Two ways to be in the top .001.

[Prosper]

1. Own large thriving manufacturing businesses eliminating poverty. Promoting Prosperity, health, consideration.

2. Own large foundations and trusts that remove money from the economy creating poverty and suffering.

What makes #2 equal to and surpassing number 1? Why are #2 leaders respected admired people?

The enabling words to shun the poor and their misery by celebrating wealth: “ "You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.” John 12:8

Why would he in one sentence eliminate any responsibility to humanity? Approve wealth without responsibility?

The only way to save humanity is to show the fallacy of great wealth having no consideration for the poor? Seems to me that great wealth that benefitted the masses would have a higher eternal reward.

Somehow you will always have the poor needs to be changed to poor no more. A people focused society would have in place a response to immediately confine and eliminate Covid-19. Nobody would be saying that would cost too much.

[Beartracks]

1. I think "poor" in that Gospel passage may refer to the "poor in spirit."

Sure, there are acts of compassion and love towards the literal poor - - those without money -- but much of Jesus' teachings take on a more powerful and transformative meaning when you realize He talked especially about those who need love, compassion, kindness and guidance regardless of their financial situation. There will always be those among us who are in need of this kind of Christian love -- the poor in spirit -- He tells his disciples (who are, by extension, all Christians), but they needed to prepared to take on the role of bringing that love to the world themselves once He was gone.

Okay, and now I just went and re-read John 12:8. In that passage they do seem to be discussing the literal poor. But here's a commentary from bibleref.com:

"Jesus' comment is not, at all, meant to brush aside the idea of caring for those who are poor. Suggesting otherwise means ignoring everything else the Bible says about service, sacrifice, charity, and love (Matthew 5:16; James 1:27). Rather, the point is about the uniqueness of this moment. Seven days from the evening described here, there will still be opportunities to feed the poor of Jerusalem; but Jesus will not be there anymore. Mary isn't "wasting" money on something she could have done at any time or any place. She was inspired to take advantage of a irreplaceable moment in time—and for that, she deserved respect, not derision. "

In any case, it's frustrating that "prosperity gospel" types would use these kinds of passages to justify their accumulation, and hoarding, of material wealth. It's a most un-Christian thing to do.

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[Prosper]

3. Personal interpretation to this amassing great fortunes can easily be interpreted literally.

And if you look around that seems to be the case. Huge foundations and dynasty trusts that guarantee easy living for many generations of heirs. Everybody is saddled with unique qualities. Some have talent for creating fortunes from nothing. Others can only perform tasks presented to them. If one person is lucky enough to have an abundance of talents and skills and another falls short on all levels does that mean one the lucky one gets to put the other in poverty?

[abqtommy]

2. I'm sure that wealthy people are among the many who know that "a higher eternal reward"

is not a realistic/factual concept. Due to this they feel emboldened/privileged to lie, cheat, steal, rob
and kill to achieve their goals. It's due to this reality that we have laws made by people and enforced by people to protect us where there is no realistic higher power.