BryPGuy89:
I’m aware that man is incapable of creating a good government because of our sins. My original point long ago was that in comparison to the teachings of Christ in a social behavior is more similer to communist like views then capitalism. We got off line when people kept trying to take down communism, not even pertaining to the social aspect, but even divinity and faith… We have just gotten very off track.
I don’t know that communism is more compatible with Christianity than capitalism. Number one, and I know you’ve dealt with this objection already, communisms’ basic premise is Godlessness and a complete ignorance of history because history is nothing but “oppression.”
Number 2, it is purely materialistic; there is no room for anything metaphysical within its framework. As we know, Christ always said His kingdom was “not of this world.” The communist ideology is “completely of this world.”
Number 3, communism assumes an equality of people which simply doesn’t exist. I agree with the communists in the idea that each person has dignity as a human being. This premise, however, gets lost because any human who isn’t part of the revolution can legitimately be removed, since they hinder the attainment of eutopia. Therefore, under communism, human dignity gets reduced to those who favor revolution, and those who oppose it. Those who oppose it, well, they have no dignity because they stand in the way of progress; they stand in the way of the utopia. This then leads to bureaucratic directives being carried out which are anything but moral. And since the communist doesn’t have to answer to God for his immoral behavior, he can kill in the name of progress and still be acting morally within his own eyes.
Christ did proclaim the dignity of each human ("whatever you’ve done unto the least of my brethren…) However, where the communists go wrong is they assume that equal human dignity means equal human merits. This is completely wrong. Throughout the Bible God speaks of the “chosen,” aka the saints. Well, this says something about the merits of people, (not that they can merit their way to heaven) but that they have something that makes them unequal to others. Same human dignity, but different talents.
Number 4, read the parable of the talents. Each was given money and asked to make more of it. Now obviously reading this economically is a very literal interpretation, but it suggests a laisez faire approach.
Number 5, Christ asks people to give of their wealth and follow Him. He doesn’t FORCE them to do so. Communists do. I think freedom of conscience is a little more important than giving to the poor, afterall, free will is what determines any man’s chance of heaven. If you are forced to give your possessions, you aren’t actually giving them; their is no merit to your action. Aristotle once said the “crime is in the intention,” so is the virtue.
Number 6, read the parable of the workers in the vineyard. God pays the same wages to those who worked for only a few hours to those who worked all day. More work for less money, less work for more money, sounds like capitalism to me.
Finally, God also says not to store up your riches and let them rot. People should give of their wealth, and those who choose not to will meet their Judge, Who is the giver of all wealth, Who is the actual owner of all. What does any of us own that was not given to us? The avaricious wealthy will get their desserts.
Communism like all great lies, MIRRORS the truth, and contains so much of it with such slight deviations that without careful attention it will swallow even the best of men.
Afterall, as Augustine said, we cannot willfully choose evil. We choose what we THINK is good, even though it may not be (aka “freedom of choice” vs. "murder of the unborn.) People can side with abortion because it is touted as a “good.” The same is true of communism. Christ said a “tree is known by its fruits.” What are the fruits of Marxism in whatever form it has reared its ugly head?