Politics

CNN asks: ‘Would Jesus occupy Wall Street?’

Jeff Poor Media Reporter
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On Wednesday’s “CNN Newsroom,” Washington, D.C.-based CNN contributor Carol Costello asked viewers a truly pressing and important question: How would Jesus feel about the “Occupy Wall Street” crowd?

“The question is, ‘Would Jesus occupy Wall Street?’” Costello said. “It’s an interesting question.”

Costello cited a Sydney Morning Herald article in which a Vatican official said people should evaluate whether business “is not leading to our welfare, to our good.” Costello said the answer could be “yes.”

“Occupy Oakland protesters hurled paint at riot police, [and] riot police hurled tear gas,” she said. “Jesus here? Some argue yes, and the Vatican seems to be backing them up. The Sydney Morning Herald reports a Vatican official says the Wall Street protests are justified. Pope Benedict himself has called for overhauling global financial rules because the gap between rich and poor is so wide.”

It’s not just Christians on the Occupy bandwagon, she added.

“In New York, those of other faiths are joining forces with Occupy Wall Street,” Costello continued. “On Friday a group of Muslims prayed in Zucotti Park. Some Jews celebrated Yom Kippur.”

But would Jesus Christ actually align himself with the Occupy movement? Costello left the question open.

“Jesus did repudiate the desire for personal wealth. He did advocate for care of the poor and for the powerless,” she said. “But Jesus also believed in community — people helping out others, not government per se. So would Jesus walk alongside these protesters?”

Watch:

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