Christian Blogger Says the World Needs 'Rich Christians' — and Do You Agree With Her Take on Wealth and Immorality?

A Christian blogger recently penned a piece describing the many ways that she believes wealth can negatively impact personal morals and the decisions made by the privileged, though she argued that the world actually needs "rich Christians."

"Rich people, statistically speaking, demonstrate disregard for their fellow citizens and the laws of the land. They do not demonstrate compassion or generosity," wrote blogger Amy Julia Becker. "Moreover, children of wealthy parents often experience greater levels of anxiety and substance abuse than their middle-class peers. Money does not buy happiness."

But after exploring claims posited by some researchers and authors that the wealthy tend to exhibit more negative behavior than their middle and lower class brethren, Becker went on to offer a theoretical proclamation: society actually needs rich Christians to serve as examples of how profoundly transformational the Bible can be.

"The gospel is good news for everyone — rich and poor alike. And this good news should transform the way we all, rich and poor and in the middle, use money," Becker wrote. "We need rich Christians as part of the gospel witness that knowing Jesus transforms every aspect of who we are, for our good and for the good of our neighbor too."

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The moral and ethical pitfalls that sometimes accompany wealth shouldn't be a surprise, the blogger said, especially considering Jesus' words in Matthew 13:22, among other biblical references.

He warned, "The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful."

But while these cautions are voiced, Becker said that the Bible also provides examples of individuals using their wealth for positive purposes; examples of rich Christians doing the same are also all around us in contemporary society.

Becker argues that wealthy Christians must entrust their money to the Lord so that it can be used for a greater purpose or, as she worded it, for the "benefit of all."

Read her thoughts here.

The blog post comes at a time when reports indicate that the world's wealthiest 1 percent will earn more than the 99 percent combined by the close of this year, raising questions about how this dynamic is impacting the state of morality on the whole, Deseret News reported.

What do you think? Do the wealthy actually act more immoral? And does the world need "rich Christians?" Take the polls below:

(H/T: Deseret News)

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