[aldo_14]

Funny thing: Jesus said, "You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me." in response to Judas saying that some chick shouldn't pour perfume on JC's feet cos it was so expensive; they should give the money to the poor instead.

What a selfish wankpot;  "oh, let's let the baby starve, because I want lilac scented feet".

[copiae]

The simple fact is that we can't fix the problem, and by donating food and water and **** we're just prolonging it and upping the final death toll.

But if we spend the next 10 years watching Africa slowly depopulate itself, 20 years from now they'll have an actual economy and no more starvation.

What exactly do you think will happen 10 years from now so that the trend will be presumably completely reversed by 20 years?

[Goober5000]

Funny thing: Jesus said, "You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me." in response to Judas saying that some chick shouldn't pour perfume on JC's feet cos it was so expensive; they should give the money to the poor instead.

What a selfish wankpot; "oh, let's let the baby starve, because I want lilac scented feet".

Everybody around them at the time had the same reaction. But it's important to see where he was coming from.  Think of it this way:

It's God.

On Earth.

In the same room as you.

So what do you do if you're face to face with God?  What she did was give him the most valuable thing she had on hand: namely, her perfume.  So he commended her, because it was a deep and meaningful act of worship.

[Mefustae]

So what do you do if you're face to face with God? What she did was give him the most valuable thing she had on hand: namely, her perfume. So he commended her, because it was a deep and meaningful act of worship.

I can just picture it...

Woman: Should I bathe your feet in this perfume, lord?

Jesus: F*** yeah. Bathe my feet, ho!

[aldo_14]

Everybody around them at the time had the same reaction. But it's important to see where he was coming from.  Think of it this way:

It's God.

On Earth.

In the same room as you.

So what do you do if you're face to face with God?  What she did was give him the most valuable thing she had on hand: namely, her perfume.  So he commended her, because it was a deep and meaningful act of worship.

**** worship, I'd rather save a baby. 
 
In all seriousness, my first reaction was, quite literally, 'selfish dick'.  I mean, come on.  He could at least have some degree of modesty; Judas - bloody Judas - is the one recommending giving to help others?!  Would a 'cheers, but others need it more' not be a tad more holier-than-thou?

[pyro-manic]

So what do you do if you're face to face with God?

I'd tell him to pull his ****ing finger out and start doing something useful for once...

[Goober5000]

**** worship, I'd rather save a baby. 
 
In all seriousness, my first reaction was, quite literally, 'selfish dick'.  I mean, come on.  He could at least have some degree of modesty; Judas - bloody Judas - is the one recommending giving to help others?!  Would a 'cheers, but others need it more' not be a tad more holier-than-thou?

See, but in this case Jesus is "holier than thou", which means he deserves it more than the poor people.

In all seriousness, Jesus himself said that you will always have the poor with you, which could mean either 1) giving to the poor is futile, or 2) you can give to the poor any time you want.  (Probably the second one is what he meant.)  However, Jesus was only on earth for 30-odd years, which means that mankind had a very limited opportunity to interact with him.  So they had to make sure they made good use of it.

I'd tell him to pull his ****ing finger out and start doing something useful for once...

The problem is that God works through people (at least for tangible things, like interactions with society).  So if things aren't getting done, it's because Christians aren't doing their job.

[Martinus]

I don't know how good an argument that is Goober. According to the book he was willing to and did end his life in order to save mankind which kind of seems a bit strange when you think that he was unwilling to make a much less ominous, selfless act by allowing someone to use their money for the benefit of those who were worse off.

Also, someone that powerful and benevolent doesn't need to be worshipped.

[Goober5000]

I don't know how good an argument that is Goober. According to the book he was willing to and did end his life in order to save mankind which kind of seems a bit strange when you think that he was unwilling to make a much less ominous, selfless act by allowing someone to use their money for the benefit of those who were worse off.

But those are two different areas: spiritual vs. material.  His death benefited mankind spiritually and eternally, while giving to the poor only benefits mankind temporarily.

Giving to the poor is good - God commands it in many places.  But giving to God is better, because he's, well, God.

And in any case the particular situation with the perfume wasn't a choice between giving to the poor and giving to Jesus, it was between giving it to Jesus vs. saving it for its intended purpose (to be used on a wedding night, but that's a whole other layer).  The people around the woman disapproved of what she did, and they thought she was throwing it away.  They were thinking, "If you're going to throw it away, throw it to the poor" which is completely not the attitude you should have if you're giving to the poor, or anyone for that matter.

Also, someone that powerful and benevolent doesn't need to be worshipped.

It's not a question of "need", it's a question of "deserve".  Think of an Olympic athlete who trains for years to get a gold medal.  Doesn't he deserve that gold medal?  Now think of a God who created the universe, created mankind, and then went above and beyond that by dying for a creation that rebelled against him.  That is deserving of worship.

[aldo_14]

Not wishing to get into a religousitily type arguement, but if you view Jesus as the well-meaning but ultimately rather deluded leader of a cult, rather than actually being the son of God sent to earth, then the whole perfume on feet rather than money to poor isn't all that defensible.  A bit of a 'let them eat cake' type moment, really.

[Goober5000]

Not wishing to get into a religousitily type arguement, but if you view Jesus as the well-meaning but ultimately rather deluded leader of a cult, rather than actually being the son of God sent to earth, then the whole perfume on feet rather than money to poor isn't all that defensible. A bit of a 'let them eat cake' type moment, really.

Oh I definitely agree with that.  It all hinges on what you believe about him.

EDIT: In fact...

1 Corinthians 15:19

If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.

In other words, if Jesus isn't who he said he is, if there's no hope of eternity, then Christians are the biggest fools on the planet.  The Bible doesn't shirk from admitting that.

[Sigma957]

Well you could look it at this way,it was her perfume and it was her choice to wash Jesus's feet in it. Selling the perfume to give the money to the poor would not have helped as the religious leaders at the time were corrupt and would have keep the money for themselves and if you gave the money to them yourself what would happen to those that missed out on the money, you might have found they would probably attack you to find out if you had anymore money or they would attack those that received the money. So it would have created a bigger problem.

[CP5670]

Who cares? Perfume stinks anyway.

[Mefustae]

Also, someone that powerful and benevolent doesn't need to be worshipped.

Of course they do, where do you think they get their power?

Hallowed are the Ori

[Grey Wolf]

Read the variant from the Gospel of Mark:

While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.

Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, "Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year's wages and the money given to the poor." And they rebuked her harshly.

"Leave her alone," said Jesus. "Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."

The part in bold is what you may want to take a closer look at in your debate.

[Ace]

In other words, if Jesus isn't who he said he is, if there's no hope of eternity, then Christians are the biggest fools on the planet.  The Bible doesn't shirk from admitting that.

For once, you're right.

...and for good measure:

Hallowed are the Ori. Those who resist the path to enlightenment shall be destroyed.

[/size]

Seriously though, what the hell? It was a nice debate, albeit with some an0nisms until some random silly: "JESUS HATES TEH POOR! YAYS LOOK AT ME IN MEH IVORY TOWER!!11 I DONNAH HAVE TO DO STUFF BECAUSE OF THIS QUOTE!"

You might be doing damage control on it, but it's quite obvious what the first posting of it was intended to convey...