When God became a Socialist ....

[DAII]

Originally Posted by Aquila

The prophets enforced these regulations. The books of Amos, Micah, and Malachi all offer rebukes for those who neglected and “oppressed” the poor. Oppression of the poor was turning the poor away from their “right” at the gate. One must understand that the tithe was specifically for land owners and ranchers. The tithe didn’t apply to tradesmen. This “land tax” was a 10% production tax on produce and herds. Every third year’s tithe was to be gathered into the storehouse specifically for the Levites, strangers, widows, poor, and orphans. This was the tithe that was neglected in Malachi wherein God rebuked the priests and the people for robbing Him in tithes and offerings. They robbed God by robbing the poor of their rights under the law.


Not necessarily true. Besides the tithe the children of Israel also had a head tax upon all males over 20 years of age. This head tax primarily went to fund the military. In addition to the tithe and this head tax various kings often issued “burdens” upon the people for various building projects and wars. Kings who levied heavy burdens upon the people were generally hated. Kings who lightened the people’s burdens were greatly loved. So there is some theology behind the notion of supporting tax cuts. However, those cuts never effected the poor tithe that sustained the poor and needy among them.


True. The tithe wasn’t an excessive or oppressive tax to support the priests and the needy. However, neglecting this tithe brought a curse upon the nation, for God promised to hear the cries of the poor and oppressed should they be neglected in the land.


I never heard of that so I’ll have to look into it. Can you provide a text for this one?

I do have to speak up here. GOD IS NOT A SOCIALIST. The economic philosophy espoused by Scripture and most historical Christian thinkers is a third-way economic position known as Distributism. Distributism opposes the notion of socialism in that socialism is essentially where the state owns and manages the means of productive property (production). Socialism also supports the notion of redistribution of overall wealth between the population. However, Distributism is also not les affair capitalism. Distributism believes in distributing land and productive property to smaller private businesses, cooperatives, guilds, and craftsman unions. These smaller social bodies defend their right to own their own means of production and productive property. Distributism disfavors the notion of large aggregate wealth embodied in monopolistic corporations or corporate conglomerates. The primary social structure of Distributism is the family. The goal of Distributism is to decentralize production and the ownership of productive property and distribute it to the local level (families and cooperatives). Distributism would break up Wal-Mart and pass laws that support the local family grocery and family tailors, craftsman, technicians, electronics shops, etc. The general philosophy of Distributism is that too much Capitalism will lead to too few capitalists as wealth becomes aggregated into the hands of a very few individuals or corporations. Distributism is also strongly opposed to usury or the excessive charging of interest. Distributism would advocate breaking up the corporate banking systems of the United States and replacing them with localized credit unions. Distributist thought was also the primary philosophical foundation for anti-trust laws preventing monopoly in the America economy. In fact credit unions have their origins in Distributist thought. Land owners, workers, and tradesmen would form guilds to represent their industry’s interests and for cooperatives wherein the means of production can be shared within the fraternity. This would help those without their own means of production until they can acquire the necessary skill and wealth to attain their own productive property and means of production. Distributist theory is largely isolationist but does acknowledge “Just War” theory for national defense. Charity is seen as the duty of a private society and is opposed to all forms of socialistic means of providing charitable relief for the poor and needy. Private religious bodies and charitable coalitions are seen as the primary vehicles for charity and social assistance. Any assistance provided by law in party by public funding would be kept localized. For example Distributist thought MIGHT allow for a state level public health insurance system yet be opposed to a federal public health insurance system. Distributists see Democracy as the primary and preferred means of social change as opposed to revolution and strongly supports the notion of a Constitutional Republic.

Ancient Israel’s agrarian economy better reflects Distributism than Socialism or total Capitalism. GOD IS NOT A SOCIALIST.

Good job! ... He is not .... I am just responding to flurry of posts here and on Facebook that have gone to say that any redistribution is socialism ... one went as far as saying any governement intervention, including taxation, is socialism and fascism ...

The religous right has confused their values with the bible's.

Since the label is being flippantly used .... and I thought I'd have some fun shaking their belief system that Jesus was dyed in the wool American capitalist.