Both biblical scripture and Upton Sinclair’s observation highlight the profound difficulty of individuals recognizing truth when their material wealth or livelihood depends on ignoring or rejecting it.
Biblical Connection: The Eye of the Needle
In Matthew 19:24, Jesus teaches that it is “easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” This doesn’t necessarily mean that wealth itself is inherently evil but rather that wealth can create spiritual blindness. The rich man is often too attached to his material possessions, status, and power, making it difficult to submit to God’s will. His financial security and comfort serve as barriers to humility, faith, and moral accountability.
Upton Sinclair’s Insight: The Power of Self-Interest
Sinclair’s famous quote—“It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it.”—describes a similar concept, but in the realm of ideological and systemic corruption. People often reject inconvenient truths because acknowledging them would require personal sacrifice, whether financial, social, or political. It applies especially to those who benefit from corrupt systems, as their livelihoods depend on maintaining and defending the status quo.
H. Verlan Andersen and The Great and Abominable Church of the Devil
Andersen’s book argues that the Great and Abominable Church is not a singular religious institution but a system of power, deception, and worldliness that opposes the gospel of Jesus Christ. In this context, both the biblical passage and Sinclair’s quote illustrate how powerful institutions—governments, businesses, and even religious organizations—can become agents of the Great and Abominable Church when their leaders prioritize wealth, power, and control over righteousness.
- Spiritual Blindness & Corruption: Just as Jesus warns that the wealthy often struggle to enter God’s kingdom due to their attachment to riches, Andersen warns that many leaders in society are incapable of recognizing or opposing evil because they directly benefit from it.
- Economic & Political Influence: Those who profit from government corruption, unjust laws, and economic exploitation will naturally resist any call to reform. This aligns with Sinclair’s statement—acknowledging moral or systemic flaws threatens their position, so they choose ignorance or deception.
- Secret Combinations & Babylon: Andersen’s book discusses the role of secret combinations—conspiracies among the powerful to maintain control over wealth and governance. These are the very forces that reject truth in favor of personal gain, just as Sinclair and Jesus suggest.
Final Thought: The Battle for Truth
Both the Bible and Andersen emphasize the moral and spiritual struggle between material wealth and truth. Jesus calls for humility and sacrifice, warning that wealth can cloud judgment. Sinclair exposes how financial incentives create willful ignorance. Andersen ties these ideas together, arguing that the Great and Abominable Church thrives when individuals and institutions prioritize material gain over moral righteousness.
To escape this deception, one must cultivate spiritual awareness, reject corruption, and prioritize eternal truth over temporary wealth and power.
