[Golfingnut]

Do you wish health and happiness on all regardless of their social status or the amount in their bank account? If YES you are a child of GOD. Jesus was in theory a socialist. Do not be drawn to the dark side by believing that being POOR means you are lazy. By the grace of god be thankful for what you have and reach out to help those not as fortunate as you.




please

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Golfingnut

Do you wish health and happiness on all regardless of their social status or the amount in their bank account? If YES you are a child of GOD. Jesus was in theory a socialist. Do not be drawn to the dark side by believing that being POOR means you are lazy. By the grace of god be thankful for what you have and reach out to help those not as fortunate as you.




please

I love you fella. You are a good person, but this is starting a religious and a political argument. People are poor for a variety of reasons. Some of them require our financial help and others require for them to do for themselves. Some can and some cannot.

Christians are supposed to do unto others as themselves. And love and forgive. I also remember the parable of the talents.

I do not believe that being poor means you are lazy but I do believe that being lazy means you are poor. AND that God helps those who help themselves.

[Golfingnut]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

I love you fella. You are a good person, but this is starting a religious and a political argument. People are poor for a variety of reasons. Some of them require our financial help and others require for them to do for themselves. Some can and some cannot.

Christians are supposed to do unto others as themselves. And love and forgive. I also remember the parable of the talents.

I agree, but the question is are you a Christian? There is nothing wrong or illegal with being rich or successful, but not to Share that with the needy is an example of being less than a believer in the teachings of Jesus Christ. Not all poor are lazy. Charity is a Christian way of living. YOU deciding or judging who should be given charity is NOT CHRISTIAN.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by golfingnut

i agree, but the question is are you a christian? There is nothing wrong or illegal with being rich or successful, but not to share that with the needy is an example of being less than a believer in the teachings of jesus christ. Not all poor are lazy. Charity is a christian way of living. You deciding or judging who should be given charity is not christian.

hmmmmmm.

We all try to do right according to our beliefs and Christian beliefs vary widely.

It is a rainy evening and has been a rainy day where we signed in for golf and didn't play. Too much time on our hands and we debate things that are better left alone. Only God can decide who is righteous.

Dear Lord. See these idle hands typing? I do.

[Golfingnut]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

hmmmmmm.

I love you also Gracie, but I fear we all sometimes get lost thinking about the 35 year old man on the front porch with a 40 oz beer in one hand and food stamps in the other hand. MOST people in need do not fit that mould, so we must not throw out the baby with the dirty water.

[BS Beef]

That's quite a leap to suggest Jesus Christ was a socialist. Socialism came along with Marx many centuries after Jesus' days on earth. Marx believed that God was a delusion of the human mind. He is credited with the quote that religion is the "opiate of the masses". You refer to Jesus admonishing Christians to "give" to the poor. I don't believe he is referring to people only monetarily poor. I would also suggest that when Jesus refers to giving to other He almost always is referring giving the less fortunate freedom(s).

I am certainly no biblical scholar but I 100% consider myself a Christian. I try to do the right thing by other people by both giving financially and my time. But being only human I come up far short. Being Christian I also believe it is not for me to judge others.

[Golfingnut]

Originally Posted by BS Beef

That's quite a leap to suggest Jesus Christ was a socialist. Socialism came along with Marx many centuries after Jesus' days on earth. Marx believed that God was a delusion of the human mind. He is credited with the quote that religion is the "opiate of the masses". You refer to Jesus admonishing Christians to "give" to the poor. I don't believe he is referring to people only monetarily poor. I would also suggest that when Jesus refers to giving to other He almost always is referring giving the less fortunate freedom(s).

I am certainly no biblical scholar but I 100% consider myself a Christian. I try to do the right thing by other people by both giving financially and my time. But being only human I come up far short. Being Christian I also believe it is not for me to judge others.

Read the sermon on the mount and you may be less confused.

[Golfingnut]

Well, if a man judges another man in any way, he is defying the teachings of Jesus.

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by Golfingnut

Do you wish health and happiness on all regardless of their social status or the amount in their bank account? If YES you are a child of GOD. Jesus was in theory a socialist. Do not be drawn to the dark side by believing that being POOR means you are lazy. By the grace of god be thankful for what you have and reach out to help those not as fortunate as you.




please

I like these ideas but Christianity is incredibly complex in practice as well as theory. Certainly institutions like massive churches which profess to be Christian seem to have a lot to do with showing their power and glory as well as often their military might. Christianity - ReligionFacts

I do like the Mother of Teresa version of Christianity than that say of Joanne of Arc.

[perrjojo]

Originally Posted by Golfingnut

I agree, but the question is are you a Christian? There is nothing wrong or illegal with being rich or successful, but not to Share that with the needy is an example of being less than a believer in the teachings of Jesus Christ. Not all poor are lazy. Charity is a Christian way of living. YOU deciding or judging who should be given charity is NOT CHRISTIAN.

Really? What about, God helps those who help themselves? Give a man a fish and he eats fir a day,. Teach a man to fish and......Also many non Christians are very philanthropic. Does being generous make you a Christian? Does being a Christian make you generous?

[blueash]

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions were his own, but they shared everything they had.

That sounds almost like a definition of communalism at its finest.

[kittygilchrist]

Originally Posted by Golfingnut

Do you wish health and happiness on all regardless of their social status or the amount in their bank account? If YES you are a child of GOD. Jesus was in theory a socialist. Do not be drawn to the dark side by believing that being POOR means you are lazy. By the grace of god be thankful for what you have and reach out to help those not as fortunate as you.




please

you are saying that if you are charitable you are a Christian. did you mean to say that?... that's not in the Bible or the or the Torah or the Vedas/Hindu Scriptures...where do you get that?
Are you saying any charitable Jew is a Christian? a charitable hindu is a Christian and likewise a charitable atheist? Are you saying Jesus had no Godly attributes or calling but to show how to love your neighbor?
I hate to disagree cuz I like you but if you really meant to say what you said, I would like to talk to you about what it takes to be a Christian, so pm me if interested.

[Challenger]

This thread is heading in a bad direction. It will get nasty. Just a few more posts

[swimdawg]

Yes, I am a Christian.

Amen!

[DAWN MARIE]

I am a Christian and I know the only command for giving in the NT is found in Corinthians and it says "Every man according as he purposes in his heart so let him give, not grudgingly or of necessity for God loves a cheerful giver." 2 Cor 9:7

There are many Scriptures that do say that laziness brings poverty such as "He becomes poor that deals with a slack hand but the hand of the diligent makes rich." Proverbs 10:4

"Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep and an idle soul shall suffer hunger...Proverbs 19:15

"The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest and have nothing." Prov 20:4

As far as Jesus being a Socialist I see that nowhere in Scripture. In fact he says if a man does not work he does not eat...and the poor you will always have with you. Never ever is there a command to take from the rich and give to the poor.