Pious Paul of Ryan

If you have not yet read this article, go do it now:

And Jesus said unto Paul of Ryan

This in so many ways highlights the conflict between conservative beliefs about poverty and health care and the teachings of t Jesus of Nazareth guy:


The highlights:

• "When you cure her, she learns dependency. Then the poor won’t take care of themselves..." 
• "And don’t worry about them — they’ve already got health care access."
• "Why, they can pray for a cure,” Pious Paul explained. “I call that universal health care access."
• "For the Samaritan’s work is unsustainable and sends the wrong message."
• "And you need to give people freedom, Jesus, the freedom to suffer misery and poverty"
• "That then inspires the poor to work harder, galvanizes the sick to become healthy, forces the lepers to solve their own problems rather than kick back and depend on others."
• "But, Lord,” protested Pious Paul of Ryan, “when did I see you hungry or thirsty or sick and refuse to help you? I drop your name everywhere. And I’m pro-life!

The author sums it up nicely, paraphrasing Jesus' own words here:

“Truly, I say to you,” Jesus responded, “as you did not help the homeless, the sick — as you did not help the least of these, you did not help me.”