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Socialism good or bad and why?

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  • Socialism good or bad and why?

    Please save me time reading through internet articles about why socialism is good or bad? Wealth redistribution sounds good, but I obviously have a blind spot to the negatives. (I think of Venezuela and Columbia).

    I am of course ultimately only concerned with a Biblical, Christian based answer. Thanks.

  • #2
    Originally posted by Esther View Post
    Please save me time reading through internet articles about why socialism is good or bad? Wealth redistribution sounds good, but I obviously have a blind spot to the negatives. (I think of Venezuela and Columbia).

    I am of course ultimately only concerned with a Biblical, Christian based answer. Thanks.
    That depends on what you understand by the term Socialism". I suspect that for some Americans, what are considered in many parts of Europe to be middle of the road and even slightly conservative political views would be deemed "Socialism".
    "It ain't necessarily so
    The things that you're liable
    To read in the Bible
    It ain't necessarily so
    ."

    Sportin' Life
    Porgy & Bess, DuBose Heyward, George & Ira Gershwin

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    • #3
      Originally posted by Hypatia_Alexandria View Post

      That depends on what you understand by the term Socialism". I suspect that for some Americans, what are considered in many parts of Europe to be middle of the road and even slightly conservative political views would be deemed "Socialism".
      It is, indeed, relative. Kinda like only the camel's nose being under the tent flap.
      The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

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      • #4
        The fact that socialism has never succeeded as a form of government is sufficient to answer the question.
        Some may call me foolish, and some may call me odd
        But I'd rather be a fool in the eyes of man
        Than a fool in the eyes of God


        From "Fools Gold" by Petra

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Esther View Post
          Please save me time reading through internet articles about why socialism is good or bad? Wealth redistribution sounds good, but I obviously have a blind spot to the negatives. (I think of Venezuela and Columbia).

          I am of course ultimately only concerned with a Biblical, Christian based answer. Thanks.
          Webster:

          socialism

          : a way of organizing a society in which major industries are owned and controlled by the government rather than by individual people and companies

          1: any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods

          2a: a system of society or group living in which there is no private property
          b: a system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state
          Bad, evil. And anti Biblical since we find property rights in the OT on....
          Atheism is the cult of death, the death of hope. The universe is doomed, you are doomed, the only thing that remains is to await your execution...

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jbnueb2OI4o&t=3s

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          • #6
            Originally posted by seer View Post

            Webster:



            Bad, evil. And anti Biblical since we find property rights in the OT on....
            We do, however, see a form of socialism in the early church in Acts. That said, I agree with MM above that as a form of government it is doomed to failure. Coerced socialism is bad, voluntarily giving what you have to help others in need is good.
            We know J6 wasn’t peaceful because they didn’t set the building on fire.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by alaskazimm View Post
              We do, however, see a form of socialism in the early church in Acts.
              And, as I'm sure you know, that was a very special circumstance and entirely voluntary. I wonder how long before it was corrupt.

              That said, I agree with MM
              I try NEVER to do that! (though, sometimes, he's just right!)

              above that as a form of government it is doomed to failure. Coerced socialism is bad, voluntarily giving what you have to help others in need is good.
              Absolutely correctomundo indubitably!

              The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Esther View Post
                Please save me time reading through internet articles about why socialism is good or bad? Wealth redistribution sounds good, but I obviously have a blind spot to the negatives. (I think of Venezuela and Columbia).

                I am of course ultimately only concerned with a Biblical, Christian based answer. Thanks.
                I know the early church practiced a pseudo-communist/socialist system among them. I don't believe it lasted long before they realized it wasn't working but I'm more foggy on that part.


                Wealth distribution, I'm sure, tends to sound good to those who don't want to work or many of those who are poorer than others. But it doesn't sound so good to the folks that work their butts off and have their money taken from them.

                In the end, socialism can work in small communities where everyone has agreed to it and participates in it.. once you scale-up, though, you tend towards necessitating force to push it onto others, which invariably leaves to authoritarian and dictatorial regimes, and usually economic collapse once the entire country has been run into the ground.

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by Cow Poke View Post

                  And, as I'm sure you know, that was a very special circumstance and entirely voluntary. I wonder how long before it was corrupt.



                  I try NEVER to do that! (though, sometimes, he's just right!)



                  Absolutely correctomundo indubitably!
                  What's even scarier is that I agree with you!
                  We know J6 wasn’t peaceful because they didn’t set the building on fire.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by alaskazimm View Post

                    We do, however, see a form of socialism in the early church in Acts. That said, I agree with MM above that as a form of government it is doomed to failure. Coerced socialism is bad, voluntarily giving what you have to help others in need is good.
                    Voluntarily is key...
                    Atheism is the cult of death, the death of hope. The universe is doomed, you are doomed, the only thing that remains is to await your execution...

                    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jbnueb2OI4o&t=3s

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      And Liberals consistently confuse Social Programs (like welfare) with Socialism. They want free stuff handed out by the government (social programs) but claim they want socialism, which would take away all their stuff and just dole out what the government thinks they need. Look at Venezuela. Socialism there has made everyone poor, they own nothing, can buy nothing and can't even get groceries and end up digging in garbage cans for food. Everyone is indeed equal though, equally poor. Except for the guys running the show in government. Now they own everything and are rich.


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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Sparko View Post
                        And Liberals consistently confuse Social Programs (like welfare) with Socialism. They want free stuff handed out by the government (social programs) but claim they want socialism, which would take away all their stuff and just dole out what the government thinks they need. Look at Venezuela. Socialism there has made everyone poor, they own nothing, can buy nothing and can't even get groceries and end up digging in garbage cans for food. Everyone is indeed equal though, equally poor. Except for the guys running the show in government. Now they own everything and are rich.
                        Yep I heard they were even raiding zoos for animals to kill and eat there in Venezuela. And no one's household pets are safe.

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Gondwanaland View Post

                          Yep I heard they were even raiding zoos for animals to kill and eat there in Venezuela. And no one's household pets are safe.
                          Dogs are a delicacy in China, another "socialist" country.

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by alaskazimm View Post

                            What's even scarier is that I agree with you!
                            I could tell from what you wrote.
                            The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Gondwanaland View Post
                              I know the early church practiced a pseudo-communist/socialist system among them. I don't believe it lasted long before they realized it wasn't working but I'm more foggy on that part.
                              It was a special time in the early Church where God was working in the hearts of people to voluntarily give to others who were suffering, yes. And we don't see it mentioned any more beyond that, so...

                              In the case of its demise - Ananias and Sapphira showed how the system could be corrupted, and got dead over it.

                              (we go from Acts 4:32-37 (everything in common) to Acts 5:1-11 (gaming the system).

                              Wealth distribution, I'm sure, tends to sound good to those who don't want to work or many of those who are poorer than others. But it doesn't sound so good to the folks that work their butts off and have their money taken from them.

                              In the end, socialism can work in small communities where everyone has agreed to it and participates in it.. once you scale-up, though, you tend towards necessitating force to push it onto others, which invariably leaves to authoritarian and dictatorial regimes, and usually economic collapse once the entire country has been run into the ground.
                              In the Bible, it took just the next chapter!
                              The first to state his case seems right until another comes and cross-examines him.

                              Comment

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