I will resist the temptation to start by saying that Marx was a classic example of what the Bible describes as an intelligent fool – ie – someone that has buckets of knowledge but zero wisdom – we all know they are different things right? Apparently many people do not.
This is a man that believes God does not exist and we are all simply products of nature – no more than rocks – and then goes on to assert we need to transfer power to the ‘state’ – as if random nature could organise such an organised thing and any kind of organised ‘state’ would occur in nature. Sure we see hierarchies and groups working together in nature among ANIMALS for the good of all – but ants don’t draw up manifestos whereby the learned and intelligent ants rule over the stupid ants. In the Bible – our animal state is expressly explained as a result of SIN – the desire to be like God (so God executed a damage limitation policy and made sure we no longer posses our original timeless bodies that live forever – lest we ruin the world). In the Bible – having fallen – humans are called by God to rise above our animal state – not wallow in it or devise ways to make it work for our own glorification. Or perhaps this is exactly what Marx saw – an opportunity in the natural animal order where the strong rule the weak at any cost – that might explain his manifesto perfectly.
So Marx – not realising himself as the great evil – thought the great evil was freedom to produce and be fruitful ones own hard work, ingenuity and labour. OK Mr Marx – what is planting a tree, tending to it, growing it’s fruit – then eating of it’s fruit which your body then profits and grows greater from? In other words – the gain or reward from taking the time and energy to grow the fruit is greater than the input – if not a form of so-called ‘capitalism’? So even in nature – just like the borders and checks and balances built into every cell in the human body – put there to protect the host from destruction by a few bad invaders – in nature we also see ‘capitalism’ at work every time we grow, eat and profit from that food. God built an amazing system when output can exceed input for every creature. If it wasn’t that way man would not survive. The question is who should be doing the sharing? Individuals or the state? Jesus said US!
Was Marx above this? Did Marx in his private life, not work at anything in order to profit from it? Perhaps not – but only because his lounging about and musings – or ‘thinking’ sessions (when he wasn’t down the pub drinking) was patronised (paid for) by people that he conned into believing in his foolishness. So Marx didn’t need to get a job and work like the rest of us and it was therefore entirely natural for him to dream up endless ways to support laziness. Is that harsh? Perhaps, but as we’ve all seen in real life – the results of his thinking implemented were and will always be far harsher.
The problem is – if you don’t believe in God who teaches us to be charitable individually – then perhaps a heavy handed state is only answer – enter socialism – ta-da!
It’s all foolishness because whether they know it or admit it – every person on the planet is a ‘capitalist’ in some way or other. And unfortunately the word ‘capitalist’ – from the word capitalising – like many others has had its meaning substituted to always mean only money – and the real problem – the greedy – those that abuse the idea of rightfully profiting from enterprise is conveniently (for the always wealthy rich socialist masters) missed.
Some state safety nets are good – but for those that can’t help themselves – the old, sick etc
The truth is (and the bible says so – a working man is worthy of his pay) profiting is a fine and noble reward for hard work and sacrifice – and yes – it’s always to be shared willingly by US with those less fortunate – not stolen by the state to do it for us. After all – how can an individual share or be charitable if they own nothing? The communists want a sterile – godless – loveless – dead world, and they are fools to conceive of such a prison which in the end they themselves will become slave.
The root cause of suffering is man’s greed – the LOVE of money Jesus called it
Marx – thinking there was a grand ‘fix’ for everything – started a revolution in idiocy. But more important than any of this as already mentioned, is that it’s the ABUSE of capitalism by greedy people that is the real problem (the LOVE of money Jesus said) – and this abuse is a completely different problem to so-called (I hate labels because they easily become deliberately misinterpreted straw men) ‘capitalism’ the idea of people getting of their behinds, being enterprising, creative, working hard and creating better living conditions and prosperity for all – all ships rise on a rising tide. Oh but Marx was too intelligent to waste his time working – he was patronised by others, so he could keep busy dreaming up daft philosophies for the rest of us. Unfortunately it’s not dead, and probably only just beginning.
“The poor will always be among us” – Jesus knew there was no fix-all because of man’s tendency to sin – so only bottom up reform of personal character would improve things, and looking after one’s neighbours as oneself – bringing others UP – not taking the industrious down is the best we can do
The problem is not capitalism (being industrious and profiting from your hard work) but greed. The best answer (there is no fix for man’s greed unless you take away all freedom – Marx’s answer) is not to steel from the greedy, but individual reform, education and looking after your neighbours as yourself – bottom up – not a giant sticking plaster in the form of a hammer on the whole world top down. If you don’t own anything (you worked for) there is NO possibility for charity – the greatest of all loves, according to Jesus. He was also right when he said; the LOVE of money (greed – not money itself) was the root of all evil.
To try to FIX everything by spreading wealth by taking it by force is not solving the problem at it’s root – at best it’s a band-aid that eliminates the possibility to care for our neighbours (and let the state do it for us)
Unfortunately the inequalities in the world (which Jesus himself took on) are precisely what give us the ONLY opportunity we have for charity (giving away what we own that has value) – the greatest of all loves according to Christ. The poor will always be among us Jesus said – the problem is greed (LOVE of money he said) and we can only seek to improve.
It’s not going away; In Revelations, The Bible describes a final socialist world order Marx would have loved
There is no ‘answer’ to greed – except personal spiritual reform through Christ. This is what life is all about – the opportunity for us and others to see where our real interests lie – in serving ourselves or others. Once everyone is given everything on a plate as Zuckerburg and many before him have suggested, we are living in a sterile, loveless, vacuous false Eutopia. For a potted history of Marx time wasting – see this documentary…
I love God, Christ, The Bible. art, painting, playing music, improvising music, guitar (first instrument), drumming (not very good at it:), and anything musical or art related. Quick note – my articles are usually spun off in minutes so forgive any errors – hopefully you get the essence of the article and I’ll pick up mistakes later. If you want to write of 101ChristianMagazine and inspire and edify Christians with articles on faith, general news, hobbies or anything that interests you email me at: epgb101@gmail.com:)
