Christianity and socialism

So soon, thinking of Christs teachings and living your life Where does He talk of a "higher revenue stream"? I rather think that the money lenders made him somewhat annoyed! On the other hand he did show by example in the sermon on the mount of the necessity of sharing your wealth in the form of loaves and fishes - but of course I don't need to tell you this

I always think about Jesus as the Rebel Rabbi - he followed some of the OT laws but saw through the hypocrisy of many of the others.
In his time he was like the leader of a political party, but many of his sayings are too cryptic for me to understand.
eg Render to caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God, the things that are God's. ie paying taxes?
He was a pacifist too.

I am neither, but could never understand who so many wanted to dissociate the two- the basic tenets being almost identical.

I am not a Christian and have very little time for any religions because they generally support the traditional devaluation and suppression of women and exploitation of the poor.

However, whilst all scriptures are interpreted in different ways by different people and we can never know how accurately they report what happened or what was said thousands of years ago, it does appear that Jesus was very unusual in appearing to put forward principles of:

humility, non-violence, non-exploitation, forgiveness, unconditional love, communalism, etc. :

Love thy neighbour as thyself
Turn the other cheek
Easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God
Good Samaritan
He who is without sin cast the first stone
Throwing out the moneylenders
Sharing the loaves and fishes with everyone
Washing feet of disciples

.... though, of course, many theological experts will dispute those interpretations.

People predictably tend to say "Of course, all those qualities are admirable and desirable in ..... (wait for it) ..... an ideal world but they are not achievable in this world." Perhaps that is so, but it will never be anything even approaching an ideal world if we don't at least try to make it so.

We are apparently made in the image of god - and since mankind can be cruel, egocentric, warlike.....well,add your own.........where does that leave god?

It was only man that stated we were made in God's image . Of course we are not.

The socialists on this site don't seem too keen on humility, forgiveness and turning the other cheek!

I do remember from somewhere in the New Testament, that a disciple was pressing Jesus to do something and Jesus told him ' the poor will always be with us' meaning I think that they should listen to him and his teaching, because he wouldn't be here forever.they are still with us in the world today, and they were still in the USSR under extreme Socialism, Communism.

I think that anyone can follow a lot of what Christ preached, without having any belief at all.Not all, obviously.

I think he said the poor will always be with us because he knew greed would always be with us

No, AB, he did say it was because he would not be here, but can't think of the exact wording.

Jesus was anointed at Bethany with precious oils and when his disciples objected and said that the oils could have been sold and the money distributed to the poor, this was his answer.
It is a hard one to understand and has been quoted many times to justify the huge riches of the Church in the face of world poverty, amongst other things.

…But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why do you bother the woman? For she has done a good deed to Me. 11"For you always have the poor with you; but you do not always have Me. 12"For when she poured this perfume on My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial.…

I think rosesarered sums it up well.

The poor will always be with you but you will not always have me

A number of people who were in at the start of the Labour Party were very active Christians and there is still a very strong link between Christianity and socialism here and in other countries.

The riches of the church can never be justified but they try bless them

True Lillygran , my g grandpa who was a baptist minister and a practising Christian worked with Keir Hardie to establish the Labour Party as we know it now , as did others in the churches who had to face the suffering of the hungry every day , my great set up soup kitchens , took work as a miner to earn extra money which went to feed widows and children , little wonder he died from exhaustion

"The poor will not cease to exist within the land......open your hand to your brother, to your poor one and to the destitiute in your land" is a quote from the OT, Deuteronomy 15:11.

"In my Father's house there are many mansions".

Genesis 1… 27*God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him*; Seems pretty clear to me. I am sure that someone will be able to tell me I have misunderstood this!

There is no doubt that many of the Victorian philanthropists and anti-slave campaigners were motivated by the kindly brand of Christianity.

Unfortunately there are others who are OT-bound.

But it was men who wrote the Bible.

Naturally, at that time they would think that, us being the superior animal on the planet.Not that they realised it was a planet.

Some highly educated people knew about the planets, but not many.

I know it was man who wrote the bible - but there are some in here who do not!!

Might have been a woman? #justsaying

Do you think they did know, roses, in biblical times? How could they, realistically, when there was no reason to suspect their presence, never mind the equiment to see them?