Was Christ the true founder of Communism?

[tgg]

This reading from Acts seems to make one think so:

Acts 2:44-47 "All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."

It seems to uphold the communist manifesto "For each man according to his ability, each man according to give." It is certainly not evil. The problem was that the Marxist version ended up being sold out and people who did not want to obey it were slaughtered like the regimes of Josef Stalin, and Mao Tse-Tung had done.


tgg

 

[The Bad Templar]

It seems to uphold the communist manifesto "For each man according to his ability, each man according to give." It is certainly not evil. The problem was that the Marxist version ended up being sold out and people who did not want to obey it were slaughtered like the regimes of Josef Stalin, and Mao Tse-Tung had done.

It looks great on paper... until human beings started putting it into practice.

Unlike Marx, Jesus Christ wasn't a theorist and actually lived what he believed.

Acts 2:44-47 "All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."

This is a difficult one. Historians believe that, rather than inventing a new, ideal form of community, that the early Christians took on the established characteristics of a break-off Jewish sect.

The Jerusalem church really only lasted as an entity for 40 years until the Fall of Jerusalem in 70AD so it's hard to gauge its long-term success.

The church in Antioch, which was a base for the mission to the Gentiles, is probably a better model to examine.

The Christian church kept many of the aspects of Acts 2:44-47 because it was in survival mode due to persecutions up until 312AD. They secretly met in homes, prayed and sang hymns and shared meals together.

The contemporary church can learn a lot from the early Christians, but I think their community was an organic, Spirit-centred group rather than representing any sort of social philosophy.

 

[GdayJim]

Interesting,

Christ promoted a restored relationship to him. As opposed to in rebellion to him.

Sharing one-anothers needs isn't communism, it's community... so ok, thats why it's called communism.

If you call that communism, then you may as well have included Moses, Abraham and all the crew from Surviver as Communist.

I think communism itself wasn't a bad idea, but it'll only work if the leader is free from all sinfulness. And as humans thats not possible. But communism has had it's negative impression....so....

 

[Jennifer615]

The three of you have really good points.

Personally, I usually vote Labor. I like the idea of looking after the poor and needy, even if we pay more taxes. Some fundamentalists think taking anything from the government is satanic, and some say Jesus was the first socialist. I don't really believe either theory. I think bad templer has a good point, saying the early church was in survival mode, knowing they could be arrested and killed anytime.

I personally think communism could probably work in some 3rd world countries if it was Christian based.

Just my 2c worth.

 

[GdayJim]

Well as soon as we start labelling Jesus the starter of "add group here"

then people will start blaming Christ for something he didn't do, and probably won't do, because he's not around earth to tell us.

But then again, we await for his return for the clear and simple infallible system of him as Lord

 

[The Bad Templar]

Personally, I usually vote Labor. I like the idea of looking after the poor and needy.

Why do you vote Labor then?

 

[Johnnz]

Some have commented that communism is a Christian heresy. It has some Christian values (social justice for example) but in its atheistic form it was very anti Christian.

Also, Jesus did not come to pronounce a philosophy, but to transform people through His life within them. In this respect Christianity differs from all other philosophies.

John
NZ

 

[brismatt]

if you want to call what jesus started "communism", then you'd have to agree his version of it was to make everyone equal (those who had much, helped those who did not. to be the greatest you must be a servant). the dictators version (whichever one you want to pick) was about crushing every one down to the same level and leaving himself standing tall. whatever label you wish to use, jesus is still the way.

 

[JFreak89]

The main reason that the church of that time sold all they had, and gave to those who needed it most to survive, was that they believed that christ was going to return any moment, they were living solely for christ, waiting in eagerness for him to return. Obviously they were waiting their whole life, but still, we know that through verses such as these, they expected the rapture at any time, as should we, as it says, i am coming like a thief in the night.

This isnt really anything like communism, its a community that are living their life for each day, not needing money for the next, because by tomorrow, Jesus may have returned, and there would be no need for food, and wine, and precious silver and gold

hope that helps ya

GB
Jfreak

 

[winglovesall]

I agree with JFreak89 there - and there's a difference between " Communism" and " Equality " or " Egalitarianism " -

Communism seemed really terrible. Dictatorship seemed more terrible.

But Christ isn't both Communism and Dictatorship.

The Lord made us differently and that's why human beings are so special. But it's a community living together for Jesus Christ. But, yeah, I don't get why Christ is communism anyway - well, my views has changed since yesterday afternoon. I used to think it differently.

Good morning
Wing

 

[MadeInOz]

I would hardly say that Christ was the founder of Communism, but I have had the opinion for a long time now that if we followed all the teachings of Christ, then it would be a more socialist-like society, but I think that's a leap from Communism.

 

[grays]

Christianity isn't socialist or communist, it's a theocracy. All people in it are equal under one God. Jesus started a theocracy not communism or socialism or any other stuff like that. What Jesus started is far right not far left.

 

[inquisitor_11]

What Jesus started is far right not far left

...

Was Christ the true founder of Communism?

No. Marx spoke about "primitive communism" that was extant in his mind well before Yeshua rocked up on the scene. Although Marx was quite fascinated by the community described in the early parts Acts. However, Bad Templar is probably on the money with his comment about th early christians following the habit of many Jewish sects at that time. The passages in Acts are certainly more descriptive than perscriptive.

However... IMO much socialist thought presents a much closer (loose) approximation to the Kingdom of God than western capitalism, particularly in terms of distributive justice.