9:19am September 26, 2013

“…you know that beloved Scripture passage about how “If a man will not work, he shall not eat”? The one that undergirds all those Randian demands to cut off the poor at the knees if they are unemployed?

Yeah. See, it turns out Paul was not drafting a bill on welfare reform for Congress. He was addressing Christian–and Christians alone–under his care as a pastor. In other words, that beloved saying is not intended to free us from the obligation for charity.

So is there anything else in the gospel about charity n’ stuff?

Funnily enough, there is: “Give to every one who begs from you; and of him who takes away your goods do not ask them again.””

Just a reminder… (via frauluther)

Saint Juniper took that last bit to heart. Finally his superior told him to stop giving away his cloaks. He was out one day and a poor man asked for help, and Juniper said “I can’t give you my cloak, but I can stand here and if you take it off of me I won’t stop you.” Creative man, that.

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