked at him and loved him." But the rich guy lacked one thing... he wasn't dirt poor. "Sell everything, and follow me." This must have been a literal invitation to follow him, since it seems the young man had been a devoted follower up until then.

So whether or not we should help the poor or alleviate suffering is kind of dependent on what Jesus sees when he shakes his magic eight ball (no, that's not a sexual reference, you pig!!!).