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Are Christians Supposed to Be Communists?
NYT ^ | David Bentley Hart

Posted on 11/06/2017 5:34:46 AM PST by NorseViking

Link only.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: History; Politics; Religion
KEYWORDS:
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To: NorseViking

The Bible clearly affirms private ownership of property. It encourages working to provide for yourself and buy your own bread/property.

What is yours is mine = Spirit of Communism
What is mine is thine = Spirit of Christianity


41 posted on 11/06/2017 6:33:19 AM PST by .45 Long Colt
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To: mountn man

A very famous TV preacher recently stated that Paul wrote over half the NT.

Wow. He could not be more far off. He is also off on other areas. But then, I guess so am I as over the last 50 years God keeps adjusting my thinking in many areas, but NOT in the area of The Lord Jesus and His finished work....other than continually seeing more of the height, depth, breadth and width of what He did in His crucifixion, burial and resurrection....

Actually Luke wrote more of the NT than anyone else, at just under 25%, and Paul wrote just a little less than Luke, both in the 24% range.

Together they did not write half.


42 posted on 11/06/2017 6:39:05 AM PST by Arlis
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To: NorseViking

“But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession. 2 And he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? 4 While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”” Acts 5:1-4


43 posted on 11/06/2017 6:39:41 AM PST by Wiser now (Socialism does not eliminate poverty, it guarantees it.)
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To: NorseViking

Stupid question that only an idiot would ask.


44 posted on 11/06/2017 6:40:42 AM PST by mulligan (The)
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To: NorseViking

Christians tried something like Communism early on, found it untenable and dropped it.


45 posted on 11/06/2017 6:41:08 AM PST by arthurus
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To: NorseViking

Communism is evil and anyone who promotes it is ignorant or evil no matter how many quotes ha can cherry-pick out of the Bible.


46 posted on 11/06/2017 6:42:37 AM PST by Seruzawa (TANSTAAFL!)
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To: NorseViking

Three different economy’s

God provides
Man provides
Government provides


47 posted on 11/06/2017 6:56:42 AM PST by Raycpa
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To: mountn man

I have no problem with that....Paul was one who met Jesus on road to Damascus, after Jesus ascended into heaven. He wrote about the power of Holy Spirit, and the gifts of spirit. If anyone knew first hand about those things, it was Paul, who had been Saul of Tarsus.

In fact, Paul wrote about the coming of Jesus (second coming), which is when those gifts will be done away with. So many preach it was over after the disciples were here, which is NOT true. Paul was not ‘apostle’ until AFTER Jesus ascended into heaven, so that Holy Spirit could come. Without Holy Spirit there could be no gifts, speaking in tongues, as Paul describes how to use.


48 posted on 11/06/2017 7:00:31 AM PST by Ambrosia ( Conservative Independent- southern as grits, lived all over, and so opinionated!)
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To: NorseViking

I’m having trouble reading the NYT article. I find the groans the souls of the hundreds of millions slaughtered in the name of communist ideals a tad distracting.


49 posted on 11/06/2017 7:03:35 AM PST by Noumenon (Can you imagine if Islam were NOT the religion of peace?)
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To: NorseViking

Scripture advocates private property throughout.

The early church practiced communal finances and food for a moment, then quit and went back to private property.


50 posted on 11/06/2017 7:03:46 AM PST by lurk
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To: rbg81
.................look at the history of Communism and conclude its anything but a failed and dangerous ideology.

Yes, but it has positive medical application such as combating obesity. "Tree Bark, Grass and Ramen Noodles Diet" is Communism's gift to mankind.......

51 posted on 11/06/2017 7:07:36 AM PST by varon (Let the games begin.............)
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To: NorseViking

Christianity is the love, worship, and devotion to God. Communism is the devotion to man. Only God can change minds to Christianity. At the same time, only god can allow man to observe communism at his/her’s desire to be served and controlled. And God has never “made” someone do anything and has always allowed them to make their own way. So man/woman goes to God for love and to communism for earthly items of which they will not lead to the right hand of God. No different than Sodom and Gomorrah.

rwood


52 posted on 11/06/2017 7:11:52 AM PST by Redwood71
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To: wbarmy

Yep - even though they knew they were carrying the most valuable message ever, they understood that they should not expect to be given room and board w/o earning their way.


53 posted on 11/06/2017 7:12:17 AM PST by trebb (Where in the the hell has my country gone?)
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To: NorseViking

If one wants the “communism” of the Acts era, one also gets the sudden deaths of Ananias and Sapphira. There was MORTAL judgment attached to lying to the Holy Spirit about property freely owned yet deceptively offered.


54 posted on 11/06/2017 7:12:32 AM PST by avenir ("But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days"--2 Tim. 3:1)
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To: Jim Noble
God's humility in allowing us Free Will allows much - with the apostles caveat that if a man will not work, he should not eat...

I knew some folks who decided to live in communes in the '60s - they discovered that too few did all the work and the rest leeched off them...came away a bit disillusioned about their precious Communism...

55 posted on 11/06/2017 7:14:54 AM PST by trebb (Where in the the hell has my country gone?)
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To: NorseViking

Isn’t it the opposite? Christians are supposed to participate in charity voluntarily, not force other people to do it.


56 posted on 11/06/2017 7:18:37 AM PST by nickcarraway
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To: wbarmy
If thou shalt not work, thou shalt not eat. Doesn’t sound like communism to me.

2 The 3:10 For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.

Will is important because it is the refusal to work. I agree with you, sounds like the opposite of communism. We have infinite social programs, welfare, free rent, free heat, free health care, ebt, rewards for producing bastards.

57 posted on 11/06/2017 7:20:44 AM PST by DungeonMaster (Goblins, Orcs and the Undead: Metaphors for the godless left.)
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To: NorseViking
That is one of the most idiotic questions that I've ever read.

Read an article with some real wisdom.
58 posted on 11/06/2017 7:33:28 AM PST by Yosemitest (It's SIMPLE ! ... Fight, ... or Die !)
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To: Yosemitest

‘’’’ Here we have peaceful America.
We have no such national purpose as a goal to overthrow any other nation,
or to force or impose the American form of government, or its system of society, on any other nation. ‘’’’

Well. Bushes and Hillary thinks differently...


59 posted on 11/06/2017 7:36:56 AM PST by NorseViking
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To: conservatism_IS_compassion
Voluntary collectivism can be great, when practiced by virtuous people. It rarely works when practiced too extremely, and with large groups of people who don't have common self-interests.

People are entitled to organized such efforts whenever they so desire. The early church attempted to operate like this in several cases and—to a degree—with some success.

As soon as it adopts coercive and authoritarian characteristics, collectivism quickly becomes a Tyrannical abomination, rife with abuse and destined to failure.

But I'm all for like-minded people to practice it whenever it makes logical sense, and carries the potential of being beneficial.

If I'm not mistaken, there are various industry-oriented business collectives which exist (and prosper?) in the United States...

60 posted on 11/06/2017 7:39:09 AM PST by sargon ("If we were in the midst of a zombie apocalypse, the Left would protest for zombies' rights.")
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