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▋ INTRODUCTION. I am constantly amazed at how many people, including some Christians, believe that the Bible teaches ‘Socialism’, just like many of them erroneously believe that the Bible teaches ‘Darwinism’. This flawed perception, i.e., that the BIble teaches 'Socialism', is easily rebutted:
⦿ Socialism vs. Charity. Definition of socialism: “A political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole.” [Oxford Languages].
The idea that the Bible teaches ‘socialism’ is probably sparked when people confuse commerce with charity, or business with welfare. For instance, the Bible teaches that extortionate interest on loans between ‘brothers’ (Brother-Israelites) are unethical in the arena of charity [Psalm15]. On the other hand, Jesus Christ used the parable of the ‘talents’ to encourage interest earned on ‘savings’ or an ‘investment’ at a bank in the arena of commerce [Matthew25:27].
Socialism can be described as an economic system of government through the superficial, central command & control of the means of production in a society and which has nothing to do with welfare or charity.
Socialism is coerced, either by law or at the point of a gun (as in communism) or by both. Welfare or charity is, in sharp contrast, voluntary and spontaneous, hence the huge number of mosques, synagogues, churches, other religious and local welfare organisations and NGOs (and, dysfunctionally of course, even governments) worldwide are constantly engaged in the arena of charity. Government involvement in charity/welfare (social grants etc.) usually is a symptom of a social disease, i.e., a failing economic model, ie., like South Africa's failing 'democratic socialism', courtesy of the ruling 'Tripartite Alliance'. Such governments do that to help them stay in power, i.e., win votes at the next election so that they can keep on implementing and running their failing economic model, probably in the forlorn hope that something will 'turn up' to save their face in the eyes of their constituents.
⦿ The Biblical Model. God (‘YHWH’ or ‘Yahweh’) Himself sanctioned the freemarket system of private property ownership. In the ‘Ten Commandments’ it is clearly taught: “You shall not steal … You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.” [Exodus20:15,17MKJV].
⦿ Rich men in the Bible. Abraham was a rich man; so were David and Solomon. After his terrible ordeal from natural disasters and suffering, the faith-hero Job was blessed by God with double the wealth he had earlier owned and lost, to again privately own fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses. He also had seven sons and three daughters. [Job42:12-13MKJV].
Rich men from the New Testament included (among others) Aquila & Priscilla (Acts18:2-3); Cornelius (Acts10:1); Dorcas (Acts9:36); Jason (Acts17:5-9); Joseph called Barnabas (Acts4:36-37); Lydia (Acts16:14-15); Mnason (Acts21:16); Philemon (Philemon Chptr1)
and Sergius Paulus (Acts13:6-12) etc.
⦿ Thrift & Charity. The Bible encourages Thrift & Charity.
Bear in mind that, In this last instance, the charity was dispensed as a spontaneous, voluntary act from within a compassionate religious (Christian) community which had nothing to do with the Roman government or the Jewish authorities, nor with any so-called (government-driven) ‘socialism’.
Socialism is coerced, either by law or at the point of a gun (as in communism) or by both. Welfare or charity is, in sharp contrast, voluntary and spontaneous, hence the huge number of mosques, synagogues, churches, other religious and local welfare organisations and NGOs (and, dysfunctionally of course, even governments) worldwide are constantly engaged in the arena of charity. Government involvement in charity/welfare (social grants etc.) usually is a symptom of a social disease, i.e., a failing economic model, ie., like South Africa's failing 'democratic socialism', courtesy of the ruling 'Tripartite Alliance'. Such governments do that to help them stay in power, i.e., win votes at the next election so that they can keep on implementing and running their failing economic model, probably in the forlorn hope that something will 'turn up' to save their face in the eyes of their constituents.
⦿ The Biblical Model. God (‘YHWH’ or ‘Yahweh’) Himself sanctioned the freemarket system of private property ownership. In the ‘Ten Commandments’ it is clearly taught: “You shall not steal … You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.” [Exodus20:15,17MKJV].
⦿ Rich men in the Bible. Abraham was a rich man; so were David and Solomon. After his terrible ordeal from natural disasters and suffering, the faith-hero Job was blessed by God with double the wealth he had earlier owned and lost, to again privately own fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses. He also had seven sons and three daughters. [Job42:12-13MKJV].
David bought a threshing floor from Araunah, suggesting free bartering and private ownership:
"And Araunah saith, 'Wherefore hath my lord the king come unto his servant?' and David saith, 'To buy from thee the threshing-floor, to build an altar to Jehovah, and the plague is restrained from the people.'
And Araunah saith unto David, 'Let my lord the king take and cause to ascend that which is good in his eyes; see, the oxen for a burnt-offering, and the threshing instruments, and the instruments of the oxen, for wood;' the whole hath Araunah given, as a king to a king; and Araunah saith unto the king, 'Jehovah thy God doth accept thee.'
And the king saith unto Araunah, 'Nay, for I do surely buy from thee for a price, and I do not cause to ascend to Jehovah my God burnt-offerings for nought;' and David buyeth the threshing-floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver."
[2Samuel24:21-24MKJV].
and Sergius Paulus (Acts13:6-12) etc.
After His crucifixion, Jesus was interred in a rich man’s grave, i.e., the grave of Joseph of Arimathea who stood sympathetic toward Him. [Matthew27:57MKJV].
⦿ Thrift & Charity. The Bible encourages Thrift & Charity.
“Let him who stole steal no more, but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, so that he may have something to give to him who needs.” [Ephesians4:28MKJV].
“For neither was anyone needy among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and they laid them down at the apostles' feet. And distribution was made to every man according as he had need.” [Acts4:34-35MKJV].
Bear in mind that, In this last instance, the charity was dispensed as a spontaneous, voluntary act from within a compassionate religious (Christian) community which had nothing to do with the Roman government or the Jewish authorities, nor with any so-called (government-driven) ‘socialism’.
The main difference is that whereas (i) socialism is government-driven by decree and involves the means of production, (ii) charity is voluntary and spontaneous and involves private individuals and/or organisations voluntarily sharing their bounty.
⦿ Restitution. The Bible also demands restitution, something that is only rationally possible in a society where private property ownership is possible.
⦿ Restitution. The Bible also demands restitution, something that is only rationally possible in a society where private property ownership is possible.
“If a man shall deliver to his neighbor silver or stuff to keep, and it is stolen out of the man's house; if the thief is found, let him pay double. If the thief is not found, then the master of the house shall be brought to the judges, whether he has put his hand to his neighbor's goods. For every case of trespass, for ox, for ass, for sheep, for clothing, for any kind of lost thing, which another claims to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges. Whom the judges shall condemn, he shall pay double to his neighbor.”
[Exodus22:7-9MKJV].
▋COLONIALISM. If people are so serious about the ‘scourge’ of colonialism, then why do they still follow their colonialist masters of socialism, i.e., Karl Marx, Leon Trotsky and Friedrich Engels?
People differ, so it is often said that, while the Freemarket may lead to the unequal distribution of wealth, socialism usually will lead to the equal distribution of poverty and misery. It is commonly known that, in the final analysis, socialism spends the wealth that capitalism (the 'Freemarket') produces, and never vice versa. Why do so many politicians who preach 'socialism' all day long themselves live like wealthy capitalists? Because capitalism pays their bills and funds their luxury lifestyles ... depending on 'socialism' for that would be painfully embarrassing for them, as socialism has always had a problem delivering the goodies.
In the Freemarket profits are signs of success, i.e., of doing and delivering what consumers need and want. Never knock profits, for, among other things, profits ensure business and/or industry survival & expansion and job creation & security. Profits pay salaries, fund incre-mental pay-increases and promotions and serve as critical road-signs for manufacturers and businesspeople to indicate which products and/or services, predicated on the needs, wants and volatile whims of consumers, should industry pursue and make available, and which should be avoided.
In the Freemarket profits are signs of success, i.e., of doing and delivering what consumers need and want. Never knock profits, for, among other things, profits ensure business and/or industry survival & expansion and job creation & security. Profits pay salaries, fund incre-mental pay-increases and promotions and serve as critical road-signs for manufacturers and businesspeople to indicate which products and/or services, predicated on the needs, wants and volatile whims of consumers, should industry pursue and make available, and which should be avoided.
▋THE BIBLE DOES NOT CONDONE CORRUPTION. In capitalist countries there invariable will be a lot of wealth to go around, especially in good times and certainly more so than in socialist countries, and, since socialism does not have the monopoly on greedy, selfish criminals and felons, the temptation to steal, embezzle and pilfer will always be around.
Rich people who had stolen themselves rich is not capitalism’s fault; it is the fault of a government's poor stewardship, sloppy oversight and lack of political will and skill to combat corruption in the arenas of government, big business and law enforcement. Corruption in government circles or corrupt politicians is not 'crony capitalism' as Leftists would want us to believe; it is still the same old socialism (or 'corporatism'), i.e., the illegal and unlawful 'redistribution of wealth' without permission.
The Bible says: “A wicked man takes a bribe out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.” [Proverbs17:23MKJV].
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