Rich paying more taxes coincides with Jesus teaching: Obama

Washington - US President Barack Obama has said that rich Americans should pay more taxes as it coincides with Jesus' teachings.

The rich should pay more not only because "I actually think that is going to make economic sense, but for me as a Christian, it also coincides with Jesus's teaching that 'for unto whom much is given, much shall be required,'" Obama said at the Washington Hilton.

"We can all benefit from turning to our Creator, listening to him.  Avoiding phony religiosity. ... This is especially important right now when we're facing some big challenges as a nation," Politico quoted Obama, him saying

Obama infused his remarks on spirituality with a populist message of economic fairness, echoing rhetoric he unveiled in December in Osawatomie, Kan., and returned to in his State of the Union address last week.

He said on Thursday that religious teachings support "caring for the poor and those in need."

Those values have "always made this country great - when we live up to them; when we don't just give lip service to them; when we don't just talk about them one day a year. And they're the ones that have defined my own faith journey," he said.