WaPo 'On Faith' Contributor: Jesus Would Want Government to 'Forgive' Student Debts
Liberal theologian Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite has often used her perch on Washington Post's "On Faith" section to pound the pulpit for liberal economic ideas twisting Christian Scripture to support her views and, by extension, implicitly condemn as heresy dissenting ones.
Monday's blog post "Forgive us our student loan debt" was no exception as the Center for American Progress senior fellow insisted that a passage in the Lord's Prayer levels a moral imperative for widespread student loan "forgiveness" in America (emphases mine):
Jesus teaches his disciples to pray, “And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12) Forgiving debt is a moral issue. Forgiving some of the worst of this student debt is crucial literally to save this American generation.
President Obama has recently taken steps to ease student loan debt burdens. But the problem is too big. Some of this student debt needs actual legislation to deal with the whole system of the debt as Robert Applebaum calls for on his Web site, ForgiveStudentLoanDebt.com.
Applebaum contends that executive orders can only do so much. It will take legislation that covers predatory practices as well as other changes to the way student loans are structured such as how interest is compounded. Applebaum also argues persuasively that forgiving student loan debt will stimulate the economy.
The kind of moral equality that Jesus asks us to pray for in the Lord’s Prayer can be seen in Applebaum’s argument. Jesus calls on us to pray, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” Forgive and be forgiven. Americans are tied together in this student debt debacle, and debt forgiveness will help the forgivers as well as those forgiven.
[...]
Currently, I’m advocating debt forgiveness. It is the moral thing to do and it is the right civic thing to do. This is what Jesus actually meant; real debts, real debtors, forgiving and forgiven. This is what government is actually about—of the people, by the people, for the people. We still have a chance to show young people that democracy can work for the common good.
Forgiveness. It’s the right thing to do.
Brooks Thistlethwaite -- ordained as a United Church of Christ (UCC) minister in 1974 -- most certainly knows she's taking the Lord's Prayer out of context to service her political beliefs. As the UCC's Evangelical Catechism teaches thus:
108. What do we pray for in the fifth petition: Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors?
In the fifth petition we ask God for gracious forgiveness of our sins, and for willingness and strength to forgive others.
Indeed, an examination of the Lord's Prayer passage in context, particularly Matthew 6:14-15, shows that what's in view are moral and ethical trespasses, not so much monetary debts:
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
One could argue financial forgiveness can be wrapped up in forgiving a personal transgression -- for example letting the neighbor's kid off the hook for the window he broke with an errant baseball -- but that being said, the passage is still about personal ethics, not government policy.
What's more, the whole idea of forgiveness is that the person who is the creditor graciously, of his own volition cancels a debt. Brooks Thistlethwaite has in mind government action to cancel out debts owed lenders by borrowers although both parties freely agreed to the lending arrangement in a contract.
Brooks Thistlethwaite not only is twisting Scripture and historic Christian teaching to serve her political ends, she's abusing the English language to confuse government canceling loans and impairing private contracts with the "forgiveness" of debt.
- Ken Shepherd's blog
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Comments
WT*
Submitted by DumbCanuck on Wed, 11/30/2011 - 5:38pm.
Now they're re-writing the Lord's Prayer!
Is there no level a liberal mind will stoop to to promote their ideology???
"There... Are... Four... Lights!"
Yeah, and many people just declared bankruptcy 2000 years ago.
Submitted by SickofLibs on Wed, 11/30/2011 - 5:40pm.
What a crock.
BTW, I saw that the average student loan is about $22,000. What is the average price for a freaking car these days? Or should students be allowed to plunk down $1000 on a car, default on the loan and then expect to end up KEEPING THE CAR?
This total lack of personal responsibility is what pisses me off the most about this OWS crowd and their MSM fanboyz. They can sleep till noon, crap in the street, swap STDs, stay high 24/7, stab or rape each other, I could care less. But for crying out loud grow up at some point... we're not paying to keep you in weed.
Calling Dr. Frankenstein
Submitted by BuffNBone on Wed, 11/30/2011 - 5:52pm.
I suppose the lenders could try to repossess their accrued knowledge but there isn't much to be had. Not worth the effort.
come on down to the Jesus bank!
Submitted by right of way on Wed, 11/30/2011 - 5:57pm.
yes yes, Jesus will forgive student loan debts, as well as mortgage loan debts, car loan debts, medical debts, credit card debts, etc. All from your friends at the Jesus bank. All we ask is that you follow the ten commandments, pray to my Father and I, and visit us every Sunday for an hour.
alright sarcasim off, look, all jesus forgives is sin, not debt. i find it so ironic that the liberal left, (not so much dems, because there are plenty of fdr dems down here in the south who love Jesus and do go to church), who think the feable minded believe in God and Jesus, but yet reach out to religion to prove a point,
Jesus had no words for lawful
Submitted by motherbelt on Wed, 11/30/2011 - 6:02pm.
Jesus had no words for lawful debts owed to a financial institution.
Actually, he did: "And Jesus
Submitted by Dave81 on Wed, 11/30/2011 - 6:20pm.
Actually, he did:
"And Jesus answered and said to them, 'Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.'
And they marveled at Him." Mark 12:17
That was a tax to the
Submitted by motherbelt on Wed, 11/30/2011 - 8:10pm.
That was a tax to the government. Not a loan from a financial institution.
What they don't know is...
Submitted by vrwc13 on Wed, 11/30/2011 - 6:02pm.
...they don't know Jesus. Or what He said...
Matthew 25:41, 46 NIV
""Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels... 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.""
v
The burden of life is from ourselves, its lightness from the grace of Christ and the love of God. - William Bernard Ullanthorne
I have a feeling Jesus is
Submitted by Snappy on Wed, 11/30/2011 - 6:02pm.
I have a feeling Jesus is more of the dont get into debt in the first place type of guy, and if you do, take responsibility for what you borrowed and pay it back.
Thats just me though, I obviously dont have the theological street credit that Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite can boast of.
Here is a solution to the student loan crisis
Submitted by needle on Wed, 11/30/2011 - 6:40pm.
Force colleges and universities to use half of their endowment to pay off a substantial portion of their students' loans. After all, they helped to pauperize with their own student with their outlandishly high tuitions, whlle they have been hoarding for years tax-free donations for their own future security.
- Looking forward to the self-annihilation of the Manipulated Stories Machine.
Susan, how about we start
Submitted by inquiringmind on Wed, 11/30/2011 - 6:40pm.
Susan, how about we start with any money people owe you. Like your pension plan. Or maybe your paycheck. Your company is indebeted to pay you for your work. How about they skip this month. Besides, isn't that the utopian way. We all work for the good of the whole.
You forgive them the debt and then you might have a leg to stand on.
My thoughts exactly
Submitted by ant on Wed, 11/30/2011 - 8:57pm.
Your employer agrees to 'pay you back', in essence, for the work (labor capital) you've already provided. This is really similar to many situations in a capitalist society, so when is enough enough? Who gets to decide what should be 'forgiven'? and which party is made to accept the loss?
As Ken Shepherd brilliantly pointed out, this is another case of the twisting of scripture in the same way they do with providing "charity" to the needy. "Forgiveness" does not entail making the government a third party provider of such 'grace'. What a weak and foolish argument, but pretty much what I would suspect from idiot journalists these days.
Don't they initially.....
Submitted by notinstl on Wed, 11/30/2011 - 6:45pm.
...make a promise (oath) to repay the loan?
And why is it that liberals hate religion, especially Christianity, yet use it in this manner?
Debts? What about trespass?
Submitted by CO2Maker on Wed, 11/30/2011 - 6:48pm.
I learned it as "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." (Catholic school, wouldn't you know.) So, not only should we forgive students' debts, we should let the Occupy Other People's Property get away with trespassing, too.
BTW, isn't that Jesus guy a flip-flopper? He wants people to forgive debt, but then he tells the homeless men who travel with him (hmmm?) to give their paltry money to Caesar! And he tells stories about good and bad stewards and their talents, like he was really impressed by Wal-Mart managers or sumthin'.
Sounds like they're misrepresenting God.
Submitted by davehm on Wed, 11/30/2011 - 7:10pm.
Matthew 5:25-26
" Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny."
And..
Proverbs 22:7
"The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower becomes the lender’s slave."
Debt forgiveness
Submitted by Vonu on Wed, 11/30/2011 - 9:14pm.
is the only way out of this mess. Debts are too big to be repaid. Jubliee!
More liberal theological revisionism.
Submitted by drsamherman on Wed, 11/30/2011 - 9:20pm.
Oh puhleeze...so eminent theologian Susan thinks Jesus would forgive student loan debts? Did she ever bother to check that her own institution charges $2600 per semester per course for a PhD student? Can she answer the question about the inherent conflict of interest in a professor whining about financial aid problems when they are a big part of the high tuition problem?
Spare us the claptrap, Susie. Considering your own salary depends on federal financial aid to survive, your credibility melted like the witch in Oz.
AND IF
Submitted by KornKing on Thu, 12/01/2011 - 12:03am.
Susie think's it's so important,why doesn't she donate her time?
I can hear the stuttering now...
Submitted by drsamherman on Thu, 12/01/2011 - 12:23am.
B...B...B...But...I...I...I...I'm a P....P...P...Professor!!!! How dare anyone suggest she donate anything more than shallow opinion and observable greed and self-satisfaction?! The world might explode instantly, and Al Gore would vote Republican.
Susie would never stoop so low as to actually donate anything but her ivory tower ignorance.
The same reason the illegal
Submitted by ant on Thu, 12/01/2011 - 12:38am.
The same reason the illegal aunt of millionaire Obama sucks the blood of the taxpayers and Warren Buffett is fighting the IRS. Something to do with liberal hypocrisy and YOU pay for it.
Loans and religion
Submitted by Unsane on Wed, 11/30/2011 - 9:31pm.
Hmmmm...here's a thought:
Why not have those poor dears pay back their loans, just like I do?
Isn't it ironic how these Leftists, who HATE religion, find it convenient to lecture those who are religious on what (fill in the blank) would do?
"CONSUMED DEMOCRACY RETURNS A SOCIALIST REGIME" - Slayer, "Fictional Reality", from Divine Intervention (1994)
WWJD
Submitted by thestalkinghorse on Wed, 11/30/2011 - 11:23pm.
“Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”
This is the signature liberal stumbling block, they fail to distinguish between what is and is not theirs. In this case, they would not be forgiving a debt owed to them, they would be forgiving a debt owed to others. Namely us, or the American people, some of whom pick apples, clean fish, or drive through the night for a living. I don't think they do it so that some confused dolt can write bad poetry for four years and then skip out on a debt he freely contracted for.
If you want to forgive a debt that is owed to you, then you are on solid ground scripturally.
Well
Submitted by KornKing on Thu, 12/01/2011 - 12:01am.
If you want to take on a 100K student loan to get a worthless degree in "women's studies" I guess that's your problem....