Most of this is copied from my facebook responses to friends of mine who take a socialist slant. The economic arguments for socialism are many, but as Christians our Lord has set up “house rules,” literally as translated in Ephesians 1 and 3 “oikonomia” that the Christian must remember when considering where his citizenship lies.
Response to a socialist: Jesus did not come to rule over an earthly kingdom, in case you haven’t realized that yet. Of course, the radical Jews of Jesus’ day were of the same expectation. The Kingdom of Heaven is not an unreachable goal. In fact, one can attain to it now if he should choose. Look to Luke chapter 6 and Matthew chapter 5 where you will find that blessedness can be found regardless of social conditions and riches are found in our obedience to God when we lack everything except a willing heart to serve. The church of Jesus Christ was not set up to bring about cronyism, thuggery, forceful confiscation of wealth and property. The NT is clear, we were each bought with a price, whether slave or free (1 Corinthians 7). LIberation theology has no place in the church, or anywhere for that matter. My citizenship is in heaven and Christ’s kingdom is the Kingdom of Heaven. God’s kingdom is not a matter of eating or drinking (Romans 14). I hope this is clear to you.
Response to a socialist: Funny thing is, history is forgotten too easily. If it weren’t for Republicans, including one of the most famous Republican, Marin Luther King, Jr., the Democrats would have voted down civil rights legislation that Republicans wanted to secure. This is symptomatic of the “rights” engendered by democrat socialists. They are the ones at liberty to determine what “rights” are. If it is not in the best interest of the state, too bad. Look at every municipality and governing body regulated by democrats. At the very beginning, Barry and Michelle hated America, and now since the dems have been in control, according to the democrat assessment, America is more evil even though they have been the ones in the driver’s seat. There will always be new rights, new benefits, new victims, and the rhetoric will never end until communism is the rule of the land. By then, as in the past, a different fence will be built, not to keep people out, but to keep them in. It is, to coin a popular phrase, the radicalization of America. the socialist insistence on the use of propaganda to control the masses is apparently working for the young kool-aid drinkers. Disregard of socialism’s historically proven dead end is being willfully ignorant.
Response to a socialist: We must open our eyes and look past the propaganda to the bigger world with bad men who are brandishing hostility. We are at a vulnerable moment and our country is only concerned about free things and entitlements. One nation under God is what we must be. Having this principle will mean we understand that all authority is given by God and the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness come from Him, not social capital via social theocracy/liberation theology. We must resist the radicalization of America by socialists who try to steal the identity of the family through social identity in an institution. We must resist the radicalization of America by not dividing classes of our citizens into the haves and have-nots, by race and economics. We are all equally able to experience the liberty of the Gospel of Peace, Jew or Greek, Slave or free, male or female. Show me a person who by socialism or atheism was lifted up from the shame and guilt of sin into a life filled with joy, self-respect, and a heart for serving others. Humanism, atheism, communism, and socialism does not produce this. These are theologies of control.
Reply to a socialist who thinks Jesus is one: This has been heavy on my heart and more and more prevalent as of late. I see this type of theology in the music that is becoming popular and in the mentality of many in the church. Your comment is relative to our discussion since the subject of the church bears consideration. It must be understood that on the day of His coming, each person must account for his own life. There will be no pass for victimhood and no sympathy for following in the path of others. Will we be identified with the name of Christ, the only name under heaven by which we must be saved, or by a denomination, cult, sect, or political party? Liberation theology has not part in the life of Christ or in the comparison to the church. The administration established by Christ is not to be considered an earthly economy.
Response to a socialist who says that the military is socialism: The military is compiled of volunteers. When subject of draft comes up, liberals will run and seek a deferrance. Mandated public services equal institutional slavery. My anti- economic slavery stance is common among veterans who served in areas where tyranny was law. Socialism will always generate slavery because of the people-controlling elements inherent to it and is a conduit to tyranny. I’m not a doomsdayer, only a student of history. I am not fond of a taxation/extortion-based government enslaving its citizens. Look at the basic historical tenets of socialism all too apparent these days: 1. Seduce the populace into accepting the government as the arbitrator of all problems; government from cradle-to-grave
2. Begin delivering on those services to make the citizens dependent
3. Take away the citizens’ guns
4. Increase taxes on all services while destroying any free market alternative services
5. Blame the chosen scapegoat for the inability to meet demand for services
6. Have the centralized national police force round up any dissidents.
These, of course, will be continued as the election cycle completes.