This is the first of what will be many introspective and exploratory posts into how, if at all, Christianity and Socialism relate to one another. It's often a given that Christians fall to the right side of the political spectrum. One who proclaims to be both Liberal and Christian is often looked at as a heretic or an idiot, perhaps both. Why is this? Is Christianity the exclusive domain of the right side of the spectrum? Is there no room for Christianity elsewhere? Or, perhaps even more intriguingly, is Christianity better suited to the left?
In his book "Making Friends (& Making them Count)" (1987) Em Griffin had this to say:
Our natural tendency to read purpose into others' actions is especially strong in some situations. One such case is when the results are bad - as they were for Reuven. We look at the down-and-out bum and label him lazy. We see the successful business tycoon and call him lucky. Note that we attribute greater moral responsibility to the one who does poorly than to the one who does well.The tendency in American Christianity is to see wealth as a blessing from God; as a gift he's bestowed upon us to use in His glory. Is this truly the case? If God can grant us "wealth" to spread the Gospel to poor nations, why can't he just give the money to them in the first place? (I realize such teleological questions are often unanswerable.)
Similarly, we're quick to throw out passages such as 2 Thessalonians 3:10, "The one who is not willing to work shall not eat." (NIV) Clearly, you say, God does not favor a welfare state. However, an exegetical reading of this passage clearly shows that it was not written about mankind in general. It is a mere excerpt from the letter written by Paul to the troubled Church in Corinth. What Paul was speaking to was not idleness of the populace, it was idleness of those leading the Church; pastors who did not wish to help their congregations, who did not seek to reach out to those in the flock. If Paul were alive today, he would not be writing of a "welfare queen" from Chicago. He'd be writing of the Pastor who sees his calling as a career and is more concerned with his hours than his service.
If one is poor, it is not always through their own faults. How quick we are to lavish praise upon one who makes a lucky stock pick, yet cast blame upon one who is unlucky enough to become ill with no health insurance. Are some poor by their own design? Yes; but far and away, many have no choice but to lead the impoverished lives they live.
