Do the teachings of Jesus promote poverty?

[CMike]

Deuteronomy 15:4 However, there need be no poor people among you, for in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess as your inheritance, he will richly bless you, Deuteronomy 15:4

It's saying if you do the will of G-D then you won't be needy. You will have what you need. If you don't do the will of G-D then you will "need".

There is also a question of what it means by needy.

The text says zero there won't be for you.

The Torah does say that there will be poor people. In fact G-D says it's a commandment to give charity to the poor.

Rich people are very important. Without rich people communities can't build schools, help the poor, etc.

Proverbs 3:10
then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.

This is the passage right before it.
9. Honor the Lord from your substance and from the first of all your grain,

 

[savagewind]

How much of this poverty promoting do you think, poverty stricken people would promote?


How much of these sayings are related to John the Baptist movement or Jesus, and how much are the Hellenist authors reflecting?

LOL. You know I don't know!

 

[savagewind]

I don't understand Greek so seeing it in original greek really doesn't help.

However, if you do the to me it means whatever thingie, then it really belittles what he said.

If it can mean anything, then it really means nothing.

The people chose what it means. But when he spoke it, if he spoke it, he meant one thing. Jesus, the rich man and the writer know what it says but we do not.

It can't mean anything. It means what it means. What it doesn't mean is to sell ALL one's belongings. He wasn't telling the man to sell his clothes and his cooking pot.

 

[savagewind]

OK maybe his clothes he should sell. All that frill and lace just won't do on the road. Haha

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

The closest system to what Jesus wants is a form of religious communism where everything is shared among the community and there's no excess wealth. Everyone would have what they needed to live. Religious orders commonly follow this ideal. That was what He meant by selling everything and giving it to the poor. From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.

 

[savagewind]

The closest system to what Jesus wants is a form of religious communism where everything is shared among the community and there's no excess wealth. Everyone would have what they needed to live. Religious orders commonly follow this ideal. That was what He meant by selling everything and giving it to the poor. From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.

This is not a bad idea but I think the words spoken to one man should not be stretched to include a system of things. He said "I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world." John 17:14

"Not of the world" means he is not and shall not be the architect of man's ways (as a group). I might be right.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

This is not a bad idea but I think the words spoken to one man should not be stretched to include a system of things. He said "I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world."

"Not of the world" means he is not and shall not be the architect of man's ways (as a group). I might be right.

Read Acts. It's clear that the early Christians lived like communists. They took Christ's words seriously. Of course Christ wants us to change the way we live in the world.

 

[savagewind]

Read Acts. It's clear that the early Christians lived like communists. They took Christ's words seriously. Of course Christ wants us to change the way we live in the world.

I think you shouldn't compare their status with God's will for everyone. They had an important and dangerous job to do. If they had not succeeded we would know nothing of Christ.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I think you shouldn't compare their status with God's will for everyone. They had an important and dangerous job to do. If they had not succeeded we would know nothing of Christ.

So it's okay for Christians to live as capitalists even though Christ clearly taught otherwise, the early Christians lived as communists and so do many religious orders? What God wants from us doesn't change from age to age.

 

[savagewind]

So it's okay for Christians to live as capitalists even though Christ clearly taught otherwise, the early Christians lived as communists and so do many religious orders? What God wants from us doesn't change from age to age.

I disagree. God does not want the same form everyone. That is where Christianity went wrong imo. Each with their own job to do with God's will in mind first. Not everyone with the same job and purpose.

 

[CMike]

The people chose what it means. But when he spoke it, if he spoke it, he meant one thing. Jesus, the rich man and the writer know what it says but we do not.

It can't mean anything. It means what it means. What it doesn't mean is to sell ALL one's belongings. He wasn't telling the man to sell his clothes and his cooking pot.

How do you know?

 

[savagewind]

How do you know?

How do I know everything doesn't mean everything? But what about my pillow and my underwear?????? I don't want to serve God without my pillow. And my shampoo. My brush. My toothbrush. I like my shoes too. I need my cooking utensils. Can I keep those please?

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I disagree. God does not want the same form everyone. That is where Christianity went wrong imo. Each with their own job to do with God's will in mind first. Not everyone with the same job and purpose.

God expects us all to live in a common general way - a way of love, compassion and mercy that recognizes the inherent dignity of all living creatures as our brothers and sisters.

What you seem to be doing is making up excuses for ignoring the teachings of Christ.

 

[CMike]

One can be compassionate, loving, and a capitalist. They go all together.

With no wealthy people, there aren't people to build schools, hospitals, and help the poor.

 

[ChristineES]

The way I heard it was that if money keeps you from putting God first, then you'd be better off without it. That would be the same with anything that a follower of God would put above God.

 

[CMike]

The way I heard it was that if money keeps you from putting God first, then you'd be better off without it. That would be the same with anything that a follower of God would put above God.

And how do you get food and shelter without money?

Without money you can't serve G-D properly.

 

[Sapiens]

I've always felt that if all your problems could be solved by throwing money at them then you did not have any serious problems.

 

[savagewind]

God expects us all to live in a common general way - a way of love, compassion and mercy that recognizes the inherent dignity of all living creatures as our brothers and sisters.

I don't disagree with that.

What you seem to be doing is making up excuses for ignoring the teachings of Christ.

Uh. OK I don't think I am.

 

[metis]

If we go back far enough, societies appear not have any concept of money, and yet they survived and prospered enough to eventually form all of us in this world today. A belief in God requires no money.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Uh. OK I don't think I am.

I'm sorry but that's how it seems to be coming off as. I've noticed that many Christians these days want to make Christianity into a purely internal or abstract thing instead of a faith that calls on us to change the world through right actions and right ways of living.