“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”, Charles Dickens wrote in ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ set in the late 1800’s. Unfortunately the same is true today. After the tough economic times between the years 2000-2010, the super-rich are richer than ever, the middle class and poor are struggling, and the already wide gap between the rich and poor is getting even wider. Hundreds of millions of people across the globe go hungry every day, including millions of children. In the United States
But when someone advocating for the middle and lower classes attempts to point out that government policies and economic systems are unfairly favoring the rich, they are often accused of waging class warfare, which is a clever tactic that is designed to put an end to the topic so that the rich can go their merry way and the poor can ‘stop their whining’. So, it’s usually the lower classes that are accused of waging class warfare against the rich.
Ironically, multi-billionaire Warren Buffet, one of the richest men in the world, was quoted recently as saying “There’s class warfare, all right, but it’s my class, the rich class, that’s making war, and we’re winning.” But it actually would be better for the rich if class warfare was being waged against them; It might help them get to Heaven.
Now some may use religion to justify that wealth is a blessing from God, but I would like to point out some very relevant things the bible has to say about the prospects of the rich getting to heaven, which, if the bible is right and there is a God who is watching this world, we may be well advised to listen to:
When an honorable rich man asked Jesus ‘What good thing must I do to get eternal life?’ Jesus replied: “Sell all your possessions and give all the money to the poor.” When the man went away deeply saddened by the answer he had received, Jesus said to his disciples “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven Kingdom of God
Jesus also said “Don't store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)
And from the second chapter of the book of Isaiah, a warning: “Their land is filled with silver and gold, and there is no end of their treasures. Their land also is full of idols, they have adored the work of their own hands. Enter thou into the rock, and hide thee in the pit from the face of the fear of the Lord, and from the glory of his majesty. The lofty eyes of man are humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be made to stoop, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. Because the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and high minded, and upon every one that is arrogant, and he shall be humbled. And idols shall be utterly destroyed. And they shall go into the holes of rocks and into the caves of the earth, from the face of the fear of the Lord and from the glory of his majesty, when he shall rise up to strike the earth.”
Now, I don’t intend for this to be a rally cry to the lower classes to wage class warfare against the rich. Instead, this is a plea to the rich to come to their senses, to think about what the bible said, and consider that if Jesus was right and it is in fact easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get to heaven, there still might be a way. Perhaps Jesus didn't really expect anyone to bring themselves to sell everything they own and give the money to the poor. And people must be wary of false prophets who will try to convince you to give them all of your money. But to the rich: in light of Jesus’ answer ask yourself if you are doing all that you can to help those less fortunate than you. And if you are, then maybe the eye of that needle might get just a little bigger. That is of course given that there’s enough time left.
-H.E.Miller www.ApocalypticDreams.com
Listen to the song 'Strike the Earth' from the Rock Opera 'Apocalyptic Dreams' by H.E.Miller: http://www.musicxray.com/xrays/21424
Listen to the song 'Strike the Earth' from the Rock Opera 'Apocalyptic Dreams' by H.E.Miller: http://www.musicxray.com/xrays/21424
