Jesus said, It is easier for a camel to pass thru the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God. Christians: Do you agree with Jesus that the rich are going to Hell?
2006-12-07 11:30:22 · 31 answers · asked by Larry 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
IT SEEMS SIMPLE AND CLEAR TO ME. JESUS SAID IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GET TO HEAVEN IF YOU ARE RICH. CASE CLOSED. HE WANTED TO HELP THE POOR AND THE MEEK.
2006-12-07 11:41:36 · update #1
As Mr George Bernard Shaw had it; "No man ever believes that the Bible means what it says; he is always convinced that it says what he means."
Indeed, the rich are going to Hell, along with all the cancer babies who die to young to comprehend what "accepting Jesus as their Saviour" even means, and along with all those who have lived remarkable, charitable & exemplary lives, but happened to be born into the "wrong" religion.
2006-12-07 11:37:24 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 4⤋
You are drawing an incorrect conclusion from the passage, due to a serious lack of knowledge about the architecture and culture of Isreal in 30 AD.
The "eye of the needle" was the camel's entrance into the city. It was a security measure designed to keep soldiers disguised as "merchants" from smuggling weapons and crap like that into the city. When merchant with a camel wanted to enter a walled city, he had to unload the camel first, make the camel kneel down and crawl through the "needle's eye" (the small camel-door in the gate), and once his camel was through, carry all that stuff through the door HIMSELF and re-load the camel.
The point is, at least the camel can be humbled by its master; it will kneel and crawl when directed to do so. People aren't usually that humble! While it was a pain in the neck (back, shoulders, etc.) to get a camel through the needles eye, it wasn't impossible. Humans are still more ornery than camels by a long shot.
This saying shocked Jesus' disciples quite a lot: they all assumed wealth meant God's favor. "Who then can be saved?" they asked. Jesus' answer was "what is impossible with man is possible with God."
2006-12-07 20:00:46 · answer #2 · answered by MamaBear 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No the eye of a needle was an entrance into the city at which camels had to kneel to get through. It was hard but not impossible. Look at all the money raised at churches for homeless ministries and food for the poor ect... Abraham was very rich as was David ect.. Some rich people are greedy but some are very giving and some of those are Christian Rich Givers. People of every socio economic group are recognized in most all religions.
2006-12-07 19:39:23 · answer #3 · answered by bess 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Jesus did not say that rich men will go to hell. It says it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle that for a rich man to GET to heaven. If you takie it to the literal sense, that statement would leave out rich children and rich women.
It means that MOST people who are rich do not use their money for the greater good and the bettering of anyone but themselves and since that is so, they do not give of themselves.
If they do not give of themselves, then they are not inclined to do any good except for themselves and their families.
It does not say impossible, but it pretty well states that it is more than unlikely.
Jimmy Buffett (sp) is one possible exception. He gave away millions that his kids did not earn and expected to get from him but he gave it to charities and needful people. While this will not buy him a place in heaven, it will bend the odds in his favor in the long run.
2006-12-07 19:39:41 · answer #4 · answered by billydeer_2000 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
See I don;t think all rich are going to hell, and no I'm not rich. It doesn't say you have to give everything up, you just have to be willing. PErhaps you have money, and it is not what you worship. It think that it can be said for anything that becomes a burden to put down. you have to descide if that thing that is so close to you is worth the effort to put down, or is it worth going to hell. So a poor man could get something out of the message as well, not just the rich. IT is just easier for the rich t be more indepenedent than the poor.
2006-12-07 19:35:03 · answer #5 · answered by tera_duke 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is many ways to look at that verse. Some say as long as the rich man still helps the poor. Some say that being rich will send you to hell. I think as long as you share your wealth with others who need it and be a true christian, you're ok. Because God, in the OT, made men into kings. And we all know that kings had lots of money.Of course once these men cross God they lose their kingdom.
2006-12-07 19:35:48 · answer #6 · answered by Jesus junkie 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No that is not what this verse is even referring to.
MONEY is not the root of all evil.... It Is The LOVE of money that is the root of all evil.
The verse you are referrring to is found in Matthew 19 verses 16-26. This is the story of the rich young ruler who ask Jesus What good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? Jesus tells him to keep the commandments. and the rich young rulers says which? Jesus says No murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honour thy fatherand thy mother; and love thy neighbor as thyself. The rich young ruler says, All these things have I kept from my youth up; WHAT LACK I YET?
Jesus said unto him, IF thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and COME AND FOLLOW ME.
BUT when the young man heard that saying, he WENT AWAY SORROWFUL; for he had great possessions.
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall HARDLY enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
Jesus was showing that the young man loved his possessions more than he loved God. It is an example for us to always put God and Jesus first in our lives. Jesus did not say it was impossible for a rich person to enter heaven just that it is harder for a rich person to. We have to love God more than anything or anyone if we want eternal life with him.
2006-12-07 19:48:49 · answer #7 · answered by Penny Mae 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Interpretations can be scary. We are not to have idols. If we idolize money and don't accept Jesus as our savior-then we are doomed. If "rich" people choose money to be their god. Than a camel will certainly pass through a needle first.
2006-12-07 19:36:14 · answer #8 · answered by LINDA B 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You really like to twist things around.
You must have a heck of a time with a map.
He never said the rich were going to hell.
If you knew, and it is clear you don't, what He was talking about, you would realize that we do not bring anything into Heaven.
Get A Grip and do some intelligent study.
2006-12-07 19:39:15 · answer #9 · answered by Get A Grip 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The only way you can get to heaven is by accepting Christ as your one and only Savior. He made it possible for everyone to go to heaven no matter what your social standing, or what kind of things you may have done that are bad.
The rich and poor and in between who have not accepted Jesus as thier personal Savior will all go to Hell.
2006-12-07 19:36:51 · answer #10 · answered by Pamela G 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes I agree mainly because people who are rich obviously did not get rich by giving money to the church. However, this does not mean that there aren't rich people that are going to heaven. The analogy was only meant to show how hard it is.
2006-12-07 19:35:56 · answer #11 · answered by firedupdawg 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋