Single Idea 21798

[catalogued under 29. Religion / B. Monotheistic Religion / 4. Christianity / a. Christianity]

Full Idea

If everyone gave everything to the poor, then soon there would be no more poor to give anything to, or no more persons who would have anything to give.

Gist of Idea

To universalise 'give everything to the poor' leads to absurdity

Source

Georg W.F.Hegel (Lectures on the Philosophy of Religion [1827], III: 152), quoted by Stephen Houlgate - An Introduction to Hegel 10 'Faith'

Book Reference

Houlgate,Stephen: 'An Introduction to Hegel' [Blackwell 2005], p.270


A Reaction

Matthew 5:8, 19:21. Beautifully clear. [I always believed that I had thought of this idea - but not so]. If the logic is that it is better to be poor than to be rich, then the implication is that all excess wealth should be thrown into the sea.