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BlueVeins · 22-25
Strictly speaking, Jesus' philosophy was extremely right wing because he favored a rigid social hierarchy with God on top, good humans & the angels in the middle, and demons & bad people on the bottom. God holds all the power and everyone else is both morally and legally obligated to obey and devote themselves to him.
However, Jesus was opposed to humans using violence against each other under any circumstances, which implicitly makes him an anarchist, and he also considered it deeply immoral to hoard wealth. On an interpersonal level, Jesus was about as far left as you can get, at least outsie of social issues. He believed that women should be somewhat subserviant to men, but notably less so than the mainstream beliefs of his time.
However, Jesus was opposed to humans using violence against each other under any circumstances, which implicitly makes him an anarchist, and he also considered it deeply immoral to hoard wealth. On an interpersonal level, Jesus was about as far left as you can get, at least outsie of social issues. He believed that women should be somewhat subserviant to men, but notably less so than the mainstream beliefs of his time.
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Expressman · 61-69
@Emosaur I wouldn't agree, he did command the slaves to do their work diligently, but masters to not mistreat their slaves. And expoused freedom unless the slave wanted to stay such.
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I'm not sure it's appropriate to judge his approach from that perspective.
At that time, left-wing ideologies had never been dreamed of.
There's some suggestion that Jesus would have approved of capitalism as seen in The Story of Three Slaves:
14 “Again, here is what the kingdom of heaven will be like. A man was going on a journey. He sent for his slaves and put them in charge of his money. 15 He gave five bags of gold to one. He gave two bags to another. And he gave one bag to the third. The man gave each slave the amount of money he knew the slave could take care of. Then he went on his journey. 16 The slave who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work. He earned five bags more. 17 The one with the two bags of gold earned two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went and dug a hole in the ground. He hid his master’s money in it.
19 “After a long time the master of those slaves returned. He wanted to collect all the money they had earned. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you trusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have earned five more.’
21 “His master replied, ‘You have done well, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you trusted me with two bags of gold. See, I have earned two more.’
23 “His master replied, ‘You have done well, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man. You harvest where you have not planted. You gather crops where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid. I went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’
26 “His master replied, ‘You evil, lazy slave! So you knew that I harvest where I have not planted? You knew that I gather crops where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money in the bank. When I returned, I would have received it back with interest.’
28 “Then his master commanded the other slaves, ‘Take the bag of gold from him. Give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 Everyone who has will be given more. They will have more than enough. And what about anyone who doesn’t have? Even what they have will be taken away from them. 30 Throw that worthless slave outside. There in the darkness, people will weep and grind their teeth.’
Matthew 25:14-30 NIRV (New International Reader's Version)
And a few other thoughts...
~ Referring to a coin with Caesar's image on it, Jesus said, "pay unto Caesar that which is Caesar's." That can be taken to mean we should be willing to pay our taxes.
~ "Love one another as you love yourself," presupposes that one must first learn how to love oneself in order to know how to love others. It changes the Mosaic commandment to "do unto others as you would have done unto you" ;many people don't want or need the same things - so the loving thing to do is always ask first.
~ Referring to those who give to charity, Jesus remarked that the poor old woman who dropped her last coin in the synagogue's collection box would inherit heaven, but the wealthy man who gave but little of what he had would find it harder to get to heaven than for a camel to pass through the eye of the needle. The Eye of the Needle was the name of a very narrow gate and passage leading between buildings into Jerusalem. only people on foot and unladen animals could pass through it. Thus, wealthy merchants with caravans of camels carrying merchandise could not use that gate.
~ The loaves and fishes story suggest that people should be willing to share whatever they have to ease the hunger of others - this would suggest an openness to both charity and left wing thinking (more equal distribution of resources).
In the Mishnah (a Jewish book which interprets the first 40 laws of Moses), the first idea of a kibbutz is suggested - and it's possible that this may have inspired Karl Marx, or at least acted as an unconscious influence on his socialist ideas.
Personally, I don't think leaving welfare to charity works very well.
1. It doesn't help people get a good education or trade skills, find work and climb out of poverty.
2. It doesn't result in good medical care for the poor.
3. The numbers of people suffering severe poverty has been steadily growing over the last 50 years of predominantly right-wing governments - while the middle classes have shrunk dramatically, and the few wealthy have grown far wealthier. There is [i]no[/i] "trickle down effect."
4. There are far too many charities that spend most of what they collect on wages for administration. And there are too many charities which are corrupt, or whose funds end up in the pockets of corrupt third world governments.
At that time, left-wing ideologies had never been dreamed of.
There's some suggestion that Jesus would have approved of capitalism as seen in The Story of Three Slaves:
14 “Again, here is what the kingdom of heaven will be like. A man was going on a journey. He sent for his slaves and put them in charge of his money. 15 He gave five bags of gold to one. He gave two bags to another. And he gave one bag to the third. The man gave each slave the amount of money he knew the slave could take care of. Then he went on his journey. 16 The slave who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work. He earned five bags more. 17 The one with the two bags of gold earned two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went and dug a hole in the ground. He hid his master’s money in it.
19 “After a long time the master of those slaves returned. He wanted to collect all the money they had earned. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you trusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have earned five more.’
21 “His master replied, ‘You have done well, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you trusted me with two bags of gold. See, I have earned two more.’
23 “His master replied, ‘You have done well, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man. You harvest where you have not planted. You gather crops where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid. I went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’
26 “His master replied, ‘You evil, lazy slave! So you knew that I harvest where I have not planted? You knew that I gather crops where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money in the bank. When I returned, I would have received it back with interest.’
28 “Then his master commanded the other slaves, ‘Take the bag of gold from him. Give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 Everyone who has will be given more. They will have more than enough. And what about anyone who doesn’t have? Even what they have will be taken away from them. 30 Throw that worthless slave outside. There in the darkness, people will weep and grind their teeth.’
Matthew 25:14-30 NIRV (New International Reader's Version)
And a few other thoughts...
~ Referring to a coin with Caesar's image on it, Jesus said, "pay unto Caesar that which is Caesar's." That can be taken to mean we should be willing to pay our taxes.
~ "Love one another as you love yourself," presupposes that one must first learn how to love oneself in order to know how to love others. It changes the Mosaic commandment to "do unto others as you would have done unto you" ;many people don't want or need the same things - so the loving thing to do is always ask first.
~ Referring to those who give to charity, Jesus remarked that the poor old woman who dropped her last coin in the synagogue's collection box would inherit heaven, but the wealthy man who gave but little of what he had would find it harder to get to heaven than for a camel to pass through the eye of the needle. The Eye of the Needle was the name of a very narrow gate and passage leading between buildings into Jerusalem. only people on foot and unladen animals could pass through it. Thus, wealthy merchants with caravans of camels carrying merchandise could not use that gate.
~ The loaves and fishes story suggest that people should be willing to share whatever they have to ease the hunger of others - this would suggest an openness to both charity and left wing thinking (more equal distribution of resources).
In the Mishnah (a Jewish book which interprets the first 40 laws of Moses), the first idea of a kibbutz is suggested - and it's possible that this may have inspired Karl Marx, or at least acted as an unconscious influence on his socialist ideas.
Personally, I don't think leaving welfare to charity works very well.
1. It doesn't help people get a good education or trade skills, find work and climb out of poverty.
2. It doesn't result in good medical care for the poor.
3. The numbers of people suffering severe poverty has been steadily growing over the last 50 years of predominantly right-wing governments - while the middle classes have shrunk dramatically, and the few wealthy have grown far wealthier. There is [i]no[/i] "trickle down effect."
4. There are far too many charities that spend most of what they collect on wages for administration. And there are too many charities which are corrupt, or whose funds end up in the pockets of corrupt third world governments.
ElwoodBlues · M
[b]Left wing.[/b] The teachings of Jesus resonate with many of the core principles of socialism, such as economic equality, social justice, and the importance of community.
He emphasized love and compassion for the poor and marginalized.
He called for care for the sick, the hungry, and the imprisoned.
He rejected materialism and wealth accumulation.
He greatly valued sharing and community.
He emphasized love and compassion for the poor and marginalized.
He called for care for the sick, the hungry, and the imprisoned.
He rejected materialism and wealth accumulation.
He greatly valued sharing and community.
Expressman · 61-69
@ElwoodBlues I never got "Economic Equality" from what he said. He did speak about the woman who gave everything she had, while others were displaying their great tithing.
"The poor you will always have, but not me" still, he was more for loving your fellow man, Sharing, caring and encouraging them.
"The poor you will always have, but not me" still, he was more for loving your fellow man, Sharing, caring and encouraging them.
ElwoodBlues · M
@Expressman My sources say Jesus' own life and lifestyle was his strongest argument for economic equality.
They also say the Parable of the Good Samaritan (care for everyone regardless of economic status), the parable of the Rich Fool (wealth is not the important thing).
And then there is "Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." In other words, if you seek salvation, make yourself the equal of the poor.
They also say the Parable of the Good Samaritan (care for everyone regardless of economic status), the parable of the Rich Fool (wealth is not the important thing).
And then there is "Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." In other words, if you seek salvation, make yourself the equal of the poor.
Expressman · 61-69
@ElwoodBlues not really on the parable of the rich man and needle. It was "If you make your life in chasing wealth, you miss out on much, or heaven"
While the young wealthy man who was told "Give all your possessions away, pick up your cross" was that we cannot let items (or wealth) blind or control us do we lose out on greater rewards.
While the young wealthy man who was told "Give all your possessions away, pick up your cross" was that we cannot let items (or wealth) blind or control us do we lose out on greater rewards.
originnone · 61-69, M
@Gloomy if you removed Paul's letters, it might not be that way....I'm starting to like you....
BohemianBoo · M
Roundandroundwego · 61-69
Expressman · 61-69
Back then "Might made right" if you had power, your word was law. Charity was dispensed on alleyways, market places and city gates. It wasn't much either. Many beggars probably died from starvation.
Roundandroundwego · 61-69
@Expressman Rome was famous for free bread, clean water and excellent sanitation.
@Roundandroundwego Yep, but the Romans provided the plumbing, free bread and entertainment only for Roman citizens in Rome itself.
Abroad, the plumbing was only for themselves in their villas and permanent barracks, never for the citizens of their conquered lands.
The laws of Jewish cleanliness were all derived from necessity for nomads in over-grazed, over-cropped lands - slowly becoming increasingly arid.
Abroad, the plumbing was only for themselves in their villas and permanent barracks, never for the citizens of their conquered lands.
The laws of Jewish cleanliness were all derived from necessity for nomads in over-grazed, over-cropped lands - slowly becoming increasingly arid.
smiler2012 · 56-60
{@xenonrush] 🤔 i would say left more compassionate about your fellow man and not let money and greed take you over
BlueSkyKing · M
A first century apocalyptic that promoted the Jewish faith.
Peaceandnamaste · 26-30, F
@BlueSkyKing You're a right winger Repug admit it.
whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M
Jesus himself was an out and out Socialist. (Not that there is anything wrong with that.)😷
Entwistle · 56-60, M
The ones i remember would be seen as left wing in today's world.
