Curmudgeon: – a crusty, irascible, cantankerous old person full of stubborn ideas. (The Free Dictionary)
Socialism is a trap for idiots
So now I read that young Americans are embracing socialism. This is nothing new. Young people have always been stupid. Wouldn’t it be great if it would work? Everybody could just have everything they need and we can all just get along. In previous generations we had the counterbalance of education and Christianity to put the lie to the idea that government can intervene to make everything fine. We should all just trust our government to do what’s best for us. Right? What could possibly go wrong?
The results of socialism should be obvious. If we just take the twentieth century, The first big mess was in the Soviet Union. In trying to establish a socialist state, Stalin and his cronies accounted for the deaths of millions of people. The Chinese did the same, and we have the sterling example of North Korea to admire as well. Then, of course, we have the National Socialists of Germany, known affectionately as Nazis. Now we see the country by country catastrophes in Central and South America. Help!
Of course, we might also make the case for the problems of unfettered capitalism. After we clean up the toxic dumps, and skim the oil off the Gulf of Mexico, we can all join Tennessee Ernie Ford in a heartfelt rendition of 16 Tons, ending up with the refrain , “I owe my soul to the company store.” It could be that the economic system is not the core of the problem.
The founders of our republic were sharp enough to know that the hearts of men are not to be trusted. thus the checks and balances idea. Government is generally the problem, not the solution, because it is composed of humans. Whether they be capitalists, or socialists, or anarchists, give folks power and they will abuse it. Period. Limiting the power of government is simply avoiding tyranny. We have a constitutional republic designed to give specific rights than cannot be taken away by simple majorities. Majorities elected Hitler.
The truth is simple. Socialists think government will solve the problems of man. History tells us that idealistic power is ruthless to those who hold different ideals. Capitalists believe the “invisible hand’ of the market will even out the game over any extended period. That’s fine, except that greed has no more conscience than utopian dictators. The problem is man and evil.
God said in Genesis 6, “that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” It has not gotten any better. The problem is the heart of man, the disease is sin, and the only cure is blood, the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Man’s systems can slow the madness, but eventually the inmates take over the asylum. As Christians, we have to avoid getting seduced by political delusions and remember the prime directive: Jesus is the one and only way to change men’s hearts.
“Salvation is to be found through him alone; in all the world there is no one else whom God has given who can save us.” (Acts 4:12 GNB)
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