Religion and Socialism

I was at a wedding today – A Jewish wedding. They don't do weddings on Saturdays. It's a Sabbath thing I guess. I don't fully understand the faith and its practices. This did lead me down another path of thought though.

Since I was invited I decided to do a closer reading of the Jewish (Old) Testament. I was surprised at the practices that could be deemed socialist. Fields could not be picked clean – food had to be left for the poor to glean. Every third year the entirety of the tithe went to what I would call the local food pantry. Every Jubilee year (50 years) land reverted to it's original owner/family.

I was surprised at the number of references in the prophets to defending the rights of the poor and downtrodden. Amos, Daniel, among others call for the leaders and the community to defend the poor.

Nehemiah practically tears the repatriated Jewish community a new one over how they were treating the poor.

And then there is Matthew 25 : Feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, clothes to the naked, health care to the sick, and visit the lonely. Some people might call that being a decent human being. It's all a part of social responsibility to me. Social responsibility is an inherent part of socialism.  Jesus says quite a bit against the greedy elites and how they treat the poor.

I admit I do not know much about Islam and the Koran, the writings of the Jains, Hindus, Buddhists, or other world faiths. Or First Nation traditions for that matter. And I am near the Tonawanda, Tuscarora, and Seneca Nations. Perhaps I need to read them.

Are we writing off the religious unnecessarily and handing them over to social conservatives because we don't understand their faith? I find quite a bit of socialist thought in Judeo - Christian writings. Perhaps that's a foot in the door to let socialism in and get them out of the conservative movements.

It is said that Ronald Reagan Stated that the only way to get the Republican economic agenda passed was to “split the left.” So in 1979-80 the Republican party went from being pro-choice to pro-life. And look at what happened.

If we can, by knowing what the different faiths say about social issues like economic justice and rights of the poor, split the conservative movement, shouldn't we?

So, sit down, pick up some sacred writing and see what it says that fits in with socialism.

You might find it enlightening.

Shalom.