Sunday, March 8, 2009

They STILL don't get it (Part II)

Yet again in response to yesterday's column, "What Is a Socialist?", someone took the trouble to write a rather cleverly-written looooong Digg reply in which they recreated the format of my column but equated Christianity with all the negative points I made about socialism. Be sure to read my comments at the bottom.

Christianity and Socialism seem to have a lot in common. See, it's easy to find examples for each charge, as if maybe those negative traits being ascribed to socialists were, in fact, just human traits...examples of which may be singled out and pointed to in any number of philosophies.

1) Socialists believe in the use of force to gain their personal ends: Christianity forced millions of conversions over the centuries, upon pain of death and torture. The Spanish Inquisition, for example. The Bible states that all who do not worship God are to be destroyed and their homes burned. They even burned people alive. And they didn't give up that authority willingly. They want it back.

2) Socialists believe in slavery: Christianity does too. It has rules for buying and selling, and even beating one's slaves. It has provisions for selling one's own daughter into slavery. Moses' holy conquerors took little girls as slaves. Numbers 31:17.

3) Socialists are racists: Christianity tells us that Ham, of dark skin, is cursed forever with servitude. Christian churches presided over the early American slave trade with smiling 'benevolence'. Mormons were even worse. Joseph Smith declared that black people who are 'exceptionally moral' will gradually become white.

4) Socialists believe the worst in everyone: Christianity tells us we're all worthless sinners who are, by default, condemned to eternal agony and torture because of something done centuries ago by people well beyond our control.

5) Socialists think religion, especially Christianity, is stupid and nothing but a prop for the unwashed masses: Christians claim all OTHER religions are nothing but a prop for the unwashed masses, or worse, worthy of 'destruction/conversion'. To quote Ann Coulter (of Muslims): "We should kill their leaders and convert them all to Christianity." Also see 1) above.

6) Socialists believe in an ignorant society: Talking snake. Tyrannosaurs on the Ark. Magic rib. Flat earth. Crystal heavens. Abiogenesis. Incestuous genetic origin. Do not question authority. Ever.

7) Socialists believe you have no right of self-defense: All are Judged by (our) God, there is no escape. Obey our rules, or suffer forever after death. Your guilt is hereditary.

8) Socialists are intolerant: Gays are worse than terrorists and morally equivalent to murderers? They caused 9/11? Or how about today's headline? [NOTE: The writer included a long list of links to articles]

9) Socialists are hypocrites: "Gays in this country are destroying the traditional family!" - Ted Haggard

10) Above all, socialists are in denial: See above.


Okay, to the writer of this piece: I don't really care about your obvious contempt for Christianity. Your religious persuasion (or lack thereof) is an issue strictly between you and God. But try - close your eyes and please, just TRY to wrap your little pea brain around this concept:

SOCIALISTS ARE THE ONES PASSING LAWS AT THE POINT OF A GUN. CHRISTIANS ARE NOT.

Whatever your views on Christianity and its history, the fact remains that Christians aren't the ones FORCING (can you please try to comprehend the term "force"?) the rest of us to conform with their will. Socialists are.

1 comment:

  1. Well, there is a faction of "Christianity" that would force the rest of humanity to conform with their will. They're called Dominionists and they do not take the Bible literally, rather they "interpret" it to mean that it's their job to create God's Kingdom on Earth, in preparation for Jesus' return.

    Their most sacred goal is to take over the American political system and re-institute Mosaic law, to include stonings for adultery, homosexuality, etc.

    Their belief system ignores the fact that no human is capable of fulfilling Old Testament law. We must all fall on the grace of God. You either live by grace, or by the law, but you can't do both.

    So, in that point, the writer is correct. Those of Dominionist beliefs would, if given the opportunity, hold the world at gunpoint and force them to "toe the line."

    Melody

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