“Thou Shalt Not Covet!” A Commandment Against Socialism.
A Commentary by J. D. Longstreet
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Let’s look at the definition of the word “covet.”
According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary the word “covet” means -- to desire (what belongs to another) inordinately or culpably -- or to feel inordinate desire for what belongs to another. Therein lie the roots of socialism -- to crave that which belongs to another. Without covetousness there would be no socialism. So -- to be a practioner of socialism one is in direct defiance of the Ten Commandments. Those of the Judeo-Christian religious persuasion should pay close attention to what Americans and our government is doing these days.
As a country boy I was raised not to covet the wealth, fame, or material possessions of my fellow human beings. Instead, I was taught to be happy for them and to work hard, play by the rules, and I, too, had a shot at making something of myself and maybe, just maybe, attaining a degree of wealth for myself and my family.
Granted, my formative years took place before the halfway point of the last century. Granted, also, it was a different America back then. It was a strong America, an America that understood it’s Christian foundation. There was no question about that. None. Covetous people were frowned upon and shunned. Oftimes, those with a covetous bent were involved in crimes of theft or other nefarious schemes to obtain for themselves that which they coveted. More often than not they wound up in jail.
Today, in America, a socialist government reinforces covetousness. Our leaders tell us that all persons in America are entitled to exactly the same standard of living as everybody else. They tell us that everyone is entitled to a college education, that everyone is entitled to the same medical care, and the list of entitlements goes on and on.
A covetous person is a weak person. A covetous nation is a weak nation. A socialist nation is a weak nation. Try checking your reference books for great socialist nations. I dare say you will find none.
Today, in America, we are taught that it is all right to punish companies and families that are prosperous. We are taught that they must share their wealth with us, who have less wealth than they. We are taught that it’s OK to force them to hand over as much of their wealth as we deem necessary to assuage our craving for it. We are taught that it is wrong for those companies and/or families to move to another country, and/or to move their companies to another country so as to be able to keep that which they have earned and that which rightfully belongs to them. We are taught that that which belongs to them does not, in fact, belong to them but to us, collectively, spread around evenly. And we are pleased when those from whom we have taken their fortune are brought low to the common denominator of society, a class of citizen, which is nothing more than a ward of the state, a serf, if you please in a modern day feudal system. And we are told that everyone will be happy when we all suffer equally.
This is socialism, dear reader, and it is where the government in power in Washington today is taking America.
To go a bit farther – Socialism is a form of “humanism.” Socialism is an economic system based on covetousness. Covetousness, as we said above, is craving that which is not ours, that which does not belong to us, yet we desire it. That is in direct violation of Christian teaching.
I am about to put on my black frock coat and turn my collar around and step into my pulpit for a moment to try to make the next point. Actually, I ran across this at a site called: “Christian Confusion.” You’ll find it HERE. The author I am about to quote from is Bob Stenson. Mr. Stenson says the following: “Collectivism appears to be an attempt to establish the Kingdom of God on earth, but without King Jesus. Attempts to create Socialist or Communist governments are extensions of Humanism, not something that the Church is about. It’s no wonder that we see such self-righteousness, contempt for Christ and His followers, slander and the bearing of false witness, and violence from those who promote Socialism and Communism.
Socialism and Communism are also closely associated with cult Liberalism, which is based in the unreasonable belief that natural goodness is inherent in humanity. Liberalism is mainly a human goodness cult that redefines evil as goodness and redefines goodness as evil.”
For the reasons listed here, Christians should not be putting their efforts into establishing these evil systems.”
A Commentary by J. D. Longstreet
*******************************
Let’s look at the definition of the word “covet.”
According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary the word “covet” means -- to desire (what belongs to another) inordinately or culpably -- or to feel inordinate desire for what belongs to another. Therein lie the roots of socialism -- to crave that which belongs to another. Without covetousness there would be no socialism. So -- to be a practioner of socialism one is in direct defiance of the Ten Commandments. Those of the Judeo-Christian religious persuasion should pay close attention to what Americans and our government is doing these days.
As a country boy I was raised not to covet the wealth, fame, or material possessions of my fellow human beings. Instead, I was taught to be happy for them and to work hard, play by the rules, and I, too, had a shot at making something of myself and maybe, just maybe, attaining a degree of wealth for myself and my family.
Granted, my formative years took place before the halfway point of the last century. Granted, also, it was a different America back then. It was a strong America, an America that understood it’s Christian foundation. There was no question about that. None. Covetous people were frowned upon and shunned. Oftimes, those with a covetous bent were involved in crimes of theft or other nefarious schemes to obtain for themselves that which they coveted. More often than not they wound up in jail.
Today, in America, a socialist government reinforces covetousness. Our leaders tell us that all persons in America are entitled to exactly the same standard of living as everybody else. They tell us that everyone is entitled to a college education, that everyone is entitled to the same medical care, and the list of entitlements goes on and on.
A covetous person is a weak person. A covetous nation is a weak nation. A socialist nation is a weak nation. Try checking your reference books for great socialist nations. I dare say you will find none.
Today, in America, we are taught that it is all right to punish companies and families that are prosperous. We are taught that they must share their wealth with us, who have less wealth than they. We are taught that it’s OK to force them to hand over as much of their wealth as we deem necessary to assuage our craving for it. We are taught that it is wrong for those companies and/or families to move to another country, and/or to move their companies to another country so as to be able to keep that which they have earned and that which rightfully belongs to them. We are taught that that which belongs to them does not, in fact, belong to them but to us, collectively, spread around evenly. And we are pleased when those from whom we have taken their fortune are brought low to the common denominator of society, a class of citizen, which is nothing more than a ward of the state, a serf, if you please in a modern day feudal system. And we are told that everyone will be happy when we all suffer equally.
This is socialism, dear reader, and it is where the government in power in Washington today is taking America.
To go a bit farther – Socialism is a form of “humanism.” Socialism is an economic system based on covetousness. Covetousness, as we said above, is craving that which is not ours, that which does not belong to us, yet we desire it. That is in direct violation of Christian teaching.
I am about to put on my black frock coat and turn my collar around and step into my pulpit for a moment to try to make the next point. Actually, I ran across this at a site called: “Christian Confusion.” You’ll find it HERE. The author I am about to quote from is Bob Stenson. Mr. Stenson says the following: “Collectivism appears to be an attempt to establish the Kingdom of God on earth, but without King Jesus. Attempts to create Socialist or Communist governments are extensions of Humanism, not something that the Church is about. It’s no wonder that we see such self-righteousness, contempt for Christ and His followers, slander and the bearing of false witness, and violence from those who promote Socialism and Communism.
Socialism and Communism are also closely associated with cult Liberalism, which is based in the unreasonable belief that natural goodness is inherent in humanity. Liberalism is mainly a human goodness cult that redefines evil as goodness and redefines goodness as evil.”
Mr. Stenson goes on to say: “It is God’s option to redistribute the wealth. He didn’t put that work into the hands of human beings.
In addition, these Socialist systems seem to always become systems that make state the god, cruel systems of government that usually make it illegal to follow Jesus Christ.
For the reasons listed here, Christians should not be putting their efforts into establishing these evil systems.”
I began thinking about this a couple of weeks ago when I heard someone on TV remark that when you had a society in which some had very little while others seem to have everything, there was bound to be strife. Those aren’t the exact words, of course, but close. The point is -- I began to wonder why anyone would covet what another has.
Now, I’m no saint. And from time to time, as a frail human, I covet. Maybe it is a fine automobile, a beautiful home, or something as mundane as a brand spanking new computer -- with all the bells and whistles. But, my childhood teaching steps in and stops me when it comes to craving that which belongs to another.
Socialism, on the other hand, would have you believe that coveting -- craving for that which is not yours, which you did not earn, which belongs by right to another, is OK. To encourage you in that regard, they reinforce, at every opportunity, your belief that you are entitled to it. For IF you believe that you are entitled to it, you are far more likely to grant the government the power it needs to take it from those who have it and dole it out to those who do not. Now, I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I must tell you, that smacks of plain, old-fashioned THEFT to this old country boy!
Socialism is based on Godless greed and deceit. THAT is why it is doomed to failure every time it is tried. That is why every country that stoops so low as to try it inevitable crumbles from the core and implodes into it’s own hollowness. And that is exactly what will happen to America if she does not save herself from the current ongoing attempt to force her into blind acceptance of a socialist government bent on securing for itself more and more power over your life and the lives of your fellow American citizens.
One objective survey of our current unpleasant economic and unemployment situations in America should satisfy anyone that America is on the long slide into socialist oblivion. Even more frightening is what so many of us fear. We fear that we have only just begun that slide and more crumbling into mediocrity is in our immediate future.
Americans must be ready to fight back at the polls in 2010. If we are to save what is left of our country by November 2010, we must vote out as many of the socialists as we possible can.
I want my country back! Don’t you?
J. D. Longstreet
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