Supply Side Jesus
I came across a comic commentary by Al Franken entitled “The Gospel of Supply Side Jesus,” and to be honest, I am not sure what I think about it. “Supply side” refers to supply side economics, and for those who have been around the justice conversation for a while the strip hits a bit close to home. Is what is referred to as “supply side Jesus” the daily practical response to justice issues some are proposing? Does this strip simply take unfair shots from the other side of a political/religious perspective? Can you embrace supply side principles of economic development without buying into a “prosperity gospel?” For that matter, what do you think about a gospel of prosperity? The entire comic is copied below:
I could be wrong, but it seems as though this strip is simply reflecting modern glorification and worship of capitalism, at the expense of the true Gospel of Jesus. It leaves the reader a little unsure of what it’s saying, what the point is, until Jesus Christ of Nazareth comes in, demonstrating the vast difference between the gospel of capitalism and the gospel of Jesus.
Someone who agrees with the idea that capitalism is the type of economic system God would “endorse” might agree with this strip until it gets to the point of showing the true Jesus. Maybe it demonstrates the popularization and marketing that becomes involved with even justice issues, particularly the aspect of fair trade, which it mentions.
Supply Side Jesus reflects the ideas of many Christians in America today, so putting those ideas into the mouth of Jesus makes them very striking and disconcerting. I think this strip is very effective, for me, anyway. I’m not sure how it would be received by people who hold these ideas as central to their Christian faith, though, as some do.
Maybe the point of this strip is the Gospel being preached in all too many churches, that wealth is God’s way of rewarding the faithful and we shouldn’t give handouts to the poor. Al Franken came up with this by watching Christians.
Sarah Elsele is right on the money.
pun not intended