The Rise of the Money Changers: GOP Credit Card Relief riles Christians

[farmbo]

The audaciousness of the Bush Administration's latest sell out to the hugely profitable credit card industry--the Bankruptcy Bill-- is rapidly becoming apparent to true Christians-- those who live by the Biblical teachings of Jesus.

The only recorded instance in the Bible when Jesus Christ actually waged violence against persons arose when he drove the Money Changers-- merchants who charged exorbitant interest on currency-- from the Temple in Jerusalem:

"And they came to Jerusalem. And He entered the Temple and began to drive out those who sold and those who bought in the Temple, and He overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons; and He would not allow any one to carry anything through the Temple. And He taught, and said to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations'? But you have made it a den of robbers." (Mark 11:15-17 RSV)

Yet Bush, DeLay and Frist-- self-proclaimed "Christian" conservatives, have brought the Money Changers back into the Temple, re-erected their tables and removed any meaningful restraints on their ability to collect obscene profits from the people. Christianity is not a business, nor is it a religion which has EVER promoted capitalist Darwinism of the sort now advocated by the National Republican party. See eg, St Timothy:

"There is great gain in godliness with contentment; for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world; but if we have food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and hurtful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced their hearts with many pangs." (1 Timothy 6:7-10.

[AntiCoup2K4]

1. The Old Testament also has several references to "usury"

...and let's just say God makes it pretty clear that he's NOT in favor of it.

The modern day pharisees really fucked up on this one, and let's hope their "born again base" calls them on it.

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

3. Pharisees and Sadducees...

... I have been pointing that out for years, exactly what is stated here. Do some more digging and you will find it that the Pharisees and Sadducees were worshipers of the "prince of light". Plainly put, they are money worshipers.


footnotes:
The word heresy (Greek hairesis) is used several different ways in the NT. It is used to describe the Sadducees and Pharisees in their false teaching, and some professing Christ (Acts 5:17, 15:5, 24:14, 28:22). The word heresy is used to describe a division or schism within the body of Christ that harms it and that departs from sound doctrine (1Cor. 11:19; Gal. 5:20). It is used of doctrinal errors brought into the Christian Church by false teachers and false prophets among it (2 Pet. 2:1-3).

on edit: changed spelling of Sadduccis to the more accepted Sadducees.

[NVMojo]

2. OK, any minute now, the true religious right is going to wake up and smell

the coffee, right?!!!

[knight_of_the_star]

4. I think I just saw a flying pig

Should I go buy industrial strength umbrellas and start planning my Bush Convicted Party yet?