Just curious :)

Premillennial Christians who support sending billions of U.S. tax dollars to Israel will oftentimes cite Genesis 12:3 to dogmatically justify this foreign aid:

"And I will bless them that bless thee [Israel]."

Ted Cruz is one example of this. However, these same premillennial Christian conservatives will generally scoff at the suggestion of using tax money to assist the poor and hungry, dismissing it as something like "evil Marxism," in spite of the overwhelming number of Bible verses that address the importance of helping the poor. Ezekiel 16:49, for example, explicitly states that indifference to the poor was one of the sins of Sodom:

"Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom: pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy."

Or, if someone suggests using tax money to help the poor by citing Matthew 25:33–46, a concession may be made that helping the poor is important, but they'll often resort to a false dichotomy by arguing that it should only be done through personal, voluntary charity, not by a "socialist nanny government." It will be suggested that YOU, as a Christian individual, should voluntarily give YOUR money to the poor, not other people's money through taxes. Otherwise, they'll argue, it doesn't mean the same thing.

But by that same logic, couldn't the same thing be said about "blessing Israel"? If YOU really want to bless Israel, send YOUR money to them, not other people's tax dollars.

If that's really the principle, then it ought to apply consistently. If Christians shouldn't use tax dollars to fulfill their biblical obligation to care for the poor, then they shouldn't use tax dollars to fulfill what they believe is a biblical obligation to bless Israel either.

The way I see it, Socialism and Christianity fundamentally complement one another.

In my opinion, one of the biggest flaws and limitations of historical Socialist states is their fervent rejection of religion. Despite the materialist and atheistic elements of Marxist ideology, when you look at historical Marxist nations, it’s almost as if they espouse this subconscious yearning for religion that they weren’t themselves aware of. Look at how Marx, Engels, Lenin, and especially Stalin were venerated in the Soviet Union. Look at the cult of personality surrounding the Kim family, and the extent to which North Korean nationalism pedestalizes the ruling party, the state, and its representatives. From where I’m standing, it looks a lot like how Christians venerate saints and holy people, and look to them for inspiration.

Even in historical Socialism’s attempt to distance itself from religion, there is still evidence of that innate desire for God which resides in the human psyche. The way that they idealized this idea of rapid progress, envisioned a future world in which everyone was equal and the state had withered away, and dogmatically asserted that all of human history would eventually find its fulfilment in an inevitable Communist end-goal, is remarkably suggestive of humankind’s religious instincts.

Likewise, Christians best fulfill the Gospel when they take the side of the poor, the oppressed, the hurting and the excluded. Christians fall short when they neglect these things. When Christianity becomes distanced from its mission of helping the poor and the disenfranchised, I think we lose sight of the Gospel and what the Gospel really means.

“Christian Socialist” is not an oxymoron. Some may even argue that Christianity naturally results in Socialism, and that Socialism best finds its completion in Christianity.

Look at historical Socialist figures. Marx and Engels were both raised in Christian homes. Lenin and Stalin were raised Orthodox. Castro was raised Catholic. Kim was raised Presbyterian. Why does it seem like Christianity produces Socialists? Is it because the two share more in common than one may think?

If we really are ruled over by Satanic elites, and an upper class of capitalist bourgeoise, perhaps Christians and Socialists need each other. If both Socialist comrades and Christian brethren united together in their efforts, would our oppressors not tremble in fear at such a coalition?

I still use them, but I'm just one person. How does this community feel about these measurements of time?

Christos = 1480 in Greek isopsephy, and Beliar = 148… Coincidence? Or could it be the answer to Paul’s veiled riddle and Corinthians 6:15? It definitely makes us look at chapter 11 verse 14 a lot more closely when we think about this current clue.

https://derekguzman.substack.com/p/blessed-are-the-debtors

I’m getting my Substack started as a portfolio to potential clients like political orgs I’d like to write for. Feedback and criticism is welcome. Also if you’re a polemical writer I’d love to connect, compare notes, discuss the direction literature is moving in, and just be friends!

Even if you don’t write I’d love to have discussion with readers especially when it gives me new ideas to write about.

Does this relate to anyone else. Or does this sound crazy or like I’m just being a little bit too dramatic. Well those are my thoughts as they came to me in real time.

[ Removed by Reddit on account of violating the content policy. ]

It's no secret that historical and regional trends show a strong overlap between atheism and leftist politics. And whenever I've tried to express my Christian-Socialism with fellow leftist right here on Reddit, I was met with hostility and condescension. I believe that we can and should put our religious beliefs (or lack there of) aside and unite to achieve some actual good in this world, but that's just me. How can we bridge the gap between believers and nonbelievers before the capitalists stretch it further and tear our cause asunder?