Obama can be thankful Klein isn't in charge of programming his teleprompter.

I see the light! Getting the most people possible into Heaven is quite simple: Wealth redistribution. No one is too rich to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

And of course, the government is there to help every step of the way. No separation of church and state issue here.

Oh I lvoe it when people bring up those quotes...

The rich man wasn't being denied heaven. He was righteous, obeyed the law and Jesus, on hearing this, challenged him to go further than that.

How does a camel go through the eye of a needle? On its knees, shorn of everything it was carrying, with its head down. Look up the "needle gate". :)

It's comforting that Lucifer has such concern for the state of my immortal soul.

I humbly suggest that he start worrying about his own. And keep his hand out of my wallet while he does it.

Class warfare in a religious guise. Amazing. These are the same Dems that scream about church and state...until using it suits their socialist agenda.

Religion and the church should (and do) INFORM politics, but once they start being political tools to further a specific agenda (i.e. churches becoming sanctuaries for illegal aliens), I say yank their tax-free status and treat 'em like anyone else.

As to someone using that Bible verse to promote socialist-style "wealth redistribution", I say to them "You too shall have your reward".

I don't think you can point to a place in the Bible where Jesus said it was okay to take away other people's money and give it to the poor.

VtK, does this sound familiar?

Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, "Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages." He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

"Leave her alone," Jesus replied. " It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me."

I'd say it describes today's politicians with remarkable precision.

Jesus said "Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's..." because the donarius had Ceazar's picture on it.

We have a bunch of dead presidents on our money - they don't need it. And I don't see a single living welfare recipient (or liberal bureaucrat)pictured on a single piece of my money.

Yeah Jimbo, I'm pretty un-amazed the wannabe Bible scholar didn't know enough Scripture to attempt to rip the Give Unto Caesar quote out of it context too.

Btw, as Lyle points out, Jesus prophecied that we will ALWAYS have poor people (no matter how much we rob the rich). I guess the Dems should be thankful they'll always have a voter base.

Joe, thanks for the tips on Christian theology, but...aren't you ...uh...Jewish?

The biblical reference is to the "Needle's Eye".

When the gates to a city are closed at night, the only way to enter is through a smaller door in the gate.

If a caravan were to arrive at night, the camels must be unloaded and the camel can enter the city through this slighly larger than man -sized door by crawling in on it's knees.

I wish that more people knew this.

Hella lag man.

Archonix & Cluebat,

I must respectfully disagree with you on the meaning of the "eye of a needle" as referenced in the Bible. If you look at the context (context is everything), you will see the following:

• The disciples were "greatly astonished" or "exceedingly amazed" when they heard this. Why, if this were just a bit of hard work?
• The disciples asked, "Who then can be saved?" This sounds as if they understood the impossibility of the task mentioned. It was common belief that the wealthy were more righteous than regular people, because GOD gave them that wealth as a reward for their righteousness (see the story of Job, and how his friends accused him of unrighteousness).
• Jesus himself stated that with men this task is impossible, but with GOD all things are possible. Again, this does not simply sound like a difficult task, but an impossible one. The point of illustration is that salvation is not of men, but of GOD.
• There is no mention anywhere in the Bible of the "Needle's Eye Gate." One would certainly expect it to be mentioned somewhere. Anywhere. It is found nowhere in the Bible.

It is my hope that you will think this through and reconsider your opinion.

Oops, forgot to sign that last one. It is mine.

Joe Klein is no "John Edwards" when it comes to being an uber-douchebag, but he definitely gets an honorable-douche mention.

Lyle, have you ever tried to get a camel to walk on its knees?

Regardless, a quick bit of research says you're apparently right, though the illustration of having to get on your knees and giving up everything you have before you can enter the kingdom of god is rather pleasing in its clarity, I think.

Archonix, I certainly agree that the camel illustration is appealing. And no, my camel refuses to walk on it's knees. In fact, I'm not sure it's a camel at all. :)

I observe a philosophy I learned from Dennis Prager: "First tell the truth, then give your opinion." Although I see the appeal and application of the "Needle's Eye" story, too much evidence indicates it to be other than Jesus' intent. I do agree we must lose our lives for Him (not a reference to dying, but rather choosing to live for him rather than our own pursuits) and in doing so, we also have the privilege of unburdening ourselves on him.