Is Socialism Moral? Especially, Christian?

[Purple Knight]

The question for debate is whether a socialist system is closer to how Jesus intended people to behave than a capitalist one.

The sub-question is for those who think socialism is moral whether that was inspired by religion or not: If a country's laws were very close to what Jesus (or your morality) taught, but as a consequence, the country was a very bad place to live, would you move there? For example, a country that has a lot of assault because it is a law that you turn the other cheek and don't hit back, and you'll be punished for retaliating. Or a country where ministers roam around, imbued with legal authority, and they decide when you must sell all your possessions and give to the poor, including your house and car.

It's very easy to have high morals when the consequences are less present because the system you happen to live in works to protect you from them. Is there something extra moral about choosing to live where the system doesn't do that? Or is it just foolish? Because perhaps the goal is to have and hold the highest morals possible and if you've been given an ivory tower with which to protect them, that's simply a logical choice to achieve maximum morality.

[marke]

[Replying to marke in post #149]

Good business provides workers with jobs and paychecks in a free market system that encourages those who can to risk their wealth to provide those jobs and benefits in exchange for a profit.

.....again illustrating the difference between free market theory and frequent free market practice.

https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/53655

Marke: Labor exploitation involves bosses forcing laborers to work under unpleasant conditions against their will. It does not involve laborers who beg for jobs and get those jobs under mutual agreements with bosses.

[Athetotheist]

[Replying to marke in post #151]

Labor exploitation involves bosses forcing laborers to work under unpleasant conditions against their will. It does not involve laborers who beg for jobs and get those jobs under mutual agreements with bosses.

Should workers have to settle for scraps if scraps are all they're offered?

Those of us with a bit of financial comfort can all stand to do better. You believe in the Bible, right? Well, the Bible offers a guaranteed payback on investments in caring for those in need:

"He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, and that which he has given He will repay to him."
(Proverbs 19:17)

[oldbadger]

Marke: It is not unloving or evil to oppose bad policies and politics.

Enough........ I'm convinced that many who declare themselves to be followers of Jesus are not.

[marke]

[Replying to marke in post #151]

Labor exploitation involves bosses forcing laborers to work under unpleasant conditions against their will. It does not involve laborers who beg for jobs and get those jobs under mutual agreements with bosses.

Should workers have to settle for scraps if scraps are all they're offered?

Marke: Yes, workers must settle for wages that are determined by the free market. Even if an owner wanted to exceed the wage rates set by the free market the free market pressures could then possibly put him out of business and everyone would then be out of a job. We found that out in the fast food industry in California when the progressives in the state set new artificial high wage standards the market would not bear.

Those of us with a bit of financial comfort can all stand to do better. You believe in the Bible, right? Well, the Bible offers a guaranteed payback on investments in caring for those in need:

"He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, and that which he has given He will repay to him."
(Proverbs 19:17)

Marke: Whether rich or poor all Christians are given all they need by the Lord.

[marke]

Marke: It is not unloving or evil to oppose bad policies and politics.

Enough........ I'm convinced that many who declare themselves to be followers of Jesus are not.

Marke: I'm not sure God has given you the right to judge others that way.

[oldbadger]

Marke: I'm not sure God has given you the right to judge others that way.

But you often tell us who you think is right, wrong, evil or whatever, don't you?!
The bible tells that your God gave everybody the freedom to decide and do what they want.

Your Bible knowledge does seem to be falling apart. Do you read it often?

[marke]

Marke: I'm not sure God has given you the right to judge others that way.

But you often tell us who you think is right, wrong, evil or whatever, don't you?!
The bible tells that your God gave everybody the freedom to decide and do what they want.

Your Bible knowledge does seem to be falling apart. Do you read it often?

Marke: I started studying the Bible with energy almost immediately after getting saved in 1971.

[Athetotheist]

[Replying to marke in post #154]

Whether rich or poor all Christians are given all they need by the Lord.

.....as long as they have Macedonia and Achaia to make it happen.

[oldbadger]

Marke: I started studying the Bible with energy almost immediately after getting saved in 1971.

A careful reading of both testaments shows that peoples who cared for everybody in the community advanced, the Mosaic laws demanded that everybody would be included in a welfare program, and the poor were given rights to endure that they could survive.

Equally, Jesus showed similar feelings for the disabled, weak and poor.

Christians who don't follow what Jesus believed in cannot possibly be real Christians.

[marke]

Marke: I started studying the Bible with energy almost immediately after getting saved in 1971.

A careful reading of both testaments shows that peoples who cared for everybody in the community advanced, the Mosaic laws demanded that everybody would be included in a welfare program, and the poor were given rights to endure that they could survive.

Equally, Jesus showed similar feelings for the disabled, weak and poor.

Christians who don't follow what Jesus believed in cannot possibly be real Christians.

Marke: Jesus never instructed Christians to support socialism, Marxism, communism, or free market capitalism. Jesus' instructions to Christians about caring for others was directed at the individual Christian, not instruction for Christians to force others to comply with mob or communal governing welfare.