Supply Side Jesus - Neatorama

John of Locust and Honey wrote:

One of the ironies of human life is that greed and wealth are inherently at odds with Christian teaching, but it is only greed which creates wealth and only wealth that can give to the poor. Capitalism, as an economic system, does the most good for the most number of people, but is predicated on unChristian premises. I know of no resolution to this dilemma.
The Wesleyan solution is to earn all you can so that you can give all you can, but is not poverty greater where there is no capital investment?
Would a society where people did not invest their excess money but gave it away have more or less poverty?

What if Jesus were, gasp, a supply sider conservative? Here's an animated clip by Wes Ball, from a satirical comic strip in Al Franken's 2003 book Lies: And the Lying Liars Who Tell Them-A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right (original artwork by Don Simpson).

[Pontius Pilate summons our hero]
Pontius Pilate: Bring me this King of the Jews that I might meet him .. This Supply Side Jesus.
[Supply Side Jesus Arrive]
Pontius Pilate: So you're Supply Side Jesus ... What a magnificent robe you have.
Supply Side Jesus: Because of this robe, ten craftsmen were able to feed their families! The goldsmith who made the trim and the filigree was able to hire an apprentice because I paid him so handsomely.
Pontius Pilate: And what a beautiful haircut you have, Supply Side Jesus!
Supply Side Jesus: The barber who gave me this haircut was able to hire a manicurist ... She had been a prostitute but because I needed a pedicure, she is now able to fulfill her true potential.
Pontius Pilate: Yes, the cuticles are absolutely perfect!

Hit play or go to Link [YouTube] - via Locust & Honey

Wealth? Greed? Anti-Christian. The lack of logic behind this gobbly gook boggles. This is a thesis--if you can even call it that--what was apparently concocted by by an ill-informed child. Run along junior. Your mother is calling you.

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Indeed. Your "gobbly gook" argument is compelling. I was especially fascinated by the way you simultaneously question the author's mentality and maturity by asserting that he should run home to his mother. A clever move sir.

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Christianity isn't as much about feeding the poor as it is being the poor.

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I don't even know what 'supply side' means! I guess I could look it up, but... I guess I'm too busy enjoying all the other wonderful neatorama entries! :P

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This article makes the assumption that greed and capitalism are connected, but one could say the same thing about ANY economic system. As an adherent to the Austrian school of economics, I believe that TRUE capitalism emphasizes freedom, not greed. Unfortunately, there's no true capitalism anywhere in this world. The US economy is a mixture of capitalism, socialism, and corporatism. If you try to start a business in the US, you have to get licenses from the government, endure the climb through tax brackets, and hire lawyers to make sure that you aren't being politically incorrect, infringing on somebody's intellectual "property", or making coffee too hot. Meanwhile, the government is handing out corporate welfare to your competitors, buying their products with tax money (some of it comes from you), and running the courts where you'll eventually get sued for infringing on their intellectual "property". So, what would Jesus do? He'd be a TRUE capitalist!

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Um... you may be missing the fact that the original Supply Side Jesus was satyrical, and ended with the actual Jesus Christ being killed.

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That.. was the most excellent example I have seen yet of the problem with political wing of the Religious right Wrong and the "God helps those who help themselves" work ethic.

It's about time someone challenged accepted wisdom.

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I'm most perturbed by the single phrase, "it is only greed which creates wealth". That's typical Marxist thinking. Besides, if the whole point of the article is to illustrate how you need to be wealthy to give to charity, then the above comment is self-refuting.

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Absolutely brilliant. I'm torn between calling this the most brilliant example of capitalist propaganda I've ever seen, or the most brilliant satire I've ever seen. Thank you for finding all of this wonderful stuff for us, Neatorama! Very Neat.

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