Some people confuse racism — preference given or denied due to one’s race, with Socialism — the political ideology of: “from each according to his ability, to each according to his need“. Therefore, they believe when someone says the agenda and actions of President Obama are socialistic, that the person who opposes him does so only because Obama is partly black. They will not deny he is a socialist, but will deflect the accusation with cries of racism, and justify his actions by comparing him to Jesus, who, in their minds, was a Socialist in His own right. Both positions, however, are incorrect.
I recommend David Chilton’s book, “Productive Christians in the Age of Guilt Manipulators” for deeper study, but will briefly address these two gross misnomers.
Jesus’ life and teachings promote truth, private property, and individual liberty with responsibility, which are foundational to the proper working of the free market. Regarding healthcare, Jesus never demanded His followers who were doctors (Luke, for example) to practice medicine at their own financial demise. He took nothing from anyone else to give sight, hearing, restored limbs, or the breath of life to those He touched. People received from Him freely, and He gave from His own resources — no one else’s.
Jesus did not continuously feed the poor, either. He never gave preference to someone because he was rich or poor — he treated all equally. On the three occasions when He fed the multitudes, they first listened to Him speak before receiving anything, and when He fed them (out of concern for their strength to travel home), He did so without collecting everyone’s food and redistributing it for all to share equally.
We must remember, too, that Jesus in no way worked for or represented the government. He did not command the government to go and do His work — He commanded His disciples. It is the job of the government to guarantee equal opportunity, not equal property. It is the responsibility of the church to help the poor — but he who refuses to work, shall not eat.
A worker is worth his wages, but not all work is equal, therefore, neither are wages.
Jesus lived a perfect life which included obeying the eighth commandment, “Do not steal”. If Obama wants to imitate Him, he can begin by keeping his hands out of the people’s pockets.
