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Sethomas Sethomas is offline
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Old Apr 16th, 2003, 12:38 AM       
Communism is so impossible that in practice it has been basically an amalgamation of exaggerated socialism and dictatorship, as seen in most historic examples. In Das Kapital Marx strongly criticizes socialists for not doing enough. The prime difference is that at the end of the day, socialism is powered by the market whereas communism churns with labor itself. Since Jesus had to biff against the market itself yet cried out for social reform, it's fair to say that he was a socialist. There is no ground to call him a communist, because that would over-extend his words.

On the issue of taxes, the Pharisees were trying to trap Jesus. If he were to have said that the Jews should pay tax, he could be accused of subordinating Israel to pagan idolatry in which Caesar was a demigod to whom taxes were offerings. Had he sided with the popular belief that the Jews, the Pharisees would have reported him to Pilate as an insurrectionist. So what Jesus did was say that taxes are due to Caesar because the Jewish people were in debt to him in regards to the works. So while much of what I said agrees with what you said, He was not dismissing the issue as "immaterial". Taxes are a method of relieving public debts, and debts should be honored.

And your reaction to the Widow's Mite is only partially correct because the NT speaks elsewhere of "not letting the left hand know what the right hand is doing" enough, so it would be overkill to make a whole story demonstrating it. The main point was that the few cents from a woman who should be on the receiving end of charity was greater than the gold donated by the wealthy because of the spirit in which they were given. Obviously the widow gave just as publicly, though not so haughtily, as everyone else lest the observation would have passed unactualized. How this equates to progressive taxing should be obvious.

Yes, Jesus advocated love for all men. My point was that he was rather explicit in some points of how to achieve it.

A truly Christian theocracy has never happened, though the duality of Church and State in the high middle ages is due more credit than most people give it.

Obviously, as Kevin pointed out, abortion and murder would be prohibited because they infringe upon the rights of another life, but a true Christian theocracy would allow for sin itself to happen. The thing is, even sins such as lust and avarice are scorned for their eventual effects on society.[/i]
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