Economics of the Times Drove the New Testament Narrative



As a young man I became interested in economics because it was what my parents, their friends and my friends all talked about. Eventually, I learned everyone talks about it all the time. By economics, I mean how we make a living and spend what we make. It drowns out most everything else in our lives, including religion.

It is said the Bible talks ten times more about money than it talks about sex. It was delightful to come across a body of discussion where scholars compare carefully what it written in the Bible and compare it to what information has been passed down about economic conditions in that part of the world at the time the Bible was written. Not surprisingly, what is in the Bible and what is attributed to Jesus reflects economic conditions and and some political ideology behind economic practices at that time. Not surprisingly also, the Bible shows the rich wanting more and those at the bottom supplying this wealth complaining about the little they receive. This is the perfect fit for today.

Those who plot the remarks about economics attributed to Jesus find them changing according to the setting and time. When he was supposed to have been in rural areas most of what he is supposed to have said was about the coming end. He was quoted as saying the end would come during "the lifetime of those in this room." He was in the room.

But when he traveled south to where merchants traded the goods from his rural area be was quoted as talking more about inequality. Today's Christians seem more preoccupied with the well being of the crony capital merchants and little interested in inequality.

I don't think they would not like the Jesus character from the Bible if he showed up today.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Maybe the "Original Sin" Should be Reassigned

Image
We can all agree most Catholic priests are fine people and not guilty of sexual abuse. What Catholics must face, however, it that their church harbors executives who are dishonest . There is an incredible story about the Argentine Bishop Zanchetta. The Pope worked with him in Argentina and they are considered friends. Around 2015 Zanchetta sent nude pictures of himself and they began circulating world wide. He also was too friendly with young seminarians and some left because of him.  Three different officials say they made formal complaints to the Vatican about Zanchetta between 2015 and 2017. Yet, in 2018, the Vatican claimed it was unaware of any complaints about Zanchetta. This might be a good time to repeat the Catholic hierarchy claims to have the sole authority handed down from Jesus to what the faith stands for. It condemns as sinners those who practice birth control, have abortions and gay sexual relationships. Handing the hierarchy this responsibility would make som
Read more

The Religious Capitol Invaders May Yet Win

Image
So much about U.S. society and religion can be learned from the Civil War and what happened afterwards. After its defeat, the South started a myth about the unethical soldiers from the North. The South fought for principles of God and states rights. The North did not. It was the South, this propaganda told the country, that had the high moral ground.  The Capitol invaders, encouraged by Trump, swallowed the myth that Biden's election was stolen. Thus, they think they held and still hold the high moral ground. This was reinforced by the cross and prayers during the invasion. Even with Trump is gone, we will see political opportunists like Senators Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley stroking crowds and feeding the same lies as Trump. Like "the South will rise again" these gullible followers will talk of victory over the unclean. After the Civil War the South rallied around the phrase, Lost Cause. For decades, and maybe to this day, there are ceremonies remembering fallen martyrs, Re
Read more

Father Frank Pavone, the Ultimate Crook

Image
Recently, the Vatican defrocked Frank Pavone. His diehard fans are outraged. This is because he cleverly manipulated his fans and the press all the while living well from donations and, apparently, abusing some women. By making abortion the "sin" of the century, and himself the main opposition to this one sin, he himself could get away with any sin he pleased.  As the link points out, Pavone was the perfect priest for the Trump era. Trump is so self-important laws have no role in his life. He felt accountable to no one. Women were there to be had. Pavone and Trump are interchangeable.  Pavone was very successful raising money. In his mind, abortion was so important in Catholic beliefs and he was so important in anti-abortion the money he raised opposing it was his to do with what he liked. The Catholic Church, the brand name he used to raise this money, thought the money belonged to it. When he gave the Vatican the bird, it gave him walking papers. With polls showing the majo
Read more