God is after all, God of all.
Socialist like Hugo Chavez or Barack Obama?
Christian Socialist-
Christian as in Sunday school teaching, vacation bible school leading, urban mission organizing, soup kitchen starting, homebound nursing, choir singing, family praying, hymn singing, Christian
Socialist- as in highlander attending, community activism educating, union organizing, Cuba vacationing, red diaper baby raising socialists.
Obama is just NOT a socialist. In terms of American politics -among contemporary politicians and candidates Kucinich is consistently the most likely to get the support of people like my mother. (my father has passed)
But when does left-wing and progressive activities start to become heresy and false teachings? I'm thinking, when it contradicts and opposes the Apostolic witness. Which of course, includes the Gospel.
I don't find progressive politics to contradict scripture.
And the taking of other peoples money and freedoms by liberal politicians? How Jesus is that?
My parents were firm believers in the redistribution of wealth to insure that nobody does without. They complained not a bit about taxes, and they gave what was asked. Perhaps watching those who own the means of production getting rich off of those who don't contributed to their beliefs. I have not much to say about those who don't care to contribute to the well being of their neighbors but as Christians we were raised that there is nothing material that belongs to us, it's ours by grace and if someone else needs it then it's theirs.
Our home overflowed with people who needed our space. I have not the level of faith my parents have/had. I cannot shelter that many people- my fears overwhelm my faith.
I have been a recipient of help from the public in the form of food stamps, medicaid and cash assistance, for almost 3 years I had at least one form or another of that assistance. I got financial aid for college, I got heat subsidies and earned income tax credits over a period of 5 years. To now be in a position where I am not in need but can give, both in the form of adding to the central pool given out by the government and by reaching in my pocket to hand over what I have.
I don't see any of my freedoms being attacked by liberal politicians. What freedoms are you losing at the hand of liberal politicians. Liberal politicians ever show up on your doorstep to interrogate you about who had visited your home recently?
Our parents and neighbors were questioned regularly - the guys sitting in their cars across the street from our building would stop us kids as we came home from school and stick pictures in our face of various people and ask if we'd seem them lately. My parents never housed bomb building radicals, but the government seemed to think they did. My father was once arrested for refusing to allowing a police officer into the house to search for the abused wife and children of a fellow officer. We found that an extreme intervention on our freedoms.
Nobody in my family is particularly concerned about politicians, conservative or otherwise. They were socialists because they didn't believe in some notion of the rugged individualist who doesn't need anyone else and they supported politicians who seemed most likely to at least recognize the need for social justice.
What about you and your examples?
I hope they see that I strive to come close to the example set by my parents, and follow my example - but my parents outshine me by leaps and bounds, in all things I value I teach my children to look to the best resource for learning how to live those values.
