: Capitalism- Man can be trapped in a concern for material wealth only, as well as the false belief of his own self-reliance.: Communism- Man is deterministically set upon planning society based on material production and distribution in order to build a "utopia".
: Nihilism- Man is seeking only worldly pleasures as his highest achievement.
: Behaviorism- Man is seeking to manipulate others like they were Pavlov's dogs, just for his own worldy gain.
: Fascism- Man seeking to institute a reign on this earth, based on eugenics.
: Socialism- Man seeking to build an earthly "utopia" based on public policy.
: I could go on and on with these "isms" but I think you can get the idea here. The common denominator to all "isms" is that they focus on the earthly and the material. They are man's attempt to build God's kingdom on earth, and that is always futile. Don't worship "isms", worship Jesus. He's the only one who is worthy.
: Now, do we not go and help the poor? Of course not. We are mandated by Christ to help these people. But the important thing to remember here is WHY we help the poor. Is it because there is a law that tells us to do so? or, Is it because we truly love Jesus? If it is certainly the later, then I would surmise that several characteristics apply. One, that you don't need to be told by law to go and help. Two, it would be done rather anonomously (remember we don't seek a worldly reward and therefore announce it to the world "See me, I'm helping the poor"). Three, it is done in the Name of Jesus so that all thankfullness is directed in the the proper Source of that help.
: I would argue that socialsim takes much of the reasons of WHY we help the poor away from God and directs its focus back on man.
: Even the idea of "communal ownership" directs the focus of one's beliefs on the material and hence on man, not God.
Citizen your statements enrage me. Your interpretations concrete the social conditions that Christ sought to subvert.
You advocate complacent behaviour, happy with what you got and disregard for progressive ideas. This is exactly what Marx meant when he made the (over quoted statement) "Religion is the opium of the people". That is that man becomes happy to cower before religious structures and institutions while his back is broke by those with more concern for money than God.
Do you not think that God is annoyed at how his people continuously moan about social circumstance that where afterall of their own making. God made man and the earth he did not make capitalism or any of the other 'isms' (as you have said) but neither did he, I think, encourage man to belief and not enact his faith.
This reactionary thinking. Think of it like this man is compelled to work but he is not compelled to worship therefore the sys. degrades worship.
I cant believe I'm even having this argument you should read Everret Citizens posting in anything else 'Jesus was a socialist so why arent you?'
