Thinking about our world

Jonathan, the Madpriest from England has a sermon up. Go read it and then come back.

Every once in awhile I have a thought. It may not be a great thought but it is a thought. I had one last night as I was getting into bed. I will tell you about it later but in the meantime think about this:

Scripture: 'I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink'...Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink?...'Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.' Matthew 25:35, 37, 40

I read this story on Facebook:

I recently asked my friends' little girl what she wanted to be when she grows up. She said she wanted to be President some day. Both of her parents, liberal Democrats, were standing there, so I asked her,

'If you were President what would be the first thing you would do? '

She replied, 'I'd give food and houses to all the homeless people.'

Her parents beamed with pride.

'Wow...what a worthy goal.' I told her, 'But you don't have to wait until you're President to do that. You can come over to my house and mow the lawn, pull weeds, and sweep my yard, and I'll pay you $50. Then I'll take you over to the grocery store where the homeless guy hangs out,

And you can give him the $50 to use toward food and a new house. '

She thought that over for a few seconds, then she looked me straight in the eye and asked, '

Why doesn't the homeless guy come over and do the work, and you can just pay him the $50? '

I said, 'Welcome to the Republican Party.'

Her parents still aren't speaking to me.

To me this story just got me to thinking about how selfish Republicans are.

Madpriest in his sermon (in case you did not read it) said:

I am told by my American friends that one of the reasons the poor people of their country keep voting Republican and are demonstrating against a national healthcare system at the moment is because they would rather live in poverty than lose the possibility of one day become stinking rich themselves. It seems to be human nature to believe that we will one day obtain that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, even though we all know, that the nature of rainbows is such that nobody can ever physically stand at the end of a one to pick up that illusive pot of gold

In America it goes like this

These data suggest that wealth is concentrated in the hands of a small number of families. The wealthiest 1 percent of families owns roughly 34.3% of the nation's net worth, the top 10% of families owns over 71%, and the bottom 40% of the population owns way less than 1%. Read about Wealth distribution here..

Republicans go on and on about "socialism" as if it were a bad thing. As if taking care of poor people and helping them was something that would "redistribute" the wealth and make them (the Republicans) poorer. The giant corporations buy the votes by donating large sums of money to legislators and campaigns and the greedy (insert your own word here) take it and take it and take it. Then they go and vote for the things the corporations desire.

In the recent "bail out" these (use your own word again) took the money from the government and then gave themselves huge bonuses. Then they complained when the "cash for clunkers" program helped out a few people and they are fighting to keep the health care system from being reformed because they are afraid it will cost them money. So what. They have enough.

Most of them remind me of Scrooge in Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" in this exchange between Scrooge and two gentlemen looking for a donation:

At the ominous word liberality, Scrooge frowned, and shook his head, and handed the credentials back.

'They are. Still,' returned the gentleman,' I wish I could say they were not.'

'The Treadmill and the Poor Law are in full vigour, then?' said Scrooge.

'At this festive season of the year, Mr Scrooge,' said the gentleman, taking up a pen, 'it is more than usually desirable that we should make some slight provision for the Poor and destitute, who suffer greatly at the present time. Many thousands are in want of common necessaries; hundreds of thousands are in want of common comforts, sir.'

'Are there no prisons?"

'Plenty of prisons,' said the gentleman, laying down the pen again.
'And the Union workhouses.' demanded Scrooge. 'Are they still in operation?'

'Both very busy, sir.'

'Oh. I was afraid, from what you said at first, that something had occurred to stop them in their useful course,' said Scrooge. 'I'm very glad to hear it.

Dickens had Scrooge haunted by ghosts until he changed his ways. I wonder what can change the ways of the greedy (your word again) who control most of the money in our society?

Oh yes, I know some of them give to Charity and there are even some really great people who have more than enough money and wealth and power and will take no more. They take $1 salaries and they give generously. But they also support programs (some of them) designed to keep the poor in "their place" -

I have often wondered what Jesus they worship. He would have been defined as a classic "socialist" from everything I can read about him. He accepted every one. He had a common purse for his group of disciples. Held mass meals to feed large numbers of people. Suggested that the rich sell what they have and give to the poor. How do these people justify the selfishness and how, if they have gone to church all their lives did they not get the basic (to me) message of Christianity. Perhaps they think that just by saying they are Christian and that they "accept " Jesus Christ as their lord and savior and eat his body and drink his blood they will be saved and go to heaven. I wonder, I truly wonder.

I know that I don't do nearly enough for others. I can always do more but I don't do nearly enough. I "fall short" and I feel guilty about it. But I don't think of myself as selfish. I wonder how (many) Republicans can go to bed at night and sleep and think about What Would Jesus (the ultimate socialist) Do? Maybe they don't.

I know that this is a simplistic view of things. Some of my best friends are Republicans and some of them are really good people who give and volunteer (I like to think that is because they are Masons.) But when I see the myrmidons (Definition 2) who are going around to the legislative meetings yelling and screaming and carrying guns and parroting the message of Limbeck I lose most of my respect for these selfish, greedy (insert your own word again) - It seems as if civility has gone from our society and I mourn that. I doubt that this blogpost will change the world...but if it causes one person to think then maybe it will have served a purpose. Oh and if you want to comment on it remember I moderate comments and read the disclaimer before you go "off on me" This is my blog and my opinion. If you want to disagree you are welcome to do so - If you want to be uncivil do so on your own blog. They are easy to start and I might even link to you.

Thanks for stopping by, ARTYAL (even the Republicans) Hugs. j