What it Means to Do God's Work

By now you've heard the utterly preposterous assertion by Goldmine Sach's CEO Lloyd Blankfein that he and the banking industry are "doing God's work." Oh yes, it's true.

Read about it on Huffington Post

Or in Maureen Dowd's column

That's funny. Mostly based on my Christian upbringing and the fact that I've read most of the Bible multiple times, I was under the impression that doing God's work includes:

• Loving one another (John 13)
  
• Taking care of the poor (Luke 4; James 1)
• Healing the sick (Luke 4)
  
• Paying taxes fairly (Matthew 22)
• Sharing with one's community (Acts 2)
  

None of which I see the banks doing in the spirit Jesus (incidentally, pretty much the gold standard of what it means to do God's work here on earth) taught, which was to give according to your means. This, one of my favorite Bible teachings, comes to mind:

Mark 12:41-43 (New Living Translation)

⁴¹ Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. ⁴² Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins.

⁴³ Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. ⁴⁴ For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on."

But then, what do I know? I'm just one of the taxpayers who helped bail out the financial industry.