Yesterday, I wrote some thoughts on a few excerpts from the transcript of Obama’s speech he gave at Georgetown University on April 14, 2009 entitled: The Blessings Of Taxation. This post focuses on Obama use of Jesus’ words to give credence to his economic policy of heavy taxation.
It is interesting to note that the very President who is willing to attempt to sacrifice the Christian ethic of life and liberty for all persons upon the altar of diversity now wants to give credence to his economic policy from the words of Jesus. Here are Obama’s words.
OBAMA: Now, there’s a parable at the end of the Sermon on the Mount that tells the story of two men.
The first built his house on a pile of sand, and it was soon destroyed when a storm hit. But the second is known as the wise man, for when “the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.” “It was founded upon a rock.”
We cannot rebuild this economy on the same pile of sand. We must build our house upon a rock. We must lay a new foundation for growth and prosperity: a foundation that will move us from an era of borrow and spend to one where we save and invest; where we consume less at home and send more exports abroad.
As you know Obama is recounting a parable that Jesus used to sum up the 102 verses from the Sermon on the Mount [Matt. 5:3 - 6:27 NASB]. Jesus’ sermon covers topics ranging from an individuals social expectations globally, “you are the light of the world” to the local expectations, “when you give to the poor.” What Obama has failed to consider is the simple understanding of hermeneutics (biblical interpretation) and the role of context. Without context the author of a text and the original intent of that text becomes meaningless. For example, I can say the words ” I love you” to every random woman I see but just add the context of: a ring, a committed relationship, a meeting with the parents, and a woman who wants to be with me for the rest of her life and you have two very different meanings. In short, Obama is attempting to use the words of Jesus to defend and economic policy of heavy taxation and irresponsibility that is the antithesis of the parable’s context. Consider this: Obama references Jesus’ words starting from the middle of Matt. 7:24 and intentionally distorts it’s context. Here is the entire verse:
Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.
The “rock” that Jesus was speaking about was his teaching on personal responsibility to your fellow man and not about government bailouts or national economies. Consider Jesus’ words:
- “You are the salt of the earth” [Matt. 5:13]
- “You are the light of the world” [Matt. 5:14]
- “You shall not commit murder” (which includes babies) [Matt. 5:21]
- “You shall not commit adultery” [Matt. 5:27]
- “Love your enemies” [Matt. 5:43]
- “When you (not the government) give to the poor” [Matt. 6:2]
- “Do not be worried about your life” [Matt. 6:25]
- “Do not judge so that you will not be judged” [Matt. 7:1]
The subject of wealth distribution by the hands of the government is nowhere to be found in the Sermon on the Mount. What is found are his teachings on the responsibility of individuals in light of social injustices. In short, it’s the golden rule, “treat people the same way you want them to treat you.” Jesus does require everyone to give to “Caesar what belongs to Caesar” but requires individuals to correct social injustices. Where in these verses does Jesus espouse the idea that a government should fund abortions? Where in these verse does Jesus espouse that the government should eradicate poverty? Where in these verses does Jesus espouse that the salt and light of the world should come from the government?
Government regulations against poverty have failed the poor because the poor is the fuel of big government. When an individual provides their created wealth to help lift an individual out of poverty then that individual will want the poor to succeed because that individual cannot be a life long benefactor for that individual. The government on the other hand has no such desire to help eliminate poverty because there is an endless stream of (tax payer) wealth and in order for that wealth to continue then the “need to help eliminate poverty” must always exist.
Obama needs to take a few moments and think of the importance of Jesus’ words, “you are” and “you shall” instead of “we [government] will” and “we [government] should” when making policies. Job has a word for Obama too: It is not the government that gives and takes away the rights and liberties of man through taxation but it is God who gives and God who takes away from man. A man is wise when he builds his house on the rock of Jesus’ teachings, it is the foolish man who calls himself wise when he assumes that the grain of sand he is building a foundation upon is still a rock indeed.
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