Jesus is a Capitalist [Pope Francis Errs]

World Net Daily ^ | December 1, 2013 | Jonathon Moseley

[Moseley]

We discover in the New Testament, in Luke Chapter 12:13-14:

“Someone in the crowd said to Him [Jesus Christ], ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.’ But He said to him, ‘Man, who appointed Me a judge or arbitrator over you?’”

In just one verse, we see that God rejects the left-wing “Jesus Christ supported socialism” heresy. When Jesus was asked to support redistribution of wealth – to tell one brother to share the family inheritance with the other – Jesus refused. Jesus would never support government or a church stealing property by force to give it to a stranger. He would not even intervene for one man to share his own family’s wealth with his own brother.

Obviously, Jesus would sternly warn the brother hoarding wealth against greed, dishonesty and defrauding his family. But Jesus preached to the person in front of him about how to live right. Jesus was never teaching one person what is wrong with someone else (except to clarify how the listener should behave by contrast).

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.

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.

[Alex Murphy]

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. 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.

Ping for later

[Vendome]

Huh?

You mean he can walk on water and make sense too?

Miracles never end with this guy.

Thank you Jesus.

[Vendome]

Well, I do think that while poverty cannot be eliminated he could have at least started a foundation to study the problem.

[dila813]

I am catholic, but I don’t believe in updating the religion to please unbelievers.

[ClaytonP]

And another view on the translation problem:

I'm fed up with the people who try to spin his words into something they are not.

On the one hand Catholics always remind us that the Pope's infallibility only extends to a very narrow area.

However they seem to never be able to accept any criticism for stupid/wrong things he has said.

Its like they always believe he is right on everything and if a statement appears wrong/stupid then it MUST be either a translation error, a mainstream media distortion, or something taken out of context.

This constant spinning of all stupid/wrong statements from the Vatican really causes me to loose any and all respect for his rabid apologists.

I think people would respect Catholics more if they just owned up to the mistakes of their church.

If the Pope is a sinner just like the rest of us, then start treating him like a human being instead of some kind of demigod.

[Mechanicos]

It can be said that Socialism could be considered a multifaceted promotion of sin. First, it is theft. Second it promotes coveting others’ property. Third and the most insidious, is it creates a barrier to spreading the Word by injecting a secular government in the place of the Christian duty to minister to the poor and needy.

[Moorings]

It is not right to pigeon-hole Jesus into some kind of box that we have made, such as capitalism or socialism.

Though the Bible is clear about helping the poor and charity to those who are in need, it should be from willing hearts. The Bible especially speaks against those who are lazy and unwilling to work for a living, and does not support them being given welfare.

The Bible does not support forced re-distribution of wealth, from those who work to those that don't want to work. The Bible speaks against tyrannical leaders who squeeze their people of their sweat and labor.

Jesus was not a community organizer. He came to save both the rich and poor and those in between from the enslavement of sin, and provide reconciliation with God.

[Revolting cat!]

One wonders what to those who use the word "socialism" as an insult, prime among them one Rush Limbo, who characterized the Pope's paper as "pure Marxism" without any evidence to support his contention, one wonders what to these people is NOT "socialism"?! Taxation, whether used to build roads or to give away Obamafoams, is in all cases a transfer of wealth. I recall Milton Friedman's glorification of Hong Kong in "Free to Choose". I don't remember him mentioning that most of Hong Kong's housing (80% or 90%, I don't remember) is public.

[Yossarian]

Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation explicitly argues for government intervention in the economy (markets) which can only be achieved by government violence or threat of violence. Jesus does not support violence to intervene in the economy.

Ironically, he's all for government interaction in markets…
…unless you're talking about labor markets.

In that case, he (and the whole rest of the Bishops) are all for open borders, letting cheap labor put out of work the original residents of those affected countries!

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Francis was disparaging consumerism, which is not the same thing as capitalism.

I think we can all agree that we are not our %#^*^%$ khakis, as Tyle Durden would say.

[Nemoque]

One of the reasons for the Protestant Reformation was because of the papacy’s intrusion into economics. Apparently that part of Jesus’ teaching where he says, “Render unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God” is ignored by Catholicism. For a papacy they derives its money primarily through donations (mostly from wealthy capitalist nations), produces nothing, and is run by a monarchy, to lecture on economics is pure hypocrisy.

[SuziQ]

Jesus was neither capitalist nor socialist, I believe that is all the Pope is saying.

[Yossarian]

Jesus was neither capitalist nor socialist, I believe that is all the Pope is saying.

Nope, Francis is calling OUTRIGHT for government intervention in the base economy. Please read his actual words. (I know it's not pleasant having to think of the office of the Pope in this way, but he's saying what he's saying.)

[chuckles]

The problem with thinking Jesus was a socialist is Jesus was TEACHING THE CHURCH. He expects His followers to be generous WITH THEIR OWN MONEY.

Today, we have the tares and goats saying the government is God and we should steal other peoples money and give it away. Telling a hungry person where the food stamp office is not storing any treasure for you in Heaven, but slipping them $10 for a burger might do the trick. Jesus expects YOU to help people, not force others to give their money the way you think best. Satan is a liar and has substituted government for God and convinced some believers that socialism is kind and full of mercy, only to find out later that is is theft and kills families and independence. Just look at the destruction of the families and the waste of human potential that comes from socialism. Jesus would never approve. To even suggest that anything progressive is Godly is blasphemy. The same people that want to steal your tax money and throw it down a hole, also murder children, sanction sodomy, prevent prayer, promote adultery and fornication, among the many sins that are too numerous to mention. No,....... Scripture was written for people, not governments. If Jesus is the governor of your life, you have the right government. If Obama and his ilk governs you, you are lost and headed for Hell.

[Moseley]

"That’s partly what the incident at the temple was all about in Matthew 21, when Jesus overturned the tables of money-changers. Some think money-changers were bankers."
I thought it was because Jesus didn't want the sanctity of the temple violated by commerce.

Yes, that, too. But part of the reason the sanctity of the temple was so violated was that the people buying and selling products and changing money in the temple were ripping people off -- similar to a tourist trap. Worshippers traveled a long way to come to worship God at the temple and offer their sacrifices. When they came there, animals to sacrifice were being sold at greatly inflated prices and those coming to worship God were being ripped off.

[Moseley]

Telling a hungry person where the food stamp office is not storing any treasure for you in Heaven, but slipping them $10 for a burger might do the trick.

When I worked in the city (D.C.) I bought gift coupons at McDonalds and handed out gift coupons for meals at McDonalds

[what's up]

Jesus is a capitalist. He advocates freedom. That is capitalism.

[Moseley]

So I believe that Jesus set an example of giving for His disciples and therefore can command us to give and it shall be given unto us because He gave.

Absolutely right. And I agree with all of your post.

But I assume you would agree that nothing Jesus ever said (taught) or did justifies in any way taking something by force from one person in order to "give" something to another?

King David said I will not give anything to God that did cost me nothing. If I take money from one person, then I am giving nothing because it is not my money I am giving.

[thecodont]

Wasn’t it also true that the animal market was in the Court of the Gentiles, and was thus preventing Gentiles from coming to worship in the Temple?

“My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” — Jesus Christ

[Moseley]

Funnily enough too - if you read Acts - you will see that the Apostles and their followers did live in a sort of collectivist association where everyone brought money to the cause. Also Paul said that true religion takes care of the widow and orphan this makes us realize along with the freedoms comes dire responsibility.

So you believe that relates somehow to grabbing money by force from one person to give it to another?

I do not mean to jump on your comment, except I do not see why else you and others would make such comments other than you really don't understand the difference between giving your own money to the poor versus stealing someone else's money to give to the poor.

Do you see a difference between stealing someone else's money to give it away as opposed to giving your own money to the poor?