Was Jesus a Socialist?

This video asks the question... Was Jesus a socialist? There seems to be a great deal of confusion on the issue. I believe that is because of a wide spread confusion regarding socialism itself. In this video I will attempt to clear up some of the confusion. The music is "Broken Social Scene - Alive in 85"

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Jesus
• Socialism
• Socialist
• Christianity
• Statism
• Libertarian
• Philosophy
• Religion
• Morality
• Faith
• Christian
• Collectivism
• Communism
• Politics
• Force
• Non-violence
• Pacifism
• NT
• Wright

[noahbirdrevolution]

Besides the fact Jesus did use violence in relation to his philosophy (john 2), your idea of socialism seems to be confused with the idea of Marxism as a whole. Socialism is only a socio economic philosophy and the way you implement this theory is another matter. Go type socialism in a search bar.

[stonemadeflesh]

@noahbirdrevolution I know exactly what socialism is. The ends of socialism cannot be separated from the means it employs in an (unsuccessful) attempt bring about those ends. Socialism is a state enforced system of laws. That is not how the Kingdom of God will or can be built.

[stonemadeflesh]

@noahbirdrevolution So I assume you do not object to the using the police power of the state to enforce all of the ethical teachings of Jesus?

Should we use laws and force to control lust? Outlaw porn and strip clubs and nudity in movies?

How about to prevent adultery? Outlaw remarriage after a divorce?

Why be selective as to which of Jesus's ethical teachings concerning morality in the kingdom we should attempt to implement using the underlying threat of force inherent in any legislation.

[noahbirdrevolution]

I believe you are missing the point. I am arguing from a strictly socio economic standpoint. You seem to be referring to legislative and executive matters. Put police states, maoist communism, theocracies, and democracies aside. Socialism in application to socio economics is an idea of distributing weatlh fairly, not evenly, throughout society. Why? In the United States' capitalist economic system the elite top 2% controls 95% of all wealth.

[stonemadeflesh]

@noahbirdrevolution Socialism does not exist separate from legislation. Your position is like saying that you can be for light-bulbs but against the electricity needed to illuminate them. In this case socialism is the light-bulb and legislation is the electricity that it operates on. Socialism is meaningless without legislation, therefore you can't support it without having to also supporting the legislation required to make it work?

[hafire]

BTW, socialism is not the same thing as social justice.

[stonemadeflesh]

@hafire Hello,

I realize that they are not the same thing. I actually believe they are diametrically opposed to each other. Unfortunately many Christians are confused on this issue. I have had several people tell me that Jesus was for socialism. I am just wanting to help those people understand the truth.

[jerrygreg2]

Jesus was also an American who loved apple pie and mom.

[2274brian]

In the middle of watching this I gathered that you must be some type of libertarian.

[apeswithhobbies]

Strawman argument. Nil points :)

[noahbirdrevolution]

@hafire I think the idea of hybrd government and socio-economic systems is too abstract for some people. haha Hope all is well!

[GabrielZamoraMoreno]

Laws can only ever be fair when everyone is equal in the physical - equal housing, sanitation and electricity, equal nourishment, equal education, equal health care - Laws are not the problem - INEQUALITY is the problem

[GabrielZamoraMoreno]

Everyone here on earth is able to be supported equally to live a dignified life - you don't need to be jesus to see that. So jesus is irrelevant when it comes to us having to find a practical way to establish a system of equality - atm more than 3 billion people live on less than 2 dollars a day - the Jesus of the bible only helped a few without seeing the bigger picture

[jingvt]

@jingvt However, christian nations of this world are just of the prince of this world, and capitalists, imperialists, and colonists.,,,all are based on the evil desire or selfish, without righteous judgment and love the human beings equally created in the image of Elohim.

[jingvt]

Your concept of socialism is limited. You messed up the ideal of socialism and how to achieve it. You mess up the Kingdom of Heaven and kingdoms of this world. When the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of Yahshua by the VIOLENCE of the Power of Yahweh, all socialist and communist ideals shall be achieved.

[hafire]

@stonemadeflesh That's why I didn't approve your video response. I think the two are so far apart from each other that they just confuse the issue.

I also happen to believe that Socialism, like any worldview or political viewpoint, can be distorted by evil regimes, but that doesn't mean that the philosophy itself is bad. There are plenty of "good" social democracies out there.

[noahbirdrevolution]

Uh, good luck with your logic.