Supply Side Jesus

September 17, 2003 9:17 AM

The Gospel of Supply Side Jesus
It's not Friday yet but this is great entertainment! Hope you laugh as much as I did!
posted by nofundy (27 comments total)

It's not Friday yet but this is great entertainment!

More like propoganda. Not that I don't agree with some of it, but let's go for truth in labeling here.
posted by jonmc at 9:21 AM on September 17, 2003

"Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment." -John 7:24
posted by aaronshaf at 9:28 AM on September 17, 2003

Nice punchline, though.
posted by jokeefe at 9:37 AM on September 17, 2003

wow, funny and with a wicked twist to the tail. Nice one.
posted by carfilhiot at 9:39 AM on September 17, 2003

When did 'editorial' and 'propaganda' start to mean the same thing?
posted by Space Coyote at 9:48 AM on September 17, 2003

Wonder how many know what the "eye of a needle" is though?
posted by thomcatspike at 9:51 AM on September 17, 2003

Didn't the Eye of the Needle supposedly refer to some geographical feature in the area. . like a narrow gap between two big rocks?
posted by Danf at 9:53 AM on September 17, 2003

When did 'editorial' and 'propaganda' start to mean the same thing?

When did begging the question become the question?
posted by y2karl at 9:57 AM on September 17, 2003

Oh, lefty chick-tract! I wonder if someone took this, packaged it properly, and left it throughout public restrooms everywhere if it would have any impact?

Question two, how many folk think that shrub would read this, not get to the end (short attention span) and never realize that it was all satire?
posted by jearbear at 10:03 AM on September 17, 2003

This is something I do not get about the connection between the religious and the republicans. They (often, not always) glom onto the standard mores of personal moral behavior -- many of which I actually agree with -- but then seem to totally ignore the idea of community/social responsibility. I would love to take this cartoon into a sunday school lesson and see what kind of discussion it generates.

There is one underlying question supply siders harp on that I think is worth paying attention to: the relationship between giving and unhealthy dependancy. It sometimes exists, and yet I don't think that obviates the responsibility to give.
posted by namespan at 10:04 AM on September 17, 2003

Didn't the Eye of the Needle supposedly refer to some geographical feature in the area. . like a narrow gap between two big rocks?

My understanding is that's a bit of revisionist history. Rich "Christians", alarmed at an apparent bar to heavenly repast, came up with some nonsense "gate" or something to make it seem like it was merely hard, not "impossible" for the wealthy to get into heaven.

I think the "eye of a needle" is exactly what it sounds like.
posted by jalexei at 10:19 AM on September 17, 2003

There is one underlying question supply siders harp on that I think is worth paying attention to: the relationship between giving and unhealthy dependency. It sometimes exists, and yet I don't think that obviates the responsibility to give.

It's a simple false dichotomy designed to make the supply-siders feel good about being selfish. The choice is presented as: "If I give, they will become dependent on my giving, and that's bad; therefore I will not give."

The truth that explodes this falsity is that only very few will actually become dependent on the giving. People just aren't-- in the main-- like that. We think we might like it, but when it comes down to brass tacks the vast majority of people prefer productivity over idleness.
posted by Cerebus at 10:28 AM on September 17, 2003

but then seem to totally ignore the idea of community/social responsibility.

I'm not sure you can say that. My impression is that they feel loving thy neighbor is better handled at the local level through faith based charities than through the state. The purpose of the state is to protect from external harm and the purpose of the (religious) community is to take care of the humanity.

You could argue with their perspective on that. It may even be seen by some to be the same kind of double-talk that "states rights" embodies. A way to shift responsibility to a place where you don't have to take responsibility. But I think you may be only seeing half the picture if you think that because they think the state shouldn't care that means all of them don't care.
posted by willnot at 10:30 AM on September 17, 2003

Some possibilities discussed... 'The camel and the eye of the needle', Matthew 19:24, Mark 10:25, Luke 18:25
posted by soyjoy at 10:55 AM on September 17, 2003

To build on what willnot said, the distinction must always be made between voluntary community/social responsibility and coerced community/social responsibility.
posted by ZenMasterThis at 10:59 AM on September 17, 2003

Some possibilities discussed...Truly this is an extreme exageration that served to catch the attention of the reader and to point out the absurdity of the situation.
posted by thomcatspike at 11:44 AM on September 17, 2003

Of course because there's nothing coercive about religion...
posted by Space Coyote at 11:49 AM on September 17, 2003

Fair enough, willnot -- at least, I can see that it's fairer to make it a discussion about whether it's a good thing to have the state play certain roles, rather than accusing certain religious folks or republicans of simply not caring.
posted by namespan at 12:05 PM on September 17, 2003

thomcatspike.
is your reply intended to confirm or reject soyjoys post?

because the post you quoted from clearly *confirms* her post, so i'm confused because your initial post seems to be questioning whether people actually know what the real 'eye of the needle' is.

please, dont be so vague.
posted by carfilhiot at 2:14 PM on September 17, 2003

her?
posted by quonsar at 3:39 PM on September 17, 2003

I have never liked Jesus.
posted by thirteen at 3:43 PM on September 17, 2003

thomcatspike.
is your reply intended to confirm or reject soyjoys post?
Both but found my link prior to seeing soyjoy's comment, original link that lead to the previous link. Rush for time, scanned soyjoy's link then posted mine since I had it, didn't mean to be redundant.
posted by thomcatspike at 3:49 PM on September 17, 2003

her?

Name: Joy O. Soy
Gender: Blender

joy is a girls name and blender is a kitchen appliance.

Both but found...
oh ok, np.
posted by carfilhiot at 3:55 PM on September 17, 2003

I thought Jesus hated Republicans. Didn't he smote some once?
posted by sharksandwich at 5:31 PM on September 17, 2003

Ironically enough, I didn't like this for all the same reasons that I don't like "Mallard Filmore", but the twist ending was pretty nice (and you can tell from the comments who didn't bother reading far enough to get to it, either).
posted by yhbc at 8:19 PM on September 17, 2003

My impression is that they feel loving thy neighbor is better handled at the local level through faith based charities than through the state.

willnot: Perhaps, but they'd be wrong to think that. Part of the very reason we have State-funded 'social safety' is that voluntary charitable giving is has never been sufficient to the task.

What's worse, when times are tough and the money is needed even more, charitable giving is the first thing to dry up.

The suggestion that we can eliminate welfare and charities will take up the slack is either naivete worthy of enshrining in a dictionary, or deliberate (and selfish) deception.
posted by Cerebus at 8:24 PM on September 17, 2003

her?

I for one applaud carfilhiot's forward-thinking use of the generic 'she.'

However, I must confess... my middle name isn't really "O."
posted by soyjoy at 7:23 AM on September 18, 2003