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What Would Jesus Do with Bankers?
Anthony Freda/Daniel Zollinger
Preface: If you are an atheist and believe that religion is crazy, please remember that some 85% of the American population identifies itself as Christian and millions more identify themselves as Jewish. Very few Americans are atheists … and the majority don’t trust atheists.
The head of Goldman Sachs said he’s doing “God’s work” with his banking activities.
The head of Barclays also told his congregation that banking as practiced by his company was not antithetical to Christian principles.
Are they right? Is big banking as practiced by the giant banks in harmony with Christian principles?
Do Justice
Initially, the Bible does not counsel us to ignore the breaking of laws by the the powerful.
In fact, the Bible mentions justice over 200 times — more than just about any other topic. The Bible asks us to do justice and to stand up to ANYONE — including the rich or powerful — who do injustice or oppress the people.
Indeed, one of the first things God asks of us is to do justice:
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8)
While many churches and synagogues have become obsessed with other issues, many have arguably ignored this most important of God’s demands of us. As pointed out by a leading Christian ministry, which rescues underage girls trapped as sex slaves in third world countries:
In Scripture there is a constant call to seek justice. Jesus got upset at the Pharisees because they neglected the weightier matters of the law, which He defined as justice and the love of God . . . Isaiah 58 complains about the fact that while the people of God are praying and praying and praying, they are not doing anything about the injustice.
Should Christians just pray for justice and leave the rest to God?
That’s not what the Bible asks us to do. Instead, Hebrews 11:33 tells us that we are God’s hands for dispensing justice, and God uses us to “administer justice.”
We have to “walk our talk” and put our prayers into action.
God demands that we do everything in our power to act as “God’s hands” in bringing justice. And as Saint Augustine reminds us, “Charity is no substitute for justice withheld.”
Indeed:
The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice. He saw that there was no one, He was appalled that there was no one to intervene. (Isaiah 59:15-16)
This is the only place in the Bible where the word “appalled” is used for the way God feels — in other words, the only thing which we know God is appalled by is if people are not doing justice.
There are hundreds of other references to justice in the Bible, including:
- Blessed are they who maintain justice . . . . (Psalm 106:3)
- This is what the LORD says: Maintain justice and do what is right . . . . (Isiah 56:1)
- This is what the LORD says: Do what is just and right. (Jeremiah 22:3,13-17)
- Follow justice and justice alone. (Deuteronomy 16:19, 20)
- For the LORD is righteous, he loves justice . . . . (Job 11:5,7)
- Learn to do right! Seek justice . . . . (Isaiah 1:17)
So if the powerful players in the giant banks broke the laws, they must be held to account.
Fraud and Manipulation of Money
The big banks have engaged in systemic, continuous ongoing criminal fraud.
Allowing the banks to commit crime with impunity is not what Jesus would do. What would Jesus do? Turn over the tables of the money-changers. (economists agree.)
Moreover, the giant banks manipulate currency through the use of schemes such as manipulating interest rates (gaming interest rates in different regions – Libor, Eurobor, etc. – can in turn drive their currencies up or down), high frequency trading and artificially suppressing gold prices (which artificially inflates the value of fiat money) .
As Ron Paul notes, the Bible forbids altering the quality of money (which, at the time and place, was entirely in the form of coins):
Even the Bible is clear that altering the quality of money is an immoral act. We are instructed to follow the rules of “just weights and measures.” “You shall do no injustice in judgment, in measurement of length, weight, or volume. You shall have just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin” (Leviticus 19:35-36). “Diverse weights are an abomination to the LORD, and a false balance is not good” (Proverbs 20:23). The general principle can be summed as “You shall not steal.”
Proverbs 11:1 also provides:
Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD, but a just weight is His delight.
So to the extent that the giant banks have engaged in any dishonest acts or the manipulation of currencies, they are violating scripture.
Oppression of the Poor
Finally, the Bible condemns oppression of the poor for the benefit of the affluent:
He that oppresses the poor to increase his riches, and he that gives to the rich, shall surely come to want. (Proverbs 22:16)
To the extent that the giant banks have oppressed the poor to increase their riches, they are violating scripture.
Due to their looting, inequality is now worse in American than in Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen, most Latin American banana republics … and ancient Rome.
Postscript: Not all bankers are bad people. For example, many bankers at smaller banks and credit unions are good people who are trying to help their communities. Each must be judged by his own acts.
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Sinners. Unholy sinners.
It does not 'condemn' it as much as warn about the inherent self-defeating nature of greed and disparity between rich and poor.
It's not a punishment, but rather a logical result. This fact has been noted as a similarity in objective data between 1929 and 2008.
Man, how many times do I have to correct people about the proper usage of the term "god", when talking about Lloyd Blankenfein's referrence to the "god" he is working for. Lloyd's "god", is not "God". You don't capitalize Lloyd's "god", because Lloyd's not talking about the "God of Abraham", he's talking about the Prince of the Earth, of Darkness, ol'Beezlbub, Scratch, the Devil, Lucifer, i.e. SATAN. I don't know how many times I've corrected Tyler and now here we are again. Damnit, we've got to get this right and end the confusion, people. Serfs Up America!
The elite are luciferians. Period. Good post. If the Tylers don't know that, there's a lot they don't know.
A quest for justice is a lonely road to start down, but you might look over your shoulder some day and find a crowd following you.
BTW,
Christians don't trust non-Christians
Muslims don't trust non-Muslims
Jews don't trust gentiles
Atheists don't trust Agnostics.
Humanists are the crazy ones.
Sorting humans into tribes with tension between them is old news. Older than monotheism.
Let's say I made 29 years and 11 months of mortgage payments but could not muster the last month's mortgage - Guess what? I lose my house! That is so inherently evil and unjust - there is no language that could possibly adequately describe the depravity of that situation and the system that supports it!
Unfortnately that's the CONTRACT you signed. If your house meant that much to you, you should have done more to get out of debt on it so you could keep it. Like maybe not taking that vacation you thought you could afford or those 5 children you thought you could afford...I'm speaking hypothetically here, but why is is my fault you couldn't hold up to your end of the CONTRACT? See funny thing about civilization and the Republican form of Government or rule of LAW, it does wonders for keeping things right when you fuckin abide by it!!!!!! I got no problem with the Banker coming and taking your house if it was HIS money he lent to you and not somebody elses. If the Law had not been so Fucking LIBERAL to begin with that fucking Bank that lent you the money whether he borrowed from somebody else or not would have born the RISK right along with you rather than playing "hot potato" with your fuckin MORTGAGE. See the problem is the lack of sensible law that holds ALL parties responsible. And as for fucking Bailouts, that shit wouldn't be needed if you did away with Fractional Banking.
There's no language to describe the incompetence and stupidity of someone who manages to lose their house with 99% equity. Max out your credit card. Sell your car. Beg your relatives. If you can't manage one of these you are...well, as I said, there's no language.
We have institutionalized and now casually accept abortion, sodomy, euthanasia and the most vile forms of sin possible, and we are seeing the decline of human morality in a nation and a world that has become Godless.
As a result, God is doing what he must... allow all of us and these people (bankers and leaders) to exist due to free will. This will go on for a while until Divine Justice calls for nature to be rebalanced.
I have never yet met an atheist who has not had a condescending view of people who believe in God. They buy into the media portrayal that anyone who is religious is a mouth-foaming nut or a peasant who speaks a foreign language with grade 1 education. God is an immutable reality. Pride blinds them to the most basic reality of existence.
I'm an atheist. However one of my strongest beliefs is that everyone should be free to practice any religion they choose without persecution.
As the saying goes," Religion is like a penis, have one, be proud and love it. Just don't stick it in my face."
People are no more vile now than any other time in history. Read some history.
No, but they have better tools.
Obviously the "stand for everything, stand for nothing", ahem, I mean liberals are out this evening.
Just for the record, the philosophy of liberalism is considered a sin by most mainstream Christian churches.
wasn't life so much easier when you could just eat your child?
"So we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him: and she hath hid her son."
— 2 Kings 6:29
Or sic a ravenous bear on them...in the name of god.
"From there Elisha went up to Bethel. While he was on the way, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him. 'Go up, baldhead,' they shouted, 'go up, baldhead!'"
"The prophet turned and saw them, and he cursed them in the name of the LORD. Then two she-bears came out of the woods and tore forty-two of the children to pieces."
— 2 Kings 2:23-24
Ah yes...the "good old days" huh? Well...time to celebrate...
"Give beer to those who are perishing, wine to those who are in anguish."
— Proverbs 31:6
Or he would do this
Personally, I kind of enjoy the current crop ofreligious figures who have sided with the wealthy and powerful. Since I am a believer - I think that they will have something to explain...
Jesus did away with the world of material "things". That included money. We can talk about throwing out the bankers all we want but responsibility for worship of materialism is a Western theme that needs to be addressed by all. I would hazarda a guess that most of us on this blog are as enchanted with materialism as bankers are by way of the fact were on here so much.
I would hazarda a guess that most of us on this blog are as enchanted with materialism as bankers
I'll take that bet.
Jesus was the world's most famous non-conformist, drank with sinners, turned the water into wine and saved the adultress from being stoned.
He wasn't a drunk and what he taught we don't here too much of today, such as blessed be the peacemakers.
Yeah he was a clever being. He was always the enigma. The mystery that turned everyones precepts on their head. It pissed authorities off no end. In any case the message is still ringing through the centuries though it feels like time is up for this 2000 year "Western" experiment. Headwinds of change are ahead for you cant build the new within a decaying system. It will be destroyed soon. The purifiers are here. Its going to be tough but ultimately a good thing for all.
http://www.ditext.com/robertson/oc7.html
For those ignorant of History:
"The rich were now no longer able to control the poor. Driven to desperation, the people fought back, seized the temple, forced Florus to retire to Caesarea and made the priests discontinue the daily sacrifice for the emperor. The economic roots of the movement are revealed by the fact that one of the first acts of its leaders was to burn all records of debt -- " the nerves of the city ", says Josephus with natural bias"
That was just in the beginning. The Loansharks struck back with vengeance, and the aftermath was not pretty, and still isn't until this very day.
The seemingly "secularist" bankster cabal are pure believers in one vein: they do fully understand the Biblical truth "the borrower is the SERVANT of the Lender"
And while we're at it....
You mention atheists.
Now, out here in the Winter Home of the Great Satan on the Left Coast, many of my good golf buds are Gubamint employees. Decent folk. Good men, by and large.
Then again, what is truly required to be a good golf bud?
But terribly misguided folk at the same time.
For many of those same public servants are uber-leftists and, ta dah, self identified atheists.
Yes, my friends couldn't be any more uber-leftie, progressive, large gubamint telling everybody what and how to do whatever it is they think they should tell you to do, all predicated upon their self-identified superior knowledge of Just What is Good For You...
Which is derived from not Universal Truths imbedded in the Great Spiritual or Religious thoughts (and I note, purposely exclude the religiosity aspect, merely referencing the "lessons" of such) and philosophy.
You see, they believe that they have the right to direct such because it feels "good" "right" "just" or some such shit.
This arrogance and actual actions as public servants is NOT based upon any firm set of identifiable principles or philosophy.
In fact, it may be a great demonstration of the "me" generation coming of age, in my humble opinion, adding greatly to the demise of civil behavior.
Yes, the Me Generation.
It Makes Me Feel Good and Therefore is Right and Just
But more to the point, a wonderful article in one of the major British journals of medicine/psych/whatever, I forgot which, recently took a large sample set comprised equally of religious/spiritual people, agnostics and atheists.
And guess what?
The atheists were the ones who Vastly more than the other two groups, got mad at God when something was amiss in their lives.
Go fucking figure.
The greater Washington, DC area is overflowing with such people. They carry this behavior into every possible venue where such "authority" might be exerted.
It seems to pay well too; the Washington, DC area real estate market has been on a tear since shortly after 9-11, restaurants are packed, etc.
I love all the fucking Christian "brothers" of mine who slap fishes on their bumpers.
Jesus didn't slap a fish on the ass of his donkey. That was NOT His pass into heaven. He spoke out. He spoke up.
FUCK BANKERS! FUCK POLITICIANS WHO PERMIT THIS BS FOR K-STREET DAWLERS. FUCK MORON PROFESSORS WHO CAN'T TEACH WHAT MONEY IS.
Jesus was not a Christian. He was a Jew.
at business schools around the u.s. , especially the top business schools, even academic professors are deeply entrenched in spready the big LIE>
it's truly amazing. professors are deeply to blame for this.
ZH posted an article a while back, a commenter dubbed an entire paragraph of my drivel about schools in one syscint word: Massdumbification.
"They're not Christians; they're practicing voodoo!" - F. Zappa
Here is my fish
Jesus didn't slap a fish on the ass of his donkey. That was NOT His pass into heaven. He spoke out. He spoke up.
+7
Available in the garage are two solid lengths of wood, albeit one about a third in length than the other. Sitting adjacent is a glass jar half full of 4 inch nails & beside a hammer...what on earth could
be done with them?
The Christian Thing to do with those materials would be to persecute any nonbelievers.
Now THIS was a fun article and inarguable. Great job!
I have been wondering how long it would take some one to take advantage of the italics voting flaw. You are the first I've seen.
Though I disagree with the content of your post, I have to salute you for your clever trollesque-ability.
About the temple story, the analogy with today is apt. Look into it. People had to pay the temple tax in a currency that was controlled by the few. They could Liebor the rates for the shekel because they had a money monopoly. 1 silver shekel could be two chickens or twenty chickens. 1 goat or 5 goats.
Ther people didn't like it. Sound familiar?
Well, i didnT purposefully take advantage of it. Look closely, whenever i quote, i start the post with a period, in this case two lines of periods. Maybe those periods are accidentally italics; i'll watch that closer from now on. Down vote this post, if that is so important to you.
"About the temple story ..." which is a myth ... it would only apply in today's World should some action hero actually show up and throw the money changers out. Once a modern action hero appears, i will concede an analogy to today's World.
The rest of your post seems to fit my belief that: Sin is a protection racket!
edit:
I voted my post down just for you, happy now?
It's not that hard [using Firefox]
Thanks for the over ride. I'll try it at the next ogat.
What would Jesus do with bankers, the evil and unjust ones?
I can't know for certain, but my guess is that he'd kick the bejeezus out of them, again.
And he said to them, “Go.” So they came out and went into the pigs, and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the waters.
When you worship false Gods ( $ ) the world is going to crash down on your freaking head.
Bankers are just fucking evil.
Crazy thing is the Repubs are the ones backed by the supposed "God-fearing" voters......and they in turn back the bansters. But when the chips are really down. the banksters get backing form both parties, e.g. 2008 bailouts.
Your ASSumption is ridiculous. People were over whelmingly against the bail outs both left & right BUT especially Conservatives BTW the Banker's over whelmingly backed obama that's not an assumption figures below. Further are you saying their are no Christian Dem's? True there's a lot more Athiest's that are Dems but there are still some and the Jews favor Dems. Another thing obama is the ONE in charge the buck stops with him LITERALLY and FIGURATIVELY. The claim about Republican's backing the bankster's where did you get that reality is they have been coddled far more by barney frank, dirty dodd, obama and the other Dems. If you weren't full of partisan bull shit and bothered to look into it your would know better. That's the problem with ASSumptions people who make them blindly end up looking like an ASS.
Barack’s Wall Street Problem is Now America’shttp://www.noquarterusa.net/blog/4939/baracks-wall-street-problem-is-now-americas/
JPMorgan Employees Join Goldman Sachs Among Top Obama Donorshttp://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-03-20/jpmorgan-employees-join-goldman-sachs-among-top-obama-donors.html
Wall Street still giving to Obamahttp://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57465854-503544/wall-street-still-giving-to-obama/
Third Way Document Proves Democratic Party Supports Institutionalized Looting by Banks
http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2011/07/third-way-document-proves-democratic-party-supports-institutionalized-looting-by-banks.html
Great article here
How Iceland stalks its banksters
http://www.presseurop.eu/en/content/article/2339301-how-iceland-stalks-its-banksters?xtor=RSS-9
Come on Dingleberry. What planet have you been on?? They both back the Banksters and they're both backed by the very same Banksters. What a system we have!!
Not all of them. Especially some of the ones at smaller banks and credit unions ...
It's mainly the heads of the giant too big to fail banks who are causing problems.
It's mainly the heads of the giant too big to fail banks who are causing problems.
So what are you waiting for GW? You seem to think you have a biblical mandate to go execute justice on them. Get after it. Git 'er done.
GW is the guy shining the light in the wilderness. You can not have the guy shining the light in the wilderness getting shot. If GW gets shot prematurely, no one will be shining the light in the wilderness ... Ok, except for the Tylers. They are also shining light where others fear to tread.
GW is great! The story about Jesus confronting the banksters of his day, the temple money changers, was His greatest moment IMO. It took such courage, it wound up getting Him crucified. Go GW!
What would Buddah do? Study 'suchness'...
Buddah would say something like: "Thank you for your lovely gift of fiat debt-money. I have no use for it, so I return it to you.".
Then he would go buy his bowl of rice with precious metals.