Rick Warren, minister to the stars, tweets.  Apparently, while drinking.

My friend Bess doesn’t pay taxes.  She’s 76 years old and lives in a small but comfortable house where she carefully counts her pennies.  She and her husband saved for their retirement but he got sick with cancer and his insurance wouldn’t pay for everything.  It wiped them out.  So, after working all her life and being a productive member of society who paid her taxes, she’s living on her social security and doesn’t pay income taxes.  She does, however, pay property taxes.

My friend Richard at the University of Texas works all summer and part time during the school year to pay his room and board.  He doesn’t pay income taxes.

Bennie and Maria both work two jobs, making just a tad above minimum wage on all 4 jobs.  They have no health insurance for themselves or their two teenage children.  Luckily, they’ve all been well.  They live paycheck to paycheck and pray that the hot water heater doesn’t go out.  They don’t pay income taxes.  They can barely pay for gas to get to work.

You want to know who else doesn’t pay taxes, Reverend Warren?

General Electric doesn’t pay taxes.  Exxon doesn’t pay taxes.  Bank of America doesn’t pay taxes.  Citigroup doesn’t pay income taxes.

And I doubt that Rick Warren pays income taxes.

Here comes the Bible part.

When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

Luke 18:22

Jesus said to him, If you will be perfect, go and sell that you have, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

Matthew 19:21

And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need

Acts 2:45

I can give you more scripture, Reverend Warren, but it’s not scripture that you want to hear.  It’s scripture from the teachings of Jesus, a man you’ve apparently never met.

Thanks to Dawn for the heads-up.