Ideas of the Socialists
Man has responsibilities both to God and to society. Christ makes it clear that man's first responsibility is to God and his second is to his fellow man: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God ... etc ... and the second is like it ... etc." But too often ungodly man has rejected his obligation to God ans sought by his own efforts to correct the ills of society.
Many people during the nineteenth century sought to remedy the evils around them by changing society. THese people believed that man is basically good, failing to realize that sin is at the root of all social evils. This mistaken attitude, which assumes the perfectibility of man and society, found its clearest expression in socialism. (my note: read, "socialism is a mistake")
Most people today assume that socialism is only an economic term. It is defined as government ownership of the means of proeuction and the disctribution of goods for the presumed welfare of society. This definition is correct, but it is important to realize that belief in socialism, like a belief in any other philosophy, affects every are of life. For example, since socialism emphasizes the group rather than the individual, many socialists advocate establishing an international government to replace independent national states. (my note: read, "socialists are out to bring down the american empire") The influence of socialism in religious circles has promoted the desire to break down all denominational and religious barries and unite all religions - regardless of their beliefs - into one. Socialism rejects individual responisbility, limits individual choice, and replaces individual initiative with collectivism (rule by the group).
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The Christian socialists were theological liberals who believed that Christianity and capitalism were incompatible. They believed that unregenerate society could and should live according to the Sermon on the Mount. They sought to establish an earthly millennium where peace and justice would reign. Because many people opposed socialism in any form, the Christian scoialists tried to portray it in a positive manner. Socialism is nothing more than "the embodiment of Christianity in our industrial system," they said. (my note: Who said?) In fact, according to an early CHristian socialist paper, "Christianity and Scoialism are almost interchangeable terms." These men, although claiming to be Christian, failed to see that the very basis of socialism, the perfectibility of man by man, is contratry to the teaching of Scripture.
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So, friends, this is what I have to work with in my Social 9, History 10, and History 20 classes. Thoughts?
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