it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom

[happy_liberal]

"it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God"

The saying was a response to a young rich man who had asked Jesus what he needed to do in order to inherit eternal life. Jesus replied that he should keep the commandments. To which the man stated he had done. Jesus responded, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." The young man became sad and was unwilling to do this. Jesus then spoke this response, leaving his disciples astonished.

Republican, fundies have long held the belief that they are the chosen people however they fail when it comes to following their own savior. Jesus never spoke of gay people or abortion. He spoke of corrupt leaders, hypocrites in the churces and taking care of our fellow man.

It is long past time for Democrats to stand up and say we are the followers of Jesus. We are the ones who stand for the lessons that Jesus taught.

I know many here are athiests, or agnostic, or follow other prophets...but when you look at the bases of all religion they are really saying the same thing- LOVE your fellow man, set aside your selfish desires and work for the common good. Which party represents this?

It is time for us to reclaim spirituality. They hypocrites in the Republican party, the ones who pray in public, need to be exposed for what they are. Every time one of these people claim to be oh so religious, but then complain about helping the poor, complain about paying taxes...slap them with this phrase...

"it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God"

Watch their eyes glaze over as they struggle to comprehend one of Jesus' greatest teachings. This one is rarely taught in the churches so they might not have heard it before.

Another favorite I have been using when discussing taking care of the homeless with 'Christians'- "we will be judged by how we treat the least of us" I have found that this temporarily shuts the compassion challeged down and allows the voices of the true spirit of Jesus come through, many repeating the phrase to others.

We have to stop letting the Republicans think they are holier than thou, they are the very hypocrites that Jesus spoke of and it is time to point that out just as Jesus stood up to the religious leaders of his time.

[Fly by night]

1. That's my favorite Jesus quote. Here's my second favorite.

Mark 8:36 "What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?"

I agree with Muslims who viewed Jesus as a great prophet and Jews who viewed him as a great rabbi. From where I sit, however, we are all sons and daughters of God or (in my belief system) Goddess. Most of us, however, don't choose to act that way.

Thanks for this OP. Blessed be.

[happy_liberal]

2. love it!

:applause:

[jgraz]

12. Here's my favorite

"Fuck those Republican shitheads" (John 3.1415)

[olegramps]

18. Just a little aside...

When Jesus was taking about the difficulty of a camel going through the eye of a needle, He was referring to gate in the wall surrounding the city that was especially low and narrow. When caravans arrived and attempted to go through this gate it was difficult to navigate. It was a common expression during this period.

[The Doctor.]

19. So what else do you remember...

'Olegramps'?

;)

[Lucy Goosey]

21. That interpretation is not universally accepted.

http://www.debunker.com/texts/needleye.html

The Jerome Biblical Commentary is a standard reference work found in many libraries, written by Catholic scholars. Its commentary on Matthew 19:24 states bluntly, "the figure of the camel and the eye of the needle means exactly what is said; it does not refer to a cable or a small gate of Jerusalem."

http://alexisluzi.blogspot.com/2009/10/camel-passing-thru-eye-of-needle-rich.html

Some say that the gospel’s “eye of the needle” refers to a small gate at the entrance of Jerusalem and other cities through which camels and their owners could squeeze, when the city’s main gate had been closed at night. There is no archaeological evidence that such small gates existed.

[HippieCowgirl]

26. Bullshit

[tavalon]

3. I am a recovered Southern Baptist

I remember both of those phrases being discussed in church. Of course, that was back when they were ostensibly Democrats and it was well before the evil megachurch phenomena. There was a lot to dislike and distrust about them back then, but nowadays, it's quite clear they are the pharisees.

[Nye Bevan]

8. Why are megachurches "evil"?

I've never been to one and it wouldn't really be my thing, but "evil"? Are they evil because they are big?

[tavalon]

9. I guess I equate megachurch

with those televangelists. They seem like the same ilk. Bring unto us your money and talk not of Jesus, for we know him not. How's that for made up bible talk?

[lunatica]

4. Yours is a sure fire way to create a religious war

One can't reclaim what one hasn't lost. Not everyone believes in bible thumping Christianity and not everyone thinks that by emulating the religious extremists that the country will be OK. I don't care who thinks they're holier than thou. In my world I've found them to be stupid, ignorant and fearful. And it's their right.

But more power to you if you take them on and can be successful. It's your path and as valuable as anyone else's.

[Fumesucker]

7. There *already* is a religious war..

There have been bombings and shootings, recall what happened at the UU church some months ago..

[lunatica]

10. That's not war. That's terrorism practiced by the holier than thou

Where is the religious retaliation that would make it a war?

[Fumesucker]

11. It's a guerrilla war..

Fundamentalist Christianity is marinaded in the language of war..

[lunatica]

13. I agree, but it's up to the government to prosecute for any crimes they commit

That's the danger of following through on their beliefs. Not spouting off extremist views but believing their particular take on their religion gives them the right to kill. These people believe that just not being like them is a sin worthy of being punished by death. Taking them on at their level will make the matter worse, and have nothing to do with taking back anyone's beliefs or spirituality. Bible thumping warfare has never worked but it sure has caused thousands of wars. Hell! We're still fighting the Crusades. Those wars didn't settle much of anything.

[Fumesucker]

16. Is Operation Rescue on terrorist watch list yet?

If not then the government is not doing what it needs to..

And I think we all know why.

[Fumesucker]

5. Matthew 25:

35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

[thereismore]

24. When Jesus says "least of these my brethren", does he mean Christians or anybody?

Today, "brother" in church means Christian.

[Qutzupalotl]

25. Whoever does the will of God

is his brother and sister.

IIRC, the church wasn't formed until well after Jesus' crucifixion.

[msongs]

6. thou shall not kill is no longer in the bibles of US politicians nt

[SidDithers]

14. No thanks...nt

Sid

[TexasObserver]

15. Jesus was the original Liberal.

What he said was radical then, and it's still radical.

You're right about the irony of so many of his adherents have zero connection to his teachings. They're all about the things he said not to do, among them praying in public and making a public spectacle of their "charitable" activities.

[Javaman]

17. I prefer the updated version...

"it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a poor man to get health care"

[spin]

20. So true ... sadly (n/t)

[eShirl]

22. Frankly, I think our country has had more than enough "holier than thou" in politics.

("It is long past time for Democrats to stand up and say we are the followers of Jesus. We are the ones who stand for the lessons that Jesus taught.")

[dgibby]

23. Why not do what's right just because it's the right thing to do?

Personally, I prefer spirituality to religiosity.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

27. Yeah, they've got a counter for that.

Apparently, according to them, "eye of a needle" was really mistranslated from a word which really means a narrow city gate which is only slightly inconvenient for a camel to get through.