Originally posted by Tzeentch
How do you reconcile Jesus' statement that a camel can pass through the eye of a needle with more ease then a rich man can get into heaven? You take issue with the idea of charity-through-force (which isn't even true, all taxes are beneficial for the wealthy, but that's an argument foanother r day), but Jesus makes it pretty clear that God has a low opinion of those who horde wealth. Is God sending rich people to hell for the sin of being rich morally preferable to the government taxing the wealthy at gun point?
Well there's the rest of the context. His disciples then ask, "who then can be saved?" Which casts a much wider net to which Jesus's response was "With man this is impossible, but through God all things are possible."
The idea is that men aren't perfect and that wealth would lead one into a temptation of idolizing wealth, just as Proverbs also notes that a state of poverty (commensurate with socialist societies) would also tempt one towards theft and the rebuking of God.
I know that gets thrown around a lot by prosperity preachers and shit, but if you read other parts of the Bible for context it specifically talks about the sin that goes along with making an idol out of money, as the young ruler did. You have examples of other people like Abraham and Job who were rather materially prosperous but unlike the rich man in the story to which you're referring did not place that wealth above God.
Having the government take wealth by force doesn't exactly solve the principle issue here because it is not an act of the person's own character. Would people not then make an idol of the state? Would those treating the rich as a bottomless trust fund not make of themselves people who idolize money? Would those who hoard wealth getting all their stuff taken not fall into a bitter resentment rather than peaceful acceptance and grace?
If you read the parable of the talents there's also a difference between just hoarding wealth and actually putting it to proper use.
gonna cut this short because I have a several hour shift coming up