Americans are steeped in socialism and statism. That definitely includes Republicans and conservatives and even those who hate socialism. They have socialist presuppositions and positions. Someone who hates socialism, but supports police is actually a socialist. Someone who hates socialist healthcare but supports the military is actually a socialist. Someone who hates socialism but wants the government to vet immigrants and travelers is actually a socialist.
The common analogy that socialists who don’t realize they’re socialists use is comparing the border to your house. They say, “You control who comes and goes from your house, so the government should also control who comes and goes from the country.” This belief reeks of socialist presuppositions. Here’s a response I posted, and I’m posting it here so I can come back and don’t have to retype it.
———————————————————————————————— You’re comparing the country to your home. Your home is private property. You have the right to control who comes and goes. Private property is a capitalist (and also biblical) idea that is incompatible with socialism, right?
To say that the government can control who comes and goes from the country is to say that the government or the commune has some kind of ownership over the country as a whole. That is a socialist belief. The government shouldn’t be allowed to control who comes and goes, because it doesn’t own the country. If you believe the government owns the country, you at least have some socialist presuppositions, whether you realize it or not.
The Bible teaches that the government should have zero control over someone who isn’t a criminal. Traveling or working in a foreign country is not a sin, therefore it’s none of the government’s business. ————————————————————————————————
There is a proposal for a new recreation center in Canon City. I don’t know how it will be paid for but I certainly wouldn’t be surprised if they wanted to raise taxes. I’m not the only one who thought that as I read the first few comments, which I’ve pasted below. I’m only pasting the pro-tax comments. There were several anti-tax comments as well.
My Christian Acquaintance, who is a leader in a church, “Keep pushing, lets get it done!”
Another Christian Acquaintance: Excited for this hope we get this in canon tax away !!
Random Stranger: Why are you against being taxed for something that will HELP your community?? “Taxes: you have to pay for the goose that lays the Golden egg.” Even La Junta has a Rec Center.
Randam Stranger 2: I would happily love for my tax money to go to something product for everyone here in Fremont so that they can get out and live better lives, screw being greedy I’m all for the fun and bringing for recreation to the people!
After reading all that, I had to say something.
ME: If you’re willing to have your taxes raised to pay for this, then you’d be willing to write a check voluntarily. Advocating for higher taxes is saying you want your neighbors to be forced to pay for it whether they want to or not. You’re committing the sin of covetousness.
And Alexis responded to my comment.
ALEXIS: I see it differently. I see that all of us should be invested in a healthy community. Each is us pays a tiny bit extra, everyone has a chance to participate. Even those who don’t participate reap the benefits of a healthier, happier community. To not want to help the community is committing the sin of greed.
ME: You may be right that this is the greatest thing ever, but if someone disagrees, you don’t really care, you want them to pay whether they like it or not. You are breaking the 10th Commandment.
“For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.” Ephesians 5:5
ALEXIS: “judge not, lest ye be judged.” We all need to pay our share. We pay for roads, we pay for fire and police services even if we never need them. Health is important, and if we share in the costs, we all win. So please spare me your self-righteous preaching.
ME: Are you judging me as having judged you? By doing that, you actually are judging hypocritically, and violating Jesus’ teaching. But you’re misunderstanding what He was saying. Jesus said to judge with righteous judgment (John 7:24).
You’re committing the sin of covetousness. If your eye causes you to sin, you should pluck it out, because it’s better to go to heaven with one eye than to go to hell with two.
“Judge not, let ye be judged.” is every unbeliever’s favorite Bible verse, quoted in perfect King James English.
Of course, unbelievers hatch all kinds of evil schemes and perpetrate all sorts of injustices. What do you expect? The problem is that in the face of all sorts of socialist programs and tax hikes, Christians are SILENT when such things violate God’s prohibitions on covetousness and theft at the very least (20% of the Ten Commandments). There is zero application of Scripture to the real world or to government from the pulpits. If Christians applied Scripture to government properly, and acted consistently in their own lives, we could defeat socialism tomorrow, and do it easily. But Christians want a rec center and public school, so they advocate for socialism alongside unbelievers.
Every pastor that doesn’t preach against every tax hike and socialism is a hireling who should be tossed out of the pulpit. A mass pulpit purging is what needs to happen in America before anything else good will happen.
Working for the Secession of Fremont County from the Union
