Socialism/A brief thought on 'Christian Socialism'.

''He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor. -'' Proverbs 22:9.

How quick are we as modern pawns of the Capitalistic system to believe that we are greater than our fellow man, based solely upon the contents of our bank account? With how much haste do we answer the call of advertisements and lay at the altar of fiscal targets, tithing to corporations that through a constant sexualisation that corrupts the soul, push the next must have product? Are we of the mindset to look upon our reflection in the mirror and without designer brands produced in awful, laborious sweatshops looking back, judge ourselves inferior? Must we subscribe to hedonism, to toxic opinions on masculinity rooted in lust, just to imprint upon those with the same mindset living in the same echo chamber a sense of ideal being? How keen are we to live so deeply within our own minds that we do not even hear the beggar outside the train station or acknowledge the single mother counting her pennies so that he can afford baby food in the supermarket because of these facets?

I am reminded of Matthew 19:24 when asked on why so many Christians seek to be the inheritors of the theology that bred Medieval indulgences, whereby the coin saved, not Christ. Do they pray that one day a camel may be bred that is miniscule enough to pass through the eye of a needle and in a twisted loophole, save them from damnation? Do they dare to imagine that Christ would have rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday today adorned with expense and atop a vehicle encased in precious metals? Nothing about Christ was mindlessly performative, yet everything about Capitalism is soulless and dark. Nothing about Christ taught us that a condition of love was a financial transaction, yet many a Pastor has flown to their flock in a private jet wrought from congregational donations. Would Jesus, in accordance with Matthew 21:12-13, have treated the Capitalistic world with the same justified contempt he showed the merchants who bartered in the Beis Hamikdash?

I am but a humble sinner and so cannot serve within a position to declare that which is good and just with any semblance of righteous judgement. But I acknowledge based upon the facts that Christ was not a Capitalist, that Christ was not a White Supremacist, that Christ did not make disciple of man nor woman based on the fullness of their bank account but instead the fullness of their heart. I know that Christ sat with the beggar in accordance with Luke 18:35-43, that He ate with the wretched and lowly as told in Mark 2:15-22 and above all that His love for us is beyond money printed on paper or forged from silver.

Nothing of Christ's ministry was Capitalistic, to the extent that He paid the ultimate price upon Calvary for us sinners and left no debt outstanding. To be a disciple of Christ, is to be a Christian Socialist. That is my briefest of thoughts, so when you next are out in the world, prevent yourselves as I will myself, from focussing too much on the reflection in a mirror - and instead - look down and see those who may require a hand.

- Oliver A.W. Cremin, BA