One truth shines out from the Bible: Jesus spoke to the individual, never to government or government policy. Jesus was a capitalist, preaching personal responsibility, not a socialist . [Emphasis added]
Pope Francis condemned capitalism. Some argue that Francis’ Spanish-language Apostolic Exhortation was mistranslated. But Francis is not among those disputing that translation. Moreover, corrected translations are no better.
Francis argues for dependence upon government to redistribute wealth. And con artists in the U.S. are seizing on the opportunity to spread the misery of socialism. Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin this week called Pope Francis on his mangling of economics. Then author Reza Aslan struck back in the Washington Post, claiming that Jesus was a socialist.
[....]
Worst of all, this controversy encourages misery, poverty and the destruction of human lives. Jesus Christ is weeping in heaven hearing Christians espouse a socialist philosophy that has created suffering and poverty around the world. It is impossible to love one’s neighbor as yourself without fighting against socialism, meaning government meddling in private lives.
32 comments
1) The Pope condemned "unfettered" capitalism, not capitalism in itself.
Socialism does NOT mean government meddling in private lives, it means making sure that everyone has the necessities of life, sharing both assets and hardship with each other.
You've never read the Bible, have you? Jesus and his disciples wandered around, having little or no possessions, sharing the little they had between each other, helping people in need without asking for compensation of any kind, and promoting loving your neighbor as yourself.
Capitalism is "every man for himself" and "the one with the most money when he dies, wins". Jesus didn't have any money or properties when he died, so he obviously lost in the Game of Capitalism. Capitalism has brought much more suffering and poverty than Socialism has ever done.
"....the misery of socialism"
Right, because the Nordic countries are all cesspits of misery....oh wait a minute!!
Logically Jesus cannot be a capitalist because he lived in an era where capitalism did not exist. (no capitalism is not the same thing as the market per se, though the market is part of it). Being as socialism as an ideology emerges in the nineteenth century in a response to the horror of the capitalist system, he can't be a socialist per se either. (that said Jesus is more the latter than the former to the extent it is meaningful to project modern ideologies backward)
The Pope is (finally,and about time too) reaffirming Catholic social doctrine.
"I was hungry and you fed me. I was naked and you clothed me. I was in prison and you visited me."
If you don't like that, do not claim to be a Christian.
Yeah, that Jesus character...such a capitalist. Telling the rich man to sell all of his possessions to follow him. Or that it's easier for a camel to pass through an eye of a neddle than for a rich man to enter heaven.
Socialism - You keep using that word, but I don't think it means what you think it means.
One truth shines out from the Bible: Jesus spoke to the individual, never to government or government policy. Jesus was a capitalist, preaching personal responsibility, not a socialist.
Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's, or in other words, STFU and pay your taxes! Rush and Sarah are nothing but mouthpieces for multimillionaires who have gotten insanely rich because of government policies, tax breaks, low-interest loans, etc, but bitch and whine when asked to give back a little because then they might have to settle for an 80-foot yacht or a fountain in their mansion that's only gold-plated.
Dear sinner 209472057209572357205729375237505 aka Jonathon Moseley,
well done! You are perfectly right, and please be not worried by those who tell fables about the rich and camels and needles. A coalition of the willing headed by much revered A. Schlafly is already going to rewrite this abominable fascist/communist/catholic translations of old to make the meaning of the real intention obvious to the true believers. And be thou not afraid of the myth that the ones who adulterate the bible will end with us down here, no worries....
CU
"And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common."
- Acts 4:32 (KJV)
Those foolish first generation Christians. Didn't they know anything about Jesus?
Jesus was neither a capitalist nor a socialist. He never discussed the economic system.
Jesus was a humanitarian. He wanted all persons, of whatever economic group, to treat each other with respect, love, consideration, and charity.
Did you miss that?
Why do people like Jonny-boy here always assume that they will be at the pointy end of laissez-faire capitalism? It is far more likely he would be working 120 hours a week on subsistence wages in a mine, quarry, on roadworks, or on a production line. Or, capitalists could deem him unprofitable/too weak/too old and he would die of starvation in the sewer.
Misery, poverty, and the destruction of human lives are quite frequently created by capitalism; indeed, this is what generally causes people to turn to socialism in the first place.
I find it hard to understand how a person can believe in Christianity.
I find it hard to understand how a person can believe in capitalism.
But being able to believe in BOTH at the same time... it completely boggles my mind.
Because nothing screams "Capitalism!" like telling followers to sell everything they have and to give that money to the poor, and that the rich will not enter heaven. And don't even get me started on free health care.
And you know what? If charity actually worked, there would be absolutely no need for government assistance programs. So maybe if you and your fellow millions of Christians here in the U.S. would give a few dollars to charities which actually help people, then you wouldn't have to worry about your tax dollars being used for the same purpose.
Ok, he was a capitalist and has been mistranslated(I´m Spanish speaking, dude), following the teaachings of a man who said that it´s easier for a camel to pass through a neddle rather than a rich person going to Heaven. Whatever your neurons were working at when you vomited it anyway.
Jesus? that guy who relied upon the charity of others? The guy who sent his diciples out travelling and forbade them from taking any money with them so they had to rely on god's provedence? That guy who said lots of stuff about rich people, heaven, and how hard it is for the two to meet? What kind of goddamn yankee capitalist did you say he was again?
"Jesus spoke to the individual, never to government or government policy". I dunno about that. He said render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's, he spoke to Pontius Pilate who represented the Roman government.
Jesus was neither a socialist nor a capitalist but a 1st-century AD Jewish preacher of some kind, living at a time when these concepts and paradigms had not developed yet.
I don't think the Pope is advocating Soviet-style communism, I think he's advocating Christian charity and social gospel type stuff.
Where on earth in the Bible can you honestly find support for hyper-individualism and free market capitalism? There isn't anything like that in the Bible.
Too bad Jesus effectively lived the last few years of his life in an effective 13 member commune, rejecting the acquisition of material possessions and wealth, and strongly counseling followers to care for the poor and needy.
When you actually READ the Bible rather than just cherry pick it, Jesus really comes across as a communist, not a socialist.
Preaching social responsibility does not make you a capitalist. Capitalism hadn't been invented when Jesus was alive. Nor had socialism. The Pope reaffirmed Catholic social teaching including the misery, poverty and destruction of human lives brought about by paying people proper wages for a proper day's work, and allowing them to join a labor union. Oh, the humanity.
Confused?
So were we! You can find all of this, and more, on Fundies Say the Darndest Things!
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