To Hell With Lazarus

By Edward Rhymes

There is a story that Jesus tells in Luke 16th chapter about a poor man named Lazarus and a rich man. Make a long story short, Lazarus was neglected and ignored by the rich man and when these men died, Lazarus ascended to heavenly comfort and the rich man descended to a hellish reckoning. In this story - contrary to society then and now - the poor man is given a name, and the rich man is kept in anonymity.

I believe it was to honor the poor and to identify the apathy of the rich as a class. It is my belief that society and American Christianity has turned this story on its head and dishonored the poor and worship the access to excess, thus how I came about writing this song.

Let me know what you think and please feel free to share it.

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To hell with Lazarus church folks say

Twisted justice every day

Echoes of mercy drowned by despair

Image of God a billionaire?

To hell with Lazarus they say

In a world where the rich hold sway

The poor toil in silent grief

Watching hope meet disbelief

Rich man bathes in divine glow

Lazarus in the depths below

Earthly gold for hearts of stone

While poor souls have to make it alone

To hell with Lazarus they say

In a world where the rich hold sway

The poor toil in silent grief

Watching hope meet disbelief

So-called church raises the intensity

Lost in an orgy of prosperity

God sees justice overthrown

The poor cast in fire & brimstone

Paradise for those who lied?

Truth and love cast aside

The righteous wonders how it came this far

Hatred of the poor leaves ugly scars

To hell with Lazarus they say

In a world where the rich hold sway

The poor toil in silent grief

Watching hope meet disbelief