Jesus Was No Socialist

By Douglas V. Gibbs

A Political Pistachio reader, occasionally, leaves me a comment alluding to his belief that "Jesus was a socialist." Such madness is always pushed by people who don't read the Bible, and have no idea who Jesus Christ truly was. Yet, somehow they believe themselves to be experts on the attributes of Christ.

Ultra-liberal television commentator Ed Schultz, during the approach to the vote for the Democrat's health care legislation, said, "Socializing healthcare is a moral obligation. . . Christian ministers should be leading their congregations to support this president on healthcare reform."

Never mind the fact that liberals constantly claim that we aren't allowed to "legislate morality," and that ministers must avoid politics in the pulpit lest they violate the progressive's unsubstantiated idea of the separation of church and state.

My favorite is when Obama says, "Aren't we supposed to be our brother's keeper?" Talk about having no clue about what the scripture says, or the context of biblical text.

Rather than putting words into Jesus' mouth, or jumping to conclusions that He would embrace socialism, would it not be better to study the scripture for what it really says?

Having a relationship with Christ is a voluntary decision that one makes based on his or her own free will. The ministry of Jesus Christ undeniably focused on individuality, personal responsibility, and self-reliance, not what a civil government ought to do for the people the governmental body deems to be a bunch of failures.

Ed Schultz was right when he said that Jesus fed the hungry, clothed the poor, and healed the sick. He didn't ask for an insurance card, and He didn't ask for the government to pay for his services. Jesus Christ did what He did based on His own individual decision. He performed those acts to model personal compassion for us, to show us what we should do as individuals, through our own personal decisions and voluntary choices. Jesus never took payment, and He commanded us to be generous, giving, and compassionate - but He wanted us to do these things in a charitable manner based on our own voluntary choice. If the government confiscates our money through taxes, and then applies our money to programs of their choosing against our will, it is not an example of being charitable.

The difference between Jesus and the Democrats is the same as the difference between individualism and socialism: personal choice, or the loss thereof.

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