Socalism & Christianity, a perfect match or a complete clash of ideologies?

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Jaxy

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I, myself, am a socalist and have been for many many years and firmly believe that a more socalist society would be better then the current one. Since I have started to study the Bible, I personally believe the Bible renforces my ideas of socalism as it talks about caring for one another, loving one another and helping out those who are less fourtante.

I was just wondering what other Christians would think of this paring?
 
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ScottA

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I, myself, am a socalist and have been for many many years and firmly believe that a more socalist society would be better then the current one. Since I have started to study the Bible, I personally believe the Bible renforces my ideas of socalism as it talks about caring for one another, loving one another and helping out those who are less fourtante.

I was just wondering what other Christians would think of this paring?
Christianity, unlike Socialism, is not a form of worldly government. Christianity is not worldly, and it is rather a Kingdom with a King.

To the contrary, caring for one another is not exclusive to a Socialist worldly government. Many worldly forms of government support the idea of its citizens caring for one another, as does Christianity which is not of the world.

As a form of world government, Socialism places the general welfare of its citizenry above all else, even God. A good example is the story of the Tower of Babel.
 

Wrangler

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Socalism & Christianity, a perfect match or a complete clash of ideologies?

A complete clash of ideologies. Socialism is coercive and collectivist. Christianity is voluntary and individualistic. Christianity is concerned about the salvation of a single soul. See leaving the 99 sheep.
 

Enoch111

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I, myself, am a socalist and have been for many many years and firmly believe that a more socalist society would be better then the current one.
Socialism is simply one mighty scam. Just like Communism. So as a Christian you should totally reject this nonsense which seeks to enslave the proletariat at the expense of the "socialist" elites. Check out the history of the USSR. The Democrats are not Socialists but Communist/Fascists wanting to entrench totalitarianism and destroy democracy.
 

Jaxy

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As a student of history...the USSR was not a true socalist state and did not follow the communist manifesto
 

Wrangler

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As a student of history...the USSR was not a true socalist state and did not follow the communist manifesto
You are young and naive. After 100 million human beings slaughtered due to this evil ideology, the ‘true socialism has never been tried’ is a flimsy response that does not hold up to scrutiny.

As Margaret Thatcher said, the problem with socialism is, sooner or later, you run out of other people’s money.

No one ever had to escape capitalist countries for the prosperity of socialist countries.
 

Wrangler

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Perhaps Woodrow Wilson was first, who brought us the Federal Reserve, IRS, income tax and WWI
 

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Mr E

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I, myself, am a socalist and have been for many many years and firmly believe that a more socalist society would be better then the current one. Since I have started to study the Bible, I personally believe the Bible renforces my ideas of socalism as it talks about caring for one another, loving one another and helping out those who are less fourtante.

I was just wondering what other Christians would think of this paring?

You will find that Western thinkers (Christians included) generally despise socialist ideals, vociferously so, and are wholly unprepared to see Jesus in that light, even if undeniable in scripture.
 
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Reggie Belafonte

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All Communist are morons who are Possessed, they are like 5year olds in the mind, can not think past the delusion and deceptions of this world. and Socialism is a Cancer that feeds off ignorance.
Such people never do anything truly but bleed of society like a leach and inturn poison the minds of all they infect with so much dribble. They live in a Utopia trance!
Not that I idolise Capitalist pigs that are way out of control, but that's the other side of the Atheist argument.
Through the middle Grasshopper is the way that has knowledge of both left and right and is not suckered in by there spin.
 

Adam

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Quick note that socialism and communism are not synonymous. There are many schools of socialism which are not Marxist in nature and that predate Marx.
 

Enoch111

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...and are wholly unprepared to see Jesus in that light, even if undeniable in scripture.
That is is pure baloney since the Bible is very clear that who will not work will not eat. And that is what socialism is all about. Handouts, pork and freebies to everyone other than the poor struggling law-abiding wage-earners.
 

Enoch111

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Quick note that socialism and communism are not synonymous.
For all practical purposes they are one and the same. The state becomes "the god" to be worshiped and the state must take full control of everything. In effect the Communist "elite" are the state, and just love the fact that they are ripping off 99.9% of the population.

For those who have been sleeping lately every Western democracy has turned Communist and totalitarian. And now all of South America is Communist. China, N. Korea, Cuba, and several African countries have turned Communists. And Joe Biden and his "DemoNcrats" are all Communist/Fascist/Anarchist idiots.

WHEN FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS HAVE BEEN WIPED OUT, YOU HAVE A COMMUNIST COUNTRY.
 

Mr E

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That is is pure baloney since the Bible is very clear that who will not work will not eat. And that is what socialism is all about. Handouts, pork and freebies to everyone other than the poor struggling law-abiding wage-earners.

And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves (Matthew 21:12).
 

Brakelite

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Robin Hood, even though a myth, was the first socialist who became part of popular culture. And regardless of what he may have done for others, regardless of the source of his largesse, he was still what all socialists are and must be in order to operate... A thief. Socialism is theft. From beginning to end. And all the sharing in the world from that illicit source does not negate the evil of it's robberies and extortions.
Income tax is another form of theft. But it isn't socialism. Because income tax is of necessity a partner to corporate power, that makes it fascism.
Jesus never condoned theft. He recommended generosity, but never demanded it as a command. He commanded love. And generosity, sharing, hospitality etc all come as a fruit of love. Stealing is not a fruit of love.
 

Wrangler

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That is is pure baloney since the Bible is very clear that who will not work will not eat. And that is what socialism is all about. Handouts, pork and freebies to everyone other than the poor struggling law-abiding wage-earners.
Enoch, it's nice to be fully aligned with you. :)
And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves (Matthew 21:12).
Mr E, this is such a bizarre non-response to Enoch's post. Can you connect the dots for us? Thanks!
 

Wrangler

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There are 3 fatal flaws with socialism:
  1. Violates Justice
  2. Violates Law of Supply and Demand
  3. Violates Human Nature

1. Violates Justice

The dead giveaway that socialism violates justice, is their admission that “justice” needs an adjective. Social justice is no kind of justice at all. So much of socialism is propaganda, word play, appeal to emotion, it is hard for the innocent to sort out the wheat from the tares.

A principle of socialism is that workers get paid equally, independent of productivity. This begs the question of where does the compensating for the inequity come from? It comes from violating the principle of justice for The only way one can enjoy fruit without labor is that another must labor without fruit.

To admit one is a socialist, is to admit one sacrifices justice to mercy.


A recent trend is to co-opt the term ‘equity.’ Just because socialists adopt a term does not mean they are actually addressing the injustice inherent in their ideology. Rather than actually justify the injustice, they change the subject, typically making an Appeal to Emotion, e.g., people ‘need’ or ‘the greater good’ or some other utopian ideal such as ‘save the planet.’

In this regard, a form of socialism, Cultural Marxism, has become ascendant in recent decades. Pure Appeal to Violate the 10th Commandment, you shall not covet. There is an oppressor group and an oppressed group in this evil ideology. The difference with Christianity is that Cultural Marxism does NOT have a redemption narrative.


2. Violates Law of Supply and Demand

Need is not an economic consideration. Experience shows that socialist countries inevitably run out of supply. Oil rich Venezuela is the most recent debacle of socialism. With price fixing of labor and goods, The Law Of Supply And Demand predicts what is seen time and again, supplies dwindle. Sure, health care is “free” but the availability and quality tanks.

This explains why socialist dictators always end up flying to Western, capitalist countries for health care.

Not just health care. In Venezuela, its citizens were recently dumpster diving for food. That’s the propaganda exposed. Socialism always starts off with claims of “free healthcare” and always ends up with people dumpster diving for food. Why?

Socialism removes the incentive to produce. See Part 1. With less production, there is eventually less supply.

Now, some complain about ‘price gouging’ in capitalist countries, especially in the wake of a natural disaster. Clean water, batteries, cleaning and medical supplies are charged at exorbitant prices. Why?

Because this is The Law Of Supply And Demand in action. It shuffles the supply across the nation to where it is in high demand. What motivation would there be for an individual in one State to spend their life savings on such supplies, rent a truck and drive half-way across the country, getting little sleep to where the danger is? If they could not profit financially, they would not take such action.

To admit one is a socialist, is to admit one does not understand economics.

3. Violates Human Nature


Human beings are generally not motivated by ‘humanitarianism’ in the face of a disaster somewhere else. Human beings are motivated by profit for their labor and risk they take with their capital. (I’m not talking about exceptions but the general rule. Despite ‘tithing’ referring to 10%, most churches struggle to get their members to donate 2% of their income.)

Capitalism leverages the actual motivation of humans, and is therefore, masculine. Socialism appeals to theory, claiming people ‘should’ have different motives than they actually do, and is therefore, a feminine ideology. Socialism only works on the morally weak, those prone to violate 2 of the 10 Commandments: covet and steal.

In capitalism, failure is an option and as well as a powerful incentive. A man knows if he produces, he will be rewarded with more material wealth. Consistent with Christianity, a man also knows if he does not produce, he will not eat. Not so in socialism.

To admit one is a socialist, is to admit one dehumanizes and demotivates his fellow man.

Sacrificing justice, destroying economies, encouraging moral bankruptcy and dehumanizing people is the basis of this evil ideology. It explains the adage ‘the only good commie, is a dead commie.’
 

Mr E

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Enoch, it's nice to be fully aligned with you. :)

Mr E, this is such a bizarre non-response to Enoch's post. Can you connect the dots for us? Thanks!

Sure. The point the OP @Jaxy (a new believer) makes is that in their observation of the life and teachings of Jesus- the things he says are in closer alignment to what some might call 'socialist ideals' as opposed to a money-oriented approach to everything. It's a keen observation and I could offer several scriptural references that indicate this attitude in Jesus, in addition to the one above.

Jesus: To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them (Luke 6:27).

Jesus: No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despite the other. You cannot serve both God and wealth (Matthew 6:24).

Jesus: I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, 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 (Matthew 19:23).

Jesus: Blessed are the humble, for they shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5).


There are more. There is the living community in early Acts- which followed a communal model sharing and caring for members based on need. The community at Qumran also held all thing/property in common and gave up their right to private ownership as a condition of joining.

Are you guys telling me that a brand new Christian picking up the Bible for the first time can see things clearly that you 'experts' just can't see?