Chris Queen is a so-called Christian columnist who has decided to take 2016 Democratic Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders to task for daring to quote the Bible in regard to helping the poor and less fortunate in the United States.
Earlier this week, speaking to students at Liberty University, Senator Sanders said:
“We are living in a time — and I warn all of you if you would, put this in the context of the Bible, not me, in the context of the Bible — we are living in a time where a handful of people have wealth beyond comprehension. Do you think it’s moral when 20 percent of the children in this country, the wealthiest country in the history of the world, are living in poverty? Do you think it is acceptable that 40 percent of African American children are living in poverty? [A]nd the Bible speaks to this issue, in a nation and in a world which worships not love of brothers and sisters, not love of the poor and the sick, but worships the acquisition of money and great wealth.”
Those words could not possibly be more true, and I agree with them both as a progressive and Christian. But Brother Queen was quite offended by Bernie’s statement, and decided to fire back by writing:
“[M]ost any sentient person would agree that the plight of the poor and indigent in this country demands action. But the difference lies in how Bernie Sanders plans to remedy this phenomenon and how the God of the Bible commands His followers to care for the less fortunate. The Bernie Sanders plan for helping the poor consists of punitive taxation, byzantine regulation, and burdensome government programs. This is a markedly different method of caring for the poor compared to what we see in the Bible.”
It it now? Well then what about this bit of wisdom from the Scripture:
“And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’” (Matthew 25:40)
Or perhaps Mr. Queen should try this one on for size:
“Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 19:24)
Here’s one more for the allegedly Bible-believing Chris Queen:
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord‘s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn.” (Isaiah 61:1-2)
In the interest of equal time, here’s some more of what Chris Queen had to say in his column:
“This may come as a shock to Bernie Sanders, but the God of the Bible is not a Socialist. He commands us to take care of the poor, but His commands don’t apply to governments–they belong to individuals, families, churches, and synagogues. Caring for others as a result of God’s love does not burden us, but programs like the ones Bernie Sanders proposes burden everyone. And that’s the disconnect between the truth of Biblical justice and the modern Left’s vision of social justice.”
Wrong again. As the Lord Jesus specifically said regarding what the government requires in the way of taxes:
“And Jesus answering said unto them, ‘Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’ And they marvelled at him.” (Mark 12:17)
Any questions, Brother Queen?
