Gospel of Prosperity = Heresy.

This Gospel of Wealth/Prosperity that sees wealth as a virtue and says don't worry about the poor because God loves the status quo is flat out heresy and nothing more. Don't let wealthy right-wingers take over and control Christianity. The Bible clearly addresses poverty, land, labor, capital, and explotation in powerful and explicit language. The most known verse about the poor is "the poor will always be with you," (Matthew 26.11, Mark14.7) which has been twisted and manipulated into a bankrupt theological justification for vast inequality. What Jesus meant here is to not worry about the woman who was wasting perfume in an act of love by pouring it on Jesus' feet, because if you are a follower of Christ you will always be among the poor helping them, because that was so basic and central to Jesus' message. Only today would someone would interpret that verse so wrong heretical. Jesus is also attacking the purity system (the woman's public praise of Jesus was very taboo), and instead praising her love as part of his Gospel of Compassion. The Old Testament says Be Holy as God is Holy, while Jesus says Be compassionate as God is compassionate (Luke 6.36).

Here are some good verses amoung literally hundreds of why poverty is the biggest moral issue:

--"He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses." Proverbs 28:27
--"Jesus answered, If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.'" Matthew 19:21
--"But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind." Luke 14:13
--"When 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.'" Luke 18:22
--"Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, 'Here's a good seat for you,' but say to the poor man, 'You stand there' or 'Sit on the floor by my feet,' have you not discriminated among yourselves and becomes judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him? But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court?" James 2:2-6
--"If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." 1 John 3:17-18

With actions. Now go read Jeffrey Sachs' new book 'The End of Poverty' because we now have a unique opportunity to fight global poverty. The U.S. needs to devote .5% of its GDP (.6% was devoted under the Marshall plan and about 2/5 of what is needed is devoted now). Demand you representatives to support this new development model that Britain has recently endorsed.


The Good News is so much better than you think...