As a strong left winger... I don't see the point of this list?
And anyway socialism and socialists have changed a lot through the years. What does that even mean?
Jesus a socialist? Why? That doesn't make any sense!
It's not that it doesn't make any sense, it is simply wrong.
There is no single quote attributable to Jesus about group behavior or constraints, his focus was on the individual.
There is no point of the list. The list is just a vehicle for a thought experiment that gives people an opportunity to exchange views and perspectives. I am using it to gain insight on how people perceive some of these otherwise touchy topics. I also realize these people may also have had "capitalist tendencies" and welcome those arguments be put forward for the sake of debate.
Of course capitalism and socialism didn't exist at the time of Jesus which is why the topic says "tendencies" which I am deriving simply from quotes. I am not the first to suggest this. Several Popes and christian leaders have slammed capitalism throughout history. Christian socialism is a thing.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_socialismJames 1-5
"Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you."
Acts 4:32-35
32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. 33 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. 34 There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold 35 and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.
Matthew 19:16-24
16 Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”
17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”
18 “Which ones?” he inquired.
Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,’[c] and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’[d]”
20 “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”
21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
Matthew 6:24
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
Luke 12:16-21
“The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’
18“Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ’
20“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’
21“This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
So Jesus thought being rich was bad. That much is clear. I don't see how anyone could do mental gymnastics around this one. But was that the only socialist tendency?
Deut 15:11
For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’
Mark 10:21
And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
John 3: 17
But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?
Luke 14:12-14
He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
Luke 3:11
And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.”
So it seems clear that in addition not being rich, Jesus wanted his followers to give the poor whatever they need. I'll close with this quote from an article on the topic to drive home the point.
To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to each according to his ability (Matthew 25:15)
And they sold their possessions and goods and distributed them to all, as any had need (Acts 2:45)
From each according to his abilities, to each according to his need! (Marx, Critique of the Gotha Programme)
We can't claim Jesus was an actual socialist but we can claim is that in a hypothetical society where all individuals believed in and followed these words of Jesus christ, it would be the most socialist society that ever was. Show me why you think my claim is wrong.
