The Gospel According to Father Michael Moore: Or how to fleece America under the guise of following Christ I get

a little nervous when I hear someone like Michael Moore expounding on the words of Christ. Visions of Father Divine suddenly pop into my head and I begin to wonder if were going to see a little cult of lefties worshipping watermelons (Jesus did say he was the vine.) Maybe I need to get a bracelet: WDJS (What Did Jesus Say?) On the June 19th airing of THE VIEW, Michael Moore was allotted some time to pump his latest documentary entitled SICKO. I havent seen the film yet. But I am beginning to think that maybe he named this one after himself. You see, theres something fundamentally wrong with people who believe Jesus was a socialist or a communist or any kind of ist. So when I hear Moore make the claim that Jesus wouldve supported universal health care and quoting scripture to support it (in the area of apologetics this is called proof texting) I start wanting to toss a shoe or a potted plant at the television screen. If one more liberal quotes Jesus I will just SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEM! Fortunately for us (and for intellectual honesty) Star Parker was also on the show. And, fortunately for Christ, she almost got to present the truth about Christs view on caring for the poor. For those unfamiliar with Star Parker, shes a single mom who brought herself up out of poverty without the government giving her every imaginable hand out. Oh, and did I mention that she is an African-American? So much for you cant make it if youre African-American and a single Mom. In any case, lets look at what Mr. Moore had to say on the topic of Christ and health care: Im a Catholic and I go to church and I want to say that Jesus told us that we would be judged by how we treat the least among us. We shouldnt really call this socialized medicine, we should call it Christianized medicine. Jesus said that in order to get to heaven He said Im going to ask you questions.. Im gonna say when I was hungry did you feed me? When I was homeless We all collectively do it.. Lets begin with Moores statement that hes Catholic. This came in response to Star Parker querying him about his being a born again Christian. Please note

that Moore makes the distinction by stating that he is NOT born again (audio clip). This is very important. For while Moore is more than happy to tell us that well all be judged for how we handled our charity to others, he neglects the most important must uttered by Christ: Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of GodMarvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (John 3:3,7) Jesus made it clear to Nicodemus that in order to get to heaven ye must be born again not ye must answer a bunch of questions! So just what was Moore talking about? He was citing a passage in Matthew, chapter 25, wherein Christ is talking about separating sheep from goats. Was he speaking in this passage of a corporate judgment wherein people are held accountable for what their country does or doesnt do? Or is he talking about individual responsibilities? Back in the old days, it was customary for the shepherds to allow the sheep and goats to feed together during the day and to separate them by night. The difference between sheep and goats is that the goats needed to be driven while the sheep follow the shepherd. Since theyre commingled, this would indicate that the separation would be individually, not corporately, lest some intermingling continue to occur. What Moores take on the passage seems to involve is corporate force. Goats (those who dont want to be charitable) will be forced (because there will be no individual separation) into giving to charity. In this case, via increased taxation to cover socialized health care. Using Moores logic the instituting of socialized medicine (and other programs born out of forced taxation) would result in all Americans going to heaven because, after all, were all helping the poor via our taxes. Or maybe he didnt read verse 34: Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world Apparently not all goats go to heaven after all. In fact, the goats (who are on the left) dont make it. Not even in Mr. Moores scriptural fantasyland. If we continue to use the Moore method of exegesis, we could say hes in extremely deep poo. After all, Christ also said: If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and

you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." (Matthew 19:21). Oh now, now, Mr. Moore! Were you not the one who said: I'm a millionaire, I'm a multi-millionaire. I'm filthy rich. You know why I'm a multi-millionaire? 'Cause multi-millions like what I do. Dont you want to go to heaven, Father Michael? Of course, I probably shouldnt challenge Michael Moores expertise on the bible. He is, after all, very fond of religion: There's a gullible side to the American people. They can be easily misled. Religion is the best device used to mislead them. Methinks they were in the audience applauding you that day, Mr. Moore. Jesus discussions about the poor were generally on a 1-1 basis or in a teaching situation. They were never intended to be universally enforced. He never made a single statement about how a nation should handle the poor. In fact, when someone tried to tell Christ how money should be spent to take care of the poor, Jesus made it clear that giving to the poor wasnt always the most important act a person could participate in. Prior to his death, a woman came to Christ and anointed him with a very expensive perfume. His disciples chastised the woman for her action: When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. Why this waste? they asked. This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor. (Matthew 26:8,9) They wouldve received a round of applause on THE VIEW. But Jesus had a response which, according to Michael Moores theology, wouldve gotten Him a seat with the goats: Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her." (Matthew 26:10-13) I find it not a little ironic that, immediately following this encounter Judas Escariot, A TAX COLLECTOR, sold Jesus out for 30 pieces of silver. Mr. Moore, perhaps the real message of the New Testament, at least where the poor and the issue of taxation is concerned, is that those who want to force taxes on others to pay for the poor are really sell-outs?

Jesus said positive things about the poor. He pointed to a Widow who gave of her need (Mark 12). According to Michael Moore, her contribution would be a blasphemy because technically she shouldnt have been in a situation for that to have happened in the first place. The poor in this life are granted a special reward in the next (Luke 6:20). In Luke 7:22, counted among the miracles, was the fact that the gospel was preached to the poor. There was one time when Christ made a corporate charge to a group. That is read about in Luke, chapter 11: When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. But the Pharisee, noticing that Jesus did not first wash before the meal, was surprised. Then the Lord said to him, "Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? But give what is inside the dish to the poor, and everything will be clean for you. (Luke 11:37-41) Christ went on to castigate the Pharisees quite gruffly. Just who were the Pharisees? They were one of three sects of Judaism at the time of Christ. They were the most vocal -and- influential. Especially over the people and in politics. Their main flaw was that they expected more from the little people than they were willing to put upon themselves and they did their charitable deeds and works of obedience for the praises of man (to be seen by men.) Doesnt sound like Feed the Children to me. Sounds more like many of the highprofile liberals out there who tell other people to conserve energy while they work on mini-mansion number four or who tell people to drive hybrids while they fly around in privately owned jumbo jets; etc. etc. Al Gore (whom Moore wishes beyond wish would toss his hat into the presidential ring) may have hit on a very inconvenient truth and not even realized it: liberals are the Pharisees of America. Jesus wasnt a socialist. Nor was he a conservative. In fact Jesus would not have made a very good politician. Jesus was not anti-tax, either. When asked about taxation, He made it clear that we are to pay our taxes (Matthew 22:1622). The fact that tax-collectors were not well liked by the people tells us that they were likely a corrupt lot. And Jesus himself didnt tell the government what to do with tax monies. Instead, he tried to influence the tax collectors by reaching out to them rather than shunning them. Something which garnered him his own, personal, Paparazi (Matthew 9:9-12).

Last but not least, Jesus personally paid a tax (recorded in Matthew 17:24-27). Granted, Peter (Simon) had to do the work to get the tax coins for them both (interesting story in that situation, eh?) But still a tax was paid. The bible has something to say about who should take care of the poor. In the Old Testament, the family was to come first (Deuteronomy 14). After that, it became the responsibility of the church (Numbers 18). Christ brought into the picture the concept of individual charitable giving (Matthew 6) and even described how its to be done: "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Matthew 6:2-4) Michael Moore needs to come out from behind his robe of self-righteousness and admit that hes joined the rank and file of red letter Christians who are selectively dissecting the words of Christ for a purpose that is far more nefarious than anything Pat Robertson or Jerry Falwell ever had in mind: the promotion of socialism. Socialism is not merely a political hazard. It has spiritually deathly consequences for both poor and wealthy. A greedy man, whether rich or poor, is on hazardous ground (Mark 7). And socialism, which does not encourage hard work, actually consigns the poor to laziness, keeping them depressed and oppressed in the cycle of poverty (Proverbs 10:4; 14:23). Mr. Moore, Jesus was never a socialist. And contrary to what you, and those who promote Liberation Theologies (theres several) would have us think, Christ was for personal responsibility. Not corporate force. We are to pay taxes. We are not to be forced into being charitable. Charity, Mr. Moore, comes from the heart. For the Lord loves a cheerful giver. By the way, if youre so into helping those less fortunate than yourself, my kitchen could use a remodeling job. Ten grand should suffice. Please email me for further instructions and be blessed ;)