How much would Jesus deduct?

Rep. Roy Blunt is concerned that rich people (you know, people like you and me that earn more than a quarter of a million dollars every year) will cut back on their charitable contributions if they're only able to write off 28% of their charitable gifts, instead of 36% or 39%. As reported in the Post-Dispatch, Blunt thinks this "clearly isn’t the time to punish Good Samaritans for helping a neighbor in need."

Say what you will about the practical effects of changing the tax code for the wealthy, but I, for one, am glad that Blunt is standing up for the original meaning of the phrase Good Samaritan. As we all know, the most Christian kind of love and charity is the kind that's personally enriching. And if there was anything that Jesus cared about, it was rich people keeping their money.

I think the personal tax benefits of true Christian charity are laid out pretty well in Luke:

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"

He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'

"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"

The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."

Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise." 

See that part about how the Good Samaritan checked with his accountant before helping out the man on the road?  That's precisely what Roy Blunt wants to protect.