Jesus, Marx, Or Obama; Who Are You Going To Believe?

President Obama has hit a new low. By promoting his reasoning for hiking taxes on the rich at the NationalPrayer Breakfast, he diminished the seriousness of his proposals and manipulated Jesus’ teachings for his own political purposes.

Listening to Obama talk about taxation almost as a form of worship was beyond the bounds as he said, “For me as a Christian, it also coincides with Jesus’s teaching that for unto whom much is given, much shall be required.” He was quoting and distorting the Gospel of Luke and the Parable of the Faithful Servant. And, as Christians, we are greatly grieved by what Obama has done.

Obama is quoting a small portion of a lengthy answer given by Christ in response to a question by St. Peter. Here is a more complete version of Christ’s dialogue from the New International Version:

“Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master

puts in charge of his servants to  give them their food allowance at

the proper time? It will be good for that servant whom the master

finds doing so when he returns. I tell you the truth; he will put him

in charge of all his possessions. But suppose the servant says to

himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then

begins to beat the menservants and maidservants and to eat and

drink and get drunk. The master of that servant will come on a

day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware

of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the

unbelievers. That servant who knows his master’s will and does not

get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with

many blows. But the one who does not know and does things

deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From

everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and

from the one who   has been entrusted with much, much more will

be asked.”

Christ isn’t talking here about money, government, or taxes as Obama alleges. Jesus is talking about following His will, as He is the Master and we as His followers are the servants. Presumably Obama would know this, as he says he is a professing Christian.

America under Obama’s leadership has been the opposite of the good and faithful servant. America is now a post-Christian society that is living out in practice the contrasting phrase, “’My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to… eat and drink and get drunk.”

America is squandering its wealth on riotous living, war, and welfare. It is subsidizing all kinds of perverse lifestyles and practices with the public purse. America is sacrificing millions of innocent children for the convenience of the mothers, all in the name of the invented “right of choice.”

Obama goes on, “I know that far too many neighbors in our country have been hurt and treated unfairly over the last few years, and I believe in God’s command to love thy neighbor as thyself. I know a version
of that golden rule is found in every major religion and every set of beliefs.” And we too believe in the golden rule. And we wish it animated not the largess of Government but the actions of individuals.

The Bible we read also speaks out against covetousness and theft. And the promotion of division and classwarfare promoted by this administration clearly promotes the citizenry to desire the wealth owned
by others.

We believe that the Bible’s teachings are clearly understandable and are accessible to all that will take the time to read it. There is much to be learned by diligent study of the Word of God; we pray that Obama will take more care when he quotes scripture in the future.

There are many passages throughout the Bible that mandate the poor and widowed should receive care, and we believe private charity is much better than a faceless government bureaucracy at delivering the care and individual attention required when people are in need. We cannot find anywhere in our Bible a call for high taxes and the confiscation of private property. Instead, we find those passages in the Communist Manifesto. Maybe Obama is confused.

©2011 Floyd and Mary Beth Brown.

The Browns are bestselling authors and speakers. To comment on this column, e-mail browns@caglecartoons.com. Together they write a national weekly column distributed exclusively by Cagle Cartoons newspaper syndicate. Floyd is also president of the Western Center for Journalism. For more info call Cari Dawson Bartley at 800 696 7561 or e-mail cari@cagle.com.

Floyd’s latest book (with Lee Troxler) is “Killing Wealth, Freeing Wealth,” from WND Books. Time magazine wrote of Floyd: “Brown has stature among devoted conservatives that almost matches his physical heft (6 ft. 6 in. and 240 lbs.)” See more at Floyd’s blog at www.floydreports.com.