Editor:
I accept your challenge, Robert C. Van Fleet, to tell you what Jesus would do regarding the homeless issue you referenced (“Mailbox,” Jan. 9). I consider myself to be qualified, since I’ve known Him for 34 years.
He would not be vitriolic and judgmental toward Arkley or misrepresenting and impugning Arkley’s issues and intentions toward the homeless, as you were.
The only people that Jesus excoriated were the self-righteous, hypocritical religious leaders.
He would also not condone the destruction or hurt to the community that the homeless often incur.
Yes, He is compassionate and understanding, knowing that it’s our own foolishness that ruins our lives.
He would do the same thing with each homeless person as well as those who are impacted by them that He continues to do today, namely reveal Himself to each one as The One that can save them from their sins, challenging them to want to live righteously and godly, as He did as a homeless person.
He wants each one of us to be healed, cleansed and strengthened to the point that we are able to fulfill His great purpose for our lives, which is glorious and fulfilling.
So, I’m saying that Jesus would care about everyone in the community — rich and poor, because quality of life is not His priority, but rather, our salvation and sanctification and ultimate reconciliation with our Father. Quality of life flows out from that restored relationship with God our Father.
Thank you for this discussion.
Jean Damon, McKinleyville
This article appears in Red Gold and Greenwashing.
Arkley is self righteous and hypocritical as they come and is, I believe, a Christian. His business practices led to putting many families out of their homes so he could fatten his coffers and then he turned on those he made homeless. Jean, you just wanted an opportunity to spout your own self righteous, unctious beliefs. Try being homeless for one week and see how you feel about how unimportant quality of life is, sleep out in the bitter cold and wake hungry and not knowing where you can get food and see how you feel about quality of life. Your holier than thou spoutings are offensive and uncaring.
How about let’s go to the source:
Matthew 25:34-36 Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.”
Luke 14:12-14 He said also to the one who had invited him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
Luke 16:19-25 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried.
In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. He called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony.
This nation’s dominant “trickle down” economic ideology is the antitheses of all the major religious teachings. When a nation legislates to benefit the poorest citizens, every class resting upon them benefits.
We are a nation of hypocrite Christians bloated on the child labor and resources of the world’s poorest people, an uncomfortable truth intimately familiar to the pharisees…long before Christ.