Posted on 03/10/2020 7:19:27 AM PDT by Kaslin
Christians in the United States should not underestimate the potential consequences of the present, national fascination with socialism. Socialism was creeping into American life already, but now it is the policy du jour of the persistent Senator from Vermont who stands very possibly as the Democratic nominee for president, Bernie Sanders.
Defined as political and economic theory that favors government control and regulation, socialism has a dark history.
In 1848, the Communist Manifesto written by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels was published. This radical political document advocated for a socialist revolution between classes, with the working classes becoming conquerors. The manifesto was popular for its rallying cry, “Workers of the world, unite!” Recently, the world witnessed this call to action as the co-director for “American Factory,” the first-ever film produced by President Obama’s new production house, enthusiastically quoted this line during her acceptance speech at the 92nd Academy Awards.
But this ideology has proven time and again to be a wolf in sheep’s clothing as communist revolutions around the world have produced dark, oppressed societies that do not support freedom of religion, or really any freedom at all. As he crisscrosses the nation, Sen. Sanders has consistently labeled his political campaign “a revolution.”
Although there are certainly differences between socialism and communism, many Marxists are transparent in their vision of socialism as a gateway to rejecting capitalism, welcoming communism, and suppressing religion. Dr. Jack Graham, my good friend and Senior Pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church, exercised his own pointed concern with our nation’s future recently when he wrote, "Socialism is fundamentally at odds with the Christian worldview and seeks to repress all peoples in support of the state.” He went on, “no one serious about their Christian faith can be serious about supporting socialism.”
I agree with Pastor Jack Graham.
The truth is, the promise of socialism is a promise of tyranny and a call to trust in worldly power. It rejects the liberty God has designed for the human race. Karl Marx even considered religion and the Gospel of Christ to be a hallucination that soothed the public. Any honest student of history could tell you, this worldview is a violent threat to Christianity.
Some clever politicians have tried to deceive well-meaning Christians by suggesting that the Bible itself advocates for socialism because of passages like Luke 3:22, where Jesus tells us, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” Yet, theirs is an errant theology.
It’s clear from this and many other passages throughout that Bible that Christ has called us to be generous with our neighbors and with those in need as a matter of individual choice not as the result of coercion (by the government or anyone else).
On the surface—and for those who don’t understand socialism’s tragic history and empty promises—the socialist ideology may appear virtuous as a lifeline for the poor and working-class.
But as Christians, the sharing of our blessings is never advocated by our Creator to be a government-mandated reallocation program at the whims of whoever is in power. In practice, socialism has resulted in tragedy on a scale virtually incomparable in history. It was one major factor in making the 20th century one of the bloodiest in world history.
Christians should not be deceived. Christ champions our free will, and he welcomes anyone and everyone to make a choice to come and follow him. In Matthew 19:22 he even told us a story of a rich man who wouldn’t sacrifice his wealth and his love of money to follow him, yet Jesus never forced him to be his disciple. Again, it was his choice.
Love and charity are meant to be voluntary, not a tool to be exploited by a heavy-handed ruler or by a politician who shuttles between his multiple homes while condemning the rich.
Furthermore, the socialist ideology turns an essential component of America’s Declaration of Independence on its head. We’re told that we are “endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights.” This is indeed in keeping with our Christian faith. We believe our rights come from God, not from government. As President Trump is fond of saying, “In America, we worship God, not government.” Yet a socialist proclaims our rights come from government, not from God; and—whether or not you believe it—they will deconstruct our democracy in a way that demands it.
It’s overwhelmingly clear that socialism would not be a lifeline for America. It would be a death sentence for the most powerful, prosperous and humanitarian nation in human history. It’s a wolf in sheep's clothing; a poison pill that continues to sicken and kill nations, often impacting the poor the most, as we have most recently seen in Venezuela.
We must never have a socialist America.
This is easy.
What should have been done to Lenin? Stalin? Hitler?
Christians who vote for Democrats have been deceived. I know a few wonderful elderly Christians that hate Trump so much they don’t care how much he’s done, what he’s done, they will vote against him. Even if the Dems have more in common with Stalin, Mao, Hitler, and Pol Pot, they are getting their vote. It’s insane, but foretold.
We’d better have someone in place for 2024. Trumps shoes are going to be very difficult to fill.
Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.
***
Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle;
I don’t think modern American Christians are capable of responding to Marxism. They don’t have it in them to slaughter huge numbers of idiots.
Yes he’s a one of a kind.
Anybody hoping to follow needs to be “The Apprentice” and learn how to be a human gatling gun vs the media.
“Christians who vote for Democrats have been deceived.”
Many “Christians” in my church are in lockstep with the Socialists. I’m not even sure why these folks even attend church.
“Christians who vote for Democrats have been deceived. I know a few wonderful elderly Christians that hate Trump so much they don’t care how much he’s done, what he’s done, they will vote against him”.
That has been at the top of my concern list for a long time. They are under some kind of spell. They are unable to discern and aren’t rational or logical.
“Many “Christians” in my church are in lockstep with the Socialists. I’m not even sure why these folks even attend church”.
Yes, it’s puzzling. I know a conservative Catholic and she told me the current Pope is very popular with most liberal Catholics. That is a very bad sign.
We need more Pastors like him.
Bkmrk.
Christians have failed to respond to decades of continuous attack against our society, our morality, our knowledge, our Godliness.
Satan’s lies have infiltrated most Christian churches (any member of World Council of Churches is almost certainly apostate). Divorce acceptance, fornication acceptance, abortion on demand acceptance, sodomy acceptance, women pastors, gay pastors, gay marriage...all indicators of a church’s apostasy.
“Onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war” is a quaint, very outdated Christian hymn. And — Is the Pope Catholic?
Use flamethrowers.
Of course we know Trump the most honest pro-Christian President in our lifetime, who’s actually doing what he said he’d do despite opposition from Dems, media, and members of his own party. As the Master said, some people strain at a gnat and swallow a camel. The thing about truly deceived people is that they don’t see they are deceived. This is why we walk in love and “In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.” (2 Timothy 2:25-26)
Socialism presents itself as a political economic theory, but it is nothing of the sort.
Socialism is death cult that worships and creates death and mass murder. It demands the devotion of all its followers to the exclusion of all else, and it explicitly denies God.
It is a manifestation of the empire of evil, and its leader is the Adversary.
How should Christians respond?
Easy.
Put a 100 round drum mag in your AR or AK, train hard, and be prepared to NOT turn the other cheek.
Because they sure as Hell won’t.
Very good. Thank you. As you say, they don’t know they are being deceived. Discernment is foreign to them.
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