Why Jesus Would Occupy Wall Street

As the Occupy Wall Street movement grows, an increasing number of Republican legislators and media personalities are claiming that the members are overwhelmingly anti-Semitic. From Newt Gingrich to Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck to Bill Kristol, the charge of anti-Semitism is becoming a common trope.^[i]

To be sure, there has been a smattering of offensive signs that seem inspired more by The Protocols of the Elders of Zionthan any reality-based critique of the American financial system. Report after report indicates that people concerned with economic disparity rather than some racist agenda vastly outnumber these fringe elements. It is the height of poor logic to claim that the entire group is tainted because of a few rogue individuals. Allow me to demonstrate: Those who oppose tax hikes on the 1 percent, or the super-rich as they are called, stand against the 99 percent. Jesus stood with those oppressed by power structures, those denied access to essential goods, and those used as a means to an end rather than a means unto themselves. Today, we would call such people the 99 percent. Therefore, those who stand with the 1 percent stand against Jesus; Jesus was a Jew, so the 1 percent are anti-Semitic.

See how sloppy is this reasoning?

But when we look past the hyperbole and rhetoric, the political grandstanding and accusations of "un-American" behavior,^[ii] we can see that the complaints being voiced by the protestors have a direct relationship to the central message of Jesus as expressed in the Beatitudes. "Blessed are the poor in spirit," Jesus says to the crowd gathered on the mountain, "for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Many scholars and theologians have interpreted differently the "poor in spirit" tag. But let's explore this.

Imagine you are a teacher who has seen your job cut. You owe tens of thousands of dollars on the students loans you had to take out in order to secure the government-mandated education required for you to be a certified teacher. To add insult to injury, your house has been foreclosed upon, your unemployment benefits have run out, and members of your government are calling you "lazy, greedy, and overpaid." While different people respond it different ways to such challenges, I think it is fair to say that many feel deflated, perhaps hopeless; in other words, they are poor in spirit. The good news, though, is that God blesses such people. Jesus walks with those who are impoverished by the world, conveying spiritual wealth far greater than their material lack in terms of endurance, character and self-worth. This reality often expressed is in a sense of blessedness despite circumstances.

The Beatitudes as Manifesto

"Blessed as those who mourn," Jesus continues, "for they will be comforted." The fact is, though, a national mourning goes on today. We mourn opportunities no longer available. We mourn for lost dreams, forsaken chances. Generation X and the Millennials are saddled with greater debt than any other generation in American history, both in terms of our national deficit and our personal financial responsibilities, which is a main message of the Occupy Wall Street protestors.^[iii]By calling for the abolishment of student loan debts, an increase in the minimum wage, greater access to affordable education, and more equity in pay scale, they seek that comfort promised by God.

Sometimes, though, Jesus throws us a curveball, as he does when saying, "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth." Perhaps it's just me, but when I hear the word "meek," I think of someone who is mousy, a pushover, a person who does not have fortitude. But that is not what Jesus means, I think. Rather, he is saying blessed are those who do not think that they own everything. Blessed are those who are humble, who recognize that the 1 percent should never—but unfortunately, too often do—have a disproportionate amount of control of and access to the benefits of this world. Blessed are those who will do with less if it means that their neighbors can have enough, too.

Because it is not just a more equitable distribution of material benefits that we require in order to be a just society. No, there must be a sense of righteousness. I see this lacking in the defense of the 1 percent. Rather, there is a sense of righteous indignation, the fallacy that what makes America great is the ability to stomp on a neighbor's neck in order to make another dollar. Larry Kudlow, on Fox News, recently said, "Why keep vilifying the 1 percent?! They're not going to save anybody by vilifying them!"[iv] This fits into a larger trope that has been circulating since the handing down of Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v the Federal Election Commission, which declared corporations to be legal "persons" and has allowed for unlimited amounts of money to be directed toward political campaigns.  Corporations are now "people," vested with all the rights of citizenship but none of the responsibilities. And this sort of view is front and center in the current presidential debate.

For example, Herman Cain, former CEO of Godfather's Pizza and a current candidate for the GOP presidential nomination, says that those protesting the undeniable disparity between the wealthy and the rest of America are "jealous," "playing the victim card," and really just "want to steal somebody else's Cadillac."^[v] This comment comes from a man who likes to sing gospel songs about God's grace during his press conferences. This from a man who says that he knows Jesus, but denounces those whom Jesus blessed while claiming that he is the Koch brothers' "brother from another mother."^[vi] The Koch brothers epitomize the 1 percent; they are multi-billionaires who are behind the war against the unions in this country.^[vii] They display the sort of contemptuous attitude toward other people and the environment that has angered millions of people. Their company, Koch Industries, has been ranked as one of the top ten worst air polluters in the world. Rather than trying to seek out more environmentally friendly and responsible ways in which to run their businesses, the Koch brothers attack Greenpeace, the Obama Administration, unions, regulatory agencies, and their favorite boogey-man, the "liberal media," for "distort[ing] the environmental record" of their company.^[viii] I feel confident that Jesus would not see this as "righteousness."

'But I Don't Feel Blessed'

Yet, it is the 1 percent that has been filled, the 1 percent who, if they aren't comforted more certainly are comfortable. It seems that the promises of the Beatitudes have been turned around. The unrighteous, the arrogant, the unmerciful have received a great deal of earthly blessings. It is getting increasingly hard for most people to pay for college, save money for retirement, and have a sense of job security. The Congressional Budget Office recently released a report showing that income disparity between the top 1 percent and the rest of Americans has grown by 275 percent. ^[ix] So the anger that is emerging in this country is understandable.

However, we Christians must follow the non-violent example of Jesus, exemplified so clearly and powerfully by the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. We must remember that even though those with economic power fail to show mercy far too often, we will be merciful to all. We will not become greedy, selfish, indolent people who see faith in Jesus Christ as an excuse to treat others with disdain and malice. We will not be warmongers, but rather peacemakers. An overwhelming majority of the Occupy Wall Street efforts have been non-violent, and when violence has broken out, members have been quick to disavow it and continue to work toward eradicating any violent elements present within the movement.^[x] They see, just as did Jesus, that violence is the method of the oppressor, not of the righteous and peaceful.

Of course, there are attempts to persecute the members of the Occupy Wall Street movement. Jesus told us, "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake." Glenn Beck, the king of hyperbole, in what I see as a desperate attempt to prove that he is still relevant, said, "Capitalists, if you think that you can play footsies with these people, you're wrong. They will come for you and drag you into the streets and kill you."^[xi]Throughout the country, lies are being spread about the movement—from charges that it is being run by the Obama-backed Muslim Brotherhood to the idea that it is a communist conspiracy being funded by liberal billionaire George Soros—in order to discredit it.^[xii] But Beck, like others, seems to forget that Jesus stood not with the Herodians or the Romans, not with the corrupt members of the religious establishment or the moneychangers, but with those who were persecuted, vilified, and marginalized. Jesus promised them that theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

The truth is, there is something inherently Christian about what is happening with the Occupy Wall Street Movement. In no way am I trying to say that every person that is part of the movement is Christian, nor am I identifying it as a Christian movement—in reality, there are probably people from all walks of faith life that are taking to the streets. Rather, I believe that the people coming together in community, sharing their resources, being responsible stewards of their goods, standing in solidarity, and speaking truth to power is what we Christians have done for 2,000 years. It is what Jesus calls us to do, and it is what God requires of us.

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt once said, "But while they prate of economic laws, men and women are starving. We must lay hold of the fact that economic laws are not made by nature. They are made by human beings." When Jesus lived, he spoke to people who existed under the oppression of the Roman Empire. While our government is not as violently repressive as were the ancient Romans, our economic system is set up to value profits over people. Millions are unemployed, lack adequate medical care, do not have enough money for retirement, and an increasing number of people are without food, housing, or a means of economic support.

Things do not have to be this way. Scripture gives witness that God does not want them to be this way. It is a lie, plain and simple, for anyone to say that Jesus would side with the 1 percent.

Where in the gospel do we have any mention of Jesus valuing monetary wealth of the few at the expense of the many? There is something fundamentally wrong with confessing Christians demonizing the efforts of the many to bring about social and economic justice for all. Jesus marched into the Temple and overturned the tables of the moneychangers. Jesus advocated active resistance to those systems that quantify people as a means to an end, not as a means unto themselves. Many within the top 1 percent have not been good stewards of their blessings; they have been selfish, greedy servants of Mammon.

We Christians frequently confess that we feel Jesus walk with us. I am here to say that Jesus is with the Occupy Wall Street Movement. How do I know? The Bible tells me so.