Was Jesus a capitalist? Let me give some background. One weekend back in 2009, there was a taxpayer march on Washington. The only thing that people had in common, is that they all see that this country (USA) is going in the wrong direction. A fair amount of them were protesting the socialist direction the Obama Administration is taking this country at warp speed. All of them were protesting the runaway spending in Washington.
Many of them claimed to be Christians. They touted the virtues of free-market capitalism. I came away from watching the event on C-SPAN, impressed with the idea that those who said they were Christians, thought that Jesus was a capitalist.
If Jesus was a capitalist, would he tell the rich ruler to sell everything he had and give to the poor. What Jesus said seems to be more a mandate for the re-distribution of wealth. And Jesus thought that we should pay taxes. "Give to Ceasar the things that are Ceasar's." He said that after being showed a coin and asking who's likeness was on the coin. Then Jesus chased those engaged in capitalistic endeavors out of the temple claiming, "You have turned My Father's house into a den of thieves." And, finally, Jesus said, "the love of money is the root of all evil." When you consider these facts, how can anyone conclude that Jesus was a capitalist?
What principles can we establish for today from what Jesus said and did?
1) Rich people should help poor people.
2) We should pay our taxes.
3) Buying and selling for profit must not happen in the church.
4) We must not be greedy (lover of money).
These principles suggests that Jesus would not be a capitalist today. I have no doubt that if Jesus was a politician He would be condemned by the political right of being a liberal. But then, I don't believe that Jesus would ever stoop so low as to be a politician. He might be a community organizer, or a liberal activist. No way Jesus would fit into the conservative crowd of today.
So if Jesus is not a capitalist, or a conservative, what was he? Jesus believed in people helping people, at the very least. How far can we go with Jesus commands of love? How far should we love one another? By example, the teachings of Jesus are to love one another all the way, even to the point of death, as He died for the people He loved
The problem in America is that those that have don't help, those that don't have can't help. We have two groups in America. Capitalists, and those who are or will be poor.
"We had FREE education and we could study in schools and universities and colleagues FREE of charge without any grants to contribute back! And we could get FREE medical services!"
This is the common socialist stupidity. Socialist believe that things are actually FREE. They do not understand that somebody must pay for those things. Somebody must be a producer in order for somebody else to be the plunderer.
THEFT is a violation of the 8th commandment. It is a SIN against God for a government to STEAL from those who are productive in order to "give" to those who are NOT productive. This is always done by force/coercion.
Of course you are right but HOW it is GREAT when all people are EQUAL and all are able to study in universities getting one of the BEST Soviet education and even our medical system was GREAT until Americans collapsed our Soviet Union and ruined even our medical system...
That is why we cannot go to our hospitals as before until today here not being afraid to die there....
Yes our FREE stuff was lost and we even lost all our money which we kept in our bank accounts...all banks in the Soviet Union were collapsed at one moment of time and we ALL lost our cars and apartments which we could buy for using our EARNED money!
President Gorbachev betrayed us and Americans used him to destroy the Soviet Union and to divide and conquer...
Anyway, this collapse broke our boarders of "Soviet disbelief" and American missionaries entered our countries and saved my dad, a communist, and my family...and many other people....
Praise the Lord for this great American nation which saves us. :applause: I always say it to American missionaries...
My point is that if managed correctly, it can benefit the country as a whole. The US Constitution itself makes provisions for the government to make investments in its future...
Article 1 Sect 8 : 8 To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;
Taking note of "Progress of Science and useful Arts".
Well, the only way I know of to do this is to tax people, and give it to those who will study such things... This can only be done through socialist type programs. You can't restrict such programs to established well-off entities because you never know what social class the next great mind will come from. Fresh minds are often needed to get fresh ideas.
The programs I totally object to are ones that grant luxuries to those who don't earn it. I have no problem with the government providing job training and education so people can take care of themselves. However, I agree that the government has way overstepped this and gone into forced charities.
A. Does the U.S. Constitution trump the Holy Bible? Feel free to quote from Scripture to support your view that those things you mentioned fall under the jurisdiction of the civil government.
B. Pragmatism is not how a Christian define ethics. Biblical revelation is how a Christian defines ethics.
C. Using your own argument, you will quickly find that to grant extorted tax dollars to one socialist program will lead to granting tax dollars to another socialist program and on and on it goes. (witness the current state of the U.S.) It's a slippery slope.
D.Under your premise, who determines which socialist programs should get funding? And, by what objective standard is that determined?
I don't think Jesus was anything. His kingdom is not of this world. God's society and politics are far above our miserable human attempts. The old testament endorses hard work, just like the new, if you don't work, you don't eat(sounds harsh! that's from the new testament!). It also endorses charity, but was all "free will offering". The priest class was fully supported by the people and their offerings, in the new testament, all believers shared all things, but only as anyone had need. I do not believe Jesus was an advocate for selling all possessions, he used that as a test to see where people's love was, but He did want us to be ready to sacrifice all for the gospel.
Proverbs 4:27
Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.
