To Whom Much Is Given, Much Is Required

The purpose of this book is to highlight Jesus' true message of salvation, peace and fraternity towards one another in respects to God's will. Scriptures of the Holy Bible are cited in this respect, particularly the New Testament written by Apostles of Jesus Christ. The focal point of his message is the treatment of the sick and needy by the wealthy and privileged. Those blessed by wealth, special talents and skills are required to use them wisely to mitigate the pain and suffering of the least advantaged. Yet narcissism, hedonism, extreme consumption, ethnocentrism and hubris have replaced devotion to God and his only son, Jesus Christ. The faith of the Father and Son is now being used to justify the Gospel of Wealth and hegemony over the least advantaged that have been stigmatized, casted and scorned. The true Christian values are acknowledged. The leader of the Universal Church of Christ, Pope Francis, espouses these values. In his Apostolic Exhortations, he claims that the poverty of hunger and exposure to the elements created by political economies devoted to greed, competition and survival of the fittest are killing people. Much of the world's population, particularly people of color, is marginalized without work, hope and the means to escape dire poverty. The established church and western society is mired in a devotion to secular materialism and Eurocentric hegemony. They rationalized that their esteem status in these "throw away" societies result from Christian blessing. This book argues that this nation is contrary to traditional Christian values that founded the very church they claim to represent. This sanctioned notion, a norm in these exclusionary societies, is based on ruthless idolatry of money and what it could buy. The ensuing Gospel of Wealth espouses, "To the Victor goes the Spoils." The plutocrats and their surrogates foster governments and austerity programs that rob the poor and working class to enhance their own wealth. The poor, needy and sick are treated like commodities that once they are used for maximum gains they are summarily discarded. The book delves into corporate-led commercialism that has pushed religious traditions and customs to the "back of the bus." Activism and protest by Reverend Talen is highlighted in this respect. He focused on the over commercialization of the Christmas holiday at the expense of Christian values. The most heralded Christian holidays that include Easter have become secularized to booster sales, consumption and profits for the plutocrats and their surrogates. This idolatry of greed is clearly a misuse of biblical teachings. The Pope following Christ's message advocates mercy toward the poor and needy, inclusiveness, tolerance, healing and forgiveness. The book reveals that the roots of Christianity have been distorted to reinforce ethnocentrism, Western hegemony and neocolonialism. Africa rather than Europe is where Christianity developed. African people that are among the least advantaged and most scorned in the American society rooted the faith. The original people of the Bible, its authors, Apostles and Prophets reflected the ethnicity and culture of Africans now found in Sub-Sahara Africa and in America. Artifacts found in early Christian churches throughout Europe into Russia provide ample evidence of the people that founded Christianity. Ironically, their descendants are among the meekest and most scorned in Western society as they were in Roman occupied Israel in Northwest Africa.