Jesus was NOT a Socialist.

Many liberals and even some radical socialists believe that Jesus was a socialist, however they quite wrong as the evidence shows. To begin with, socialism has not been around that long. The basic definition of it is:


So•cial•ism (noun) \ˈsō-shə-ˌli-zəm\
1. Any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods

The key words in the definition of the term that completely negate any idea of Christ being a socialist are “governmental ownership.” Jesus, while being the Son of God and the King of the Jews, was not the government. People did not pay taxes to Jesus, for instance. Jesus may have had his own group of followers, but he was neither the head of any state nor the leader of any form of government. The prefect of Judea at the time of Christ’s life was Pontius Pilate, not Christ himself.
http://thecollegeconservative.com/2013/04/01/jesus-was-not-a-socialist/

Christ was his own charity. He did not cure the sick, feed the 5,000, turn water into wine or do any of his other miracles and acts as part of a central government. Just as today, the Red Cross does not forcibly take one's tax dollars and use it to care for the needy. Unless his acts were part of a government, they can't be called acts of socialism.

What is God's real plan for us to take care of those in need?

God presents us with three general ways in the Bible to take care of the poor and needy: 1) through the family; 2) through the church; and 3) through individual charity. The applicable passages for these three ways are Deuteronomy 14:28, 29, Numbers 18:24, Matthew 6:1-4 and 1 Timothy 5:3-16. Jesus is not a socialist. Nor is he a liberal. In fact, in none of the Bible passages just cited, nor in any others I know of, does Jesus, God or even Moses cite the government as the means by which the poor, needy, widowed and orphaned are housed, clothed and fed.
http://www.wnd.com/2006/10/38336/

The obvious result of socialism is seen everywhere where it exists: a whole underclass of entitlement seekers who have little incentive to do better for themselves and those in their community---and eventually bankrupting the nation that take from.

The Bible condemns laziness and praises hard work. Proverbs 10:4 says, “Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.” Proverbs 14:23 says, “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.” Income redistribution to those who can work, but do not was never part of Christ's teachings.

It is interesting to note that, in Mark 7:20-23, not only does Jesus Christ declare that all sex outside of heterosexual marriage, including homosexuality, pre-marital sex and adultery, is evil, he also declares that both greed and envy are evil. Thus, Jesus Christ condemns both the greed of the rich man as well as the greed of the poor man, and the envy of the poor man as well as the envy of the rich man.

Thus, God condemns the politics of envy of the left, and he extols the virtues of hard work and capitalism, not just the value of charity!
http://www.wnd.com/2006/10/38336/

Around the world today, one can see the collapse of Communism in Russia, in China and Venezuela. Capitalism is the best way for Christians to provide for themselves and others.

God’s people should “strengthen the hand of the poor,” not create poverty. Yet socialism impoverishes. How can a Christian be socialist?
https://www.onfaith.co/onfaith/2011/08/16/the-impossibility-of-a-socialist-jesus/10793

 

May be Jesus wasn't, but John the Baptist sure was.

 

You missed the whole point. Socialism is GOVERNMENT mandated income redistribution.

John was not running the government, he was giving personal advice.

 

Just to digress slightly, should we give cash to beggars in the street?
I'm undecided myself, because sometimes I dodge round the corner to avoid them, but at other times I give them a handout, what would Jesus want me to do?

 

In Matthew 3:4 (CEB) it says: "John wore clothes made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey." So it seems that John was asking for some decent clothes so that he could stop being taken for a camel.

 

I would not, because 99.9% of them are panhandlers and will use the money for drugs and booze.

The next time you see one that looks in fair enough health, ask them if they they would like come do some work for a few hours around your house for food or money. Then ask them if they would like to show up for several days. You already know what their answers will be.

Our church has our own food bank and service dept for poor moms. They have to sit and be preached to and given council for a bit, but it sure beats the entitlements our government hands out for nothing.

 

Hmm..monks shut themselves away in monasteries all their lives and don't do any worldly work, so are they lazy or what?

 

I'm a Christian, not a Catholic. I can't defend what they do.

 

Jesus was living at a completely different epoch, and seems to have few cared about politics at the opposite of Muhammed. Anyway, it's mad to want the dead people to speak. "Jefferson would have said that, Jesus would have said that, Churchill would have done that". Nobody now how they would have adapted their way of thinking to nowoday.

Socialism is one of the two doctrines born from the communist manifesto of Marx in 1848. The communist thought that we should reach a classless society through revolution, the socialist through reform. Anyway, almost everybody understood that a society where everything belongs to the state can lead only to a catastrophe.

"Classical" socialism is totally dead.

However, countries like Denmark show that models of state wealth redistribution can work if it's kept moderate.

 

? I'm rather anti catholic, but I think you should read more about catholic monks.

 

On the other hand Jesus wanted folks to render unto Ceaser that which is Ceaser's. So obey your government and up some taxes.

Since your quoting Deuteronomy it's good to remember that back in the day it was required of people to allow widows and orphans to come and harvest a bit of the crop. 1/7 th of the crop was set aside for that purpose of I remember right.

But yeah socialism wasn't t a thing yet so it's pretty hard to claim Jesus was a socialist.

Santa Claus on the other hand was a total communist forcing his elves to labour just so they can give it all away.

 

I'm all for teaching and advice from past greats.

AS IF----Bill Nye, Barak Obama, Rosie O'Donnell, CNN, MSNBC and the rest of the media elite are so wise or knowing.

Seems like the modern socialism you like only seems to be going a good job in nations ran and populated primarily by East Asians and Whites---most with a strong Christian heritage (South Korea, Singapore).

 

I think that both liberals and conservative have their own share of idiots. I despise those liberals full of themselves.

On many point Marx was influenced by christian legacy.

Even if I don't really like christianism, it have been to noticed that christian monks and nuns founded a lot of universities, hospitals and charity for the poorest.

 

From your definition.

So, it could be the community, not the government, who owns things. It's called "communalism".

 

The word is "socialism." Jesus was not a hippie on a commune growing weed.

His ministry was about individual conduct and the conduct of the church. I'm all for a local community taxing and running it's own schools and police force without federal government control.

 

Jesus was a taker. He sponged off of his rich buddies. When he needed a place to bunk he would tell people that he was moving in for a few days. He never gave anyone a penny. He advocated gouging Gentiles with high interest rates.

Peter and his gang ran a commie commune. When people didn't turn over all of their cash he killed them.

Paul was a thief and con man. He said that if people didn't work then they shouldn't eat. Guys like John Hagee preach the same thing. He also said that young widows should find a rich guy to take care of them and that old widows should be supported by their families.

 

Maybe, but how do you know he isn't using the money for food or travel money? And does it really matter if a downtrodden, dejected man is asking for a few dollars so he can buy booze and relieve his misery?

I have a rule that because I don't truly know their situation and history, if someone has the guts or desperation to ask me face to face for help, I'll help. Sometimes its with money, or food, or filling the gas tank, or giving them a ride. I'm sure sometimes I'm getting taken, but I also know that sometimes the person was in true need and I generally only find out after I have helped.

And when you meet that person, you have an opportunity. In marketing, there is a rule of thumb that it takes 7 "touches" for a person to respond to your call to action. Applied to the Gospel, you could be one of those touches to that panhandler. Even if all you do is say a simple "God bless you" as you give him $10, you still touch that person.

 

If you found yourself in a different city without any assets or support group to help you how long do you think it would be before you started panhandling to get some cash in order to improve your situation? Just because you have never done it doesn't mean that you will never have to do it.

 

Not all monks are catholics, what about the "holy men" and mystics and hermits who distance themselves from the world in order to live a meditative life to try to get closer to God, should they get a "proper" job?
How would you interpret this verse?- "Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10)

 

Not all world-renouncing monks, mystics and holy men are catholics..

 

In 2002 I was just out of jail (3-month vigilante rap), homeless, jobless, near-penniless and living rough in a tent in a wood near Cheltenham shivering with hypothyroidism, but never did it cross my mind to scrounge off others. In fact I was laughing at my predicament, "Oh great" I thought, "I've ended up as Bigfoot!"..
But I soon got out and up, no problem, so if I can do it anybody can, and I've got little sympathy for beggars.
Lord Sugar was spot on when he said- "Personality opens doors, and character keeps them open"

 

Many of them actually work quite a lot. I've worked with former monks, and some will leave monasteries simply because they are overworked and the healthcare is awful.

 

Next time you might get a heavier load, like Job.

 

Yes like all imams, ministers, priests, rabbis etc. are takers.

 

I'm just going by the panhandlers we have near us, and they almost anyways look well enough to work. Sorry, but I'm not going to buy a panhandler a beer or a joint. If I hadn't worked so hard, for so long starting with really no money, I'd be more inclined to give them something out of guilt. The last person I gave money to was some 40-something White woman who drove up by me in the parking lot as I was walking out to my car and wanted "gas money." I threw maybe 35 cents in her passenger seat. Our family already helps out with several different church-based charities, and the day I actually come across a genuine person panhandling that is really in need I know where to send them.