On socialism

Now that McCain / Palin have come out and all but called Obama a socialist, we ought to ask ourselves, well, is that a bad thing? Obama seems intent on denying this fact (and I believe it is a fact) just like he has denied so many other facts which ought to be damaging to his chances, if they were publicized.

As I was reading in Deuteronomy 5 the other day, I realized the Ten Commandments do address socialism (and communism) as political systems. It is true the Ten Commandments are a list of do nots. But for every do not, there is an implied do. Here is the list of do nots and implied dos that I have seen in the Ten:

1. Do not be ambivalent or careless toward God. Do worship Him, and Him only.
2. Do not make or bow down to false idols. Do preserve the sanctity of the Lord’s worship.
3. Do not profane the name of the Lord. Do preserve the holiness of His name.
4. Do not ignore the Lord’s appointed times. Do honor the Sabbath day to keep it holy.
5. Do not dishonor your parents. Do preserve the sanctity of the Lord’s authority.
6. Do not murder. Do preserve the sanctity of human life.
7. Do not commit adultery. Do preserve the sanctity of intimacy within its God- ordainded boundaries.
8. Do not steal. Do preserve the sanctity of private property.
9. Do not bear false witness. Do preserve the integrity of truth.
10. Do not covet. Do preserve the sanctity of the desires of the heart.

And there it is, right there at number 8: Do not steal, but do perserve the sanctity of private property. Whenever any one or any entity uses force or the threat of force to take something that belongs to you, that is stealing. Our income is ours because we earned it in exchange for our labor. We are already paying more to the government in taxes, that I believe they are entitled to have. If the work of God’s kingdom can go forward on 10%, then surely the government can subsist on that amount also. But they don’t like doing what the rest of us must do, and that is budget, prioritize, economize, and not be spendthrift. Hey, I don’t like doing that either, but I am not a spoiled adolescent, I’m an adult, and adults exercise self- control for the greater good. Unless you are a congressperson.

So when we are already paying more than we ought in tough economic times, to then be forced (as the Obama tax plan would do) to pay even more so that people who have not paid their fair share can be given our income – that is socialism, that is stealing, and that breaks the 8th Commandment.