D. JAMES KENNEDY MINISTRIES PRESENTS
TRUTHS THAT TRANSFORM.
LET US ANSWER THE QUESTION DOES THE BIBLE TEACH
SOCIALISM?
PEOPLE'S CAPACITY FOR SELF-SUPPORT HAS DECLINED
DRAMATICALLY BECAUSE THESE GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS DESTROY
THE HEART OF SELF-SUFFICIENCY.
THIS IS TRUTHS THAT TRANSFORM.
♪
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON TRUTHS THAT TRANSFORM,
A VIEWER-SUPPORTED PROGRAM OF D. JAMES KENNEDY MINISTRIES.
I'M FRANK WRIGHT.
BE SURE TO VISIT OUR MINISTRY WEBSITE WHERE YOU
CAN FIND A WIDE VARIETY OF OUTSTANDING, FREE CONTENT,
INCLUDING VIDEO, AUDIO, AND PRINT RESOURCES.
IT'S ALL AVAILABLE AT:
THIS MONTH ON TRUTHS THAT TRANSFORM,
WE'RE LOOKING AT SOCIALISM.
FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, A SELF-AVOWED SOCIALIST HAS
WON DELEGATES FOR A MAJOR PARTY'S NOMINATION FOR
PRESIDENT.
MANY AMERICANS CLEARLY DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE DANGER.
JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT SOCIALISM IS WILLIAM J.
MURRAY, CHAIRMAN OF THE RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
COALITION.
HE'S THE SON OF THE LATE ATHEIST FIREBRAND MADELYN
MURRAY O'HAIR, AND HAS WRITTEN A NEW BOOK ABOUT
SOCIALISM, UTOPIAN ROAD TO HELL.
WELL BILL, THANKS FOR JOINING US TODAY,
IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU WITH US.
GREAT, GOOD TO BE ON WITH YA.
WELL, YOU HAVE AN ACADEMIC BACKGROUND,
AND STUDIED SOCIALISM, YOU'VE GOT HISTORICAL
INTERESTS, A WIDE BREADTH OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT IT,
BUT YOUR BOOK IS REALLY ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL
JOURNEY, THE PERSONAL EFFECT OF SOCIALISM ON
YOU, HOW DOES
WELL, THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE BOOK IN ORDER TO
INTRODUCE WHY I'M SO INTERESTED IN IT, AND
I'M INTERESTED IN IT BECAUSE I WAS A RED-DIAPER
BABY, PEOPLE THINK OF MY MOTHER AS THE ATHEIST
FIREBRAND BUT IN REALITY SHE WAS A DEDICATED
MARXIST WHO ATTEMPTED TO DEFECT TO THE SOVIET UNION
IN 1960 AND IT WAS ACTUALLY THROUGH THAT
DEFECTION THAT DIDN'T WORK AND HER FORCED RETURN TO
THE UNITED STATES THAT SHE ACCIDENTALLY DISCOVERED
THE PRAYER IN SCHOOL AND FILED THE LAWSUIT.
NOW, SHE ALSO WANTED THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE OUT
OF THE SCHOOL, SHE WANTED ANY REFERENCES
TO CAPITALISM OUT OF THE SCHOOL, SHE WANTED
THE CONSTITUTION OUT OF THE SCHOOL.
AS SHE MADE MONEY BEING AN ATHEIST THAT THOSE
ATTITUDES CHANGED SOMEWHAT, BUT THE REALITY WAS,
I WAS RAISED IN A MARXIST HOME AND UNDERSTOOD MARXISM
BETTER THAN PROBABLY A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE MY AGE
BEING RAISED IN THE SOVIET UNION AT THE TIME.
YEAH, WHAT'S THE DEFINING CHARACTERISTIC IN YOUR MIND
THAT WHEN YOU SAY IT'S SORT OF THE SINE QUA NON,
THE THING THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE FOR IT TO BE
MARXIST SOCIALISM, WHAT IS THAT ONE THING?
WELL, NUMBER ONE YOU HAVE TO HAVE CENTRAL PLANNING
BECAUSE GOD'S PLAN IS FREE ENTERPRISE, GOD'S PLAN:
I PRODUCE, I WORK HARD, I PRODUCE SOMETHING,
AND PRIMITIVELY I TRADE THAT TO OTHER PEOPLE
FOR WHAT THEY NEED.
TODAY WE USE MONEY AS AN INTERMEDIARY ON THAT BUT
THAT WAS GOD'S PLAN, IT'S IN THE BIBLE,
IT'S CLEAR IN THE OLD TESTAMENT,
THIS WAS GOD'S PLAN FOR MANKIND AND ITS MENTIONED
IN THE NEW TESTAMENT AS WELL.
BUT IN THE SOCIALIST MODEL SOMEBODY NOT ONLY DECIDES
WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO PRODUCE AND WHEN YOU'RE
GOING TO PRODUCE IT, BUT ALSO DECIDES WHAT YOU NEED.
THE KEY PHRASE AND KARL MARK USED IT WAS: FROM
EACH ACCORDING TO THEIR ABILITY TO EACH ACCORDING
TO THEIR NEED.
KEEP IN MIND, IT DOESN'T SAY WANT.
BERNIE SANDERS ISN'T SAYING,
"I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU WHAT YOU WANT."
HE'S SAYING, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU THE HEALTHCARE
THAT YOU NEED; I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU THE EDUCATION
THAT YOU NEED.
IS EVERYBODY GOING TO GET A 5 STAR COLLEGE EDUCATION
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA OR AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, OF COURSE NOT,
THE GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO DECIDE WHO GETS THE FREE
EDUCATION AND WHAT LEVEL OF EDUCATION THEY'RE GONNA
GET, IF AT ALL.
WRAPPED UP IN THIS WHOLE NOTION OF SOCIALISM AND
ITS MARXIST COUSIN COMMUNISM IS THIS UTOPIAN
IDEAL, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE DID THAT
ORIGINATE AND HOW'S THAT WORK ITSELF OUT TODAY?
WELL, WE'VE SEEN OTHER ASPECTS OF IT THAT PEOPLE
DON'T IMMEDIATELY THINK OF AS UTOPIANISM.
GERMANY'S HITLER, HITLER'S GERMANY WAS A UTOPIAN
STATE, HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO BUILD A THOUSAND YEAR
REICH THAT WAS GOING TO BE PERFECT FOR THE GERMAN
PEOPLE, ALL HE HAD TO DO WAS TO STEAL FROM THE JEWS
IN ORDER TO FINANCE, TO TAKE OVER THE INDUSTRIES,
YOU KNOW ETC. YOU HAD MUSSOLINI, THE SAME THING,
THESE THE FASCISM, THIS IS JUST ANOTHER ASPECT OF
UTOPIANISM, AND BY THE WAY EVERYBODY SHOULD KEEP IN
MIND THAT THE TRUE NAME OF THE NAZI PARTY WAS THE
NATIONAL SOCIALIST PARTY.
THEN WE SAW THIS AGAIN WE SAW IT IN FRANCE,
WE SAW IT IN ANCIENT CHINA,
WE SAW IT WITH THE PILGRIMS.
PEOPLE FORGET THAT WHEN THE PILGRIMS CAME TO THE
UNITED STATES THEY TRIED THIS FIRST,
THEY THOUGHT THAT THEY COULD FORM A NEW TESTAMENT
TYPE OF GOVERNMENT THAT THEY WERE GONNA BE
SHARING, THERE WAS NO PRIVATE PROPERTY,
EVERYBODY WOULD JUST WORK AS HARD AS THEY COULD AND
ONLY TAKE WHAT THEY NEEDED, THAT WAS BEFORE KARL MARX,
THEY STARVED TO DEATH AND HAD TO GO BACK TO THE
FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM.
NOT TOO MANY HISTORIANS THAT ARE ALL ABOUT AMERICA
AND HOW GREAT AMERICA IS WANT TO KIND OF REPORT
THAT ANGLE OF IT, IT DIDN'T WORK IN CHINA WHEN
IT WAS TRIED, YOU GO BACK TO SPARTA, SPARTA FAILED,
AND THE PLAN THAT CAME OUT EVEN PLATO IN HIS REPUBLIC
AND LATER THE LAWS ADMITTED, YES THIS WOULD BE THE
PERFECT SYSTEM BUT IT PROBABLY WON'T WORK.
WHAT ABOUT THE ATHEISTIC CHARACTERISTIC OF
SOCIALISM, IT'S NOT JUST ATHEISTIC ITS
ANTAGONISTICALLY ATHEISTIC YES?
IT IS FIRST OF ALL ANTI-RELIGIOUS,
BUT IT'S PARTICULARLY IN ITS WESTERN FRAMEWORK
ANTI-CHRISTIAN BECAUSE CHRIST GAVE US FREEDOM OF
THE INDIVIDUAL, WE HAVE FREEDOM OF THE INDIVIDUAL
THAT CAME THROUGH CHRIST.
AND OUR RIGHTS COME FROM GOD,
WELL THIS IS A PROBLEM WHEN YOU'RE DEALING WITH
CENTRAL PLANNING AND YOU NEED TO CONTROL THE PEOPLE
AND YOU NEED TO TELL THEM NOT ONLY WHAT THEIR NEEDS
ARE BUT WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO.
SO, THE CONCEPT OF GOD, THE CONCEPT OF HAVING ANY
AUTHORITY HIGHER THAN GOVERNMENT HAS TO BE
ELIMINATED PARTICULARLY JUDEO-CHRISTIANITY.
YEAH.
SOME RECENT POLLS OF SO-CALLED MILLENNIALS,
30 AND UNDER GENERALLY, SHOW ABOUT 30-35% OF THEM
PREFER SOCIALISM TO CAPITALISM.
YOU'VE SAID THAT SOCIALISM, TRUE SOCIALISM,
FULL ORBED SOCIALISM WHEREVER ITS TRIED ALWAYS
FAILS, WOULDN'T CONFRONTING A YOUNG PERSON
WITH THE EVIDENCE, THE EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE OF
THOSE FAILURES BE AT LEAST PERSUASIVE IN HELPING THEM
SEE THERE'S MORE TO SOCIALISM THAN THEY MAY
UNDERSTAND WHEN ALL THEY HEAR ARE THE FINE SOUNDING
IDEAS.
NO.
BECAUSE THEY'RE IN A STATE OF MAGIC THOUGHT,
JUST LIKE MY MOTHER WAS.
THEY'RE SORT OF LIKE THE PEOPLE THAT BELIEVE THAT
NOBODY EVER WALKED ON MOON, THAT THERE WAS A
GIANT CONSPIRACY.
YOU KNOW, THAT SOMEHOW, SOME GROUP, SOME ORGANIZATION,
SOME UNKNOWN BEHIND THE SCENES THING HAS MANAGED TO
FORCE SOCIALISM OR COLLECTIVISM OR WHATEVER
YOU WANT TO CALL IT TO FAIL.
AND IF ONLY IF IT WERE DONE RIGHT,
OR THE PEOPLE THAT TRIED IT DIDN'T DO IT RIGHT,
IF ONLY IT WERE DONE RIGHT AND YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE
FAILED FRENCH REVOLUTION AND KARL MARX SAYS, WELL
I GOT THIS FIGURED OUT, I KNOW HOW WE CAN MAKE THIS
WORK AND THEY TRIED IT IN SOVIET UNION AND OF COURSE
IT DIDN'T WORK AND THEN THE CUBANS LOOKED AT IT
AND IT WASN'T WORKING IN RUSSIA THEY THOUGHT NO PROBLEM
WE CAN MAKE IT WORK HERE, AND THE CHINESE LOOKED
AT IT AND SAID HEY.
I MEAN WE'RE TALKING ENTIRE SOCIETIES NOW,
NOT YOUNG MILLENNIALS, WE'RE TALKING ENTIRE
SOCIETIES WATCHED SOMETHING ELSE FAILING
AND THEY TRIED IT ANYWAY.
THEN POL POT CAME ALONG, AND HE LOOKED AT THE WHOLE
THING AND HE SAID LOOK, THIS HASN'T WORKED
ANYWHERE, EVERYBODY IS STARVING ANYWHERE, I HAVE
THE SOLUTION.
WHAT THE MISTAKE THAT THEY MADE IS THAT THEY DIDN'T
GO FAR ENOUGH DOWN, THEY KEPT PEOPLE AROUND THAT
WERE EDUCATED AND THAT WERE CORRUPTED WITH IDEAS
OF FREE TRADE AND CAPITALISM.
AND ALL WE NEED TO DO IS GET RID OF THOSE,
SO HE MURDERED EVERYBODY WITH A COLLEGE EDUCATION,
HE MURDERED EVERYBODY THAT WORE GLASSES,
EVERYBODY THAT HAD ANY KIND OF A COLLEGE DEGREE,
EVERYBODY THAT SPOKE A FOREIGN LANGUAGE,
ANYBODY THAT HAD EVER BEEN A POLICE OFFICER,
ANYBODY THAT HAD EVER BEEN AN ARMY OFFICER.
HE MURDERED A THIRD OF THE POPULATION,
THINKING THAT IF HE REDUCED IT TO THE CORE
PROLETARIAT THEY COULD BUILD THIS MARVELOUS
SOCIETY.
I READ SOMEONE SAY RECENTLY THAT IF YOUNG
PEOPLE REALIZE THAT AMAZON WOULD BE OWNED BY THE
GOVERNMENT, UBER WOULD BE OWNED BY THE GOVERNMENT,
GOOGLE, FACEBOOK, ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY IDOLIZE
IN THE CULTURE TODAY, IN A TRUE SOCIALIST SYSTEM THE
MEANS OF PRODUCTION IS ALL OWNED BY COLLECTIVELY THAT
IF THEY REALIZE THAT THEY WOULDN'T LIKE IT BUT
THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT WOULD BE MISSING
ALTOGETHER.
YES, GOOGLE WOULD BE MISSING.
EXACTLY.
UBER WOULD BE MISSING.
WHAT YOUNG FOLKS DON'T UNDERSTAND IS THE
ACCUMULATION OF WEALTH IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT
BECAUSE INNOVATION COMES FROM THE ACCUMULATION OF
WEALTH AND THEY ALL WELL THAT'S NONSENSE.
IS IT NONSENSE?
REMEMBER THAT FIRST CELL PHONE THAT WAS LIKE A BRICK,
A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE DON'T REMEMBER THAT.
I MEAN ALL IT WAS WAS A TELEPHONE AND YOU COULD
DEFEND YOURSELF WITH IT.
IN FACT MOTOROLA WHO MADE IT, RAN COMMERCIALS OF IT
SOMEBODY PICKING IT UP BURNT OUT OF A FIRE AND
IT STILL WORKED, BUT HERE'S THE POINT
WHEN THAT PHONE CAME OUT IT COST ALMOST $1000,
IT WAS JUST LITERALLY NOTHING MORE THAN A TELEPHONE
BUT THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT WERE ABLE TO BUY IT
BECAUSE THEY WANTED IT AND NEEDED IT BECAUSE
THEY SAW THE PRODUCTIVITY ADVANTAGES OF IT, AND
THAT GAVE THE PEOPLE THAT MANUFACTURED THAT PHONE,
MONEY SO THEY COULD INNOVATE AND PRODUCE MORE PHONES,
CHEAPER PHONES, SMALLER PHONES, UNTIL WE HAVE
WHAT WE HAVE TODAY.
WELL BILL, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US SO MUCH,
IT'S BEEN GREAT HAVING YOU HERE.
GREAT TO BE ON HERE.
PLEASURE.
DESPITE THE ABUNDANT EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE OF THE
DANGERS OF SOCIALISM, IT PERSISTS.
PART OF WHAT HAS HELPED IT THRIVE,
ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE,
IS THE MISTAKEN NOTION THAT SOCIALISM IS TAUGHT
IN THE BIBLE.
BUT AS DR. D. JAMES KENNEDY EXPLAINS, IT'S SIMPLY NOT TRUE.
ALL THE PRINCIPLES OF THE BIBLE POINT AWAY FROM
STATE-INSTITUTED, STATE-MANDATED SOCIALISM.
LET US ANSWER THE QUESTION: DOES THE BIBLE TEACH SOCIALISM?
NOW WHENEVER YOU HEAR PEOPLE MAKE THAT CLAIM,
THEY INVARIABLY WILL APPEAL ONE PASSAGE AND
THAT IS THE PASSAGE FROM ACTS THE FOURTH AND FIFTH
CHAPTER DEALING WITH ANANIAS AND BARNABAS.
BARNABAS, YOU RECALL, SOLD A PIECE OF LAND
AND BROUGHT AND GAVE IT TO THE APOSTLES.
AND THEN ANANIAS AND HIS WIFE SOLD A PIECE OF LAND
EMULATING THEM, BUT KEPT BACK PART OF THE PRICE AND
BROUGHT ONLY A PORTION OF IT AND LIED ABOUT IT.
BUT THEY SAY THAT THIS PASSAGE CONTAINS WITHIN IT
ALL OF THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF SOCIALISM.
WELL I WOULD LIKE TO SUBMIT TO YOU AS A THESIS
THIS MORNING THAT NOT ONLY DOES THIS PASSAGE NOT
TEACH THE PRINCIPLES OF SOCIALISM, BUT
THAT IT COUNTERMANDS ALL OF THE VARIOUS TENET,
THE BASIC FUNDAMENTAL TENETS OF SOCIALISM AND IS
AN UNPARALLELED BROADSIDE AGAINST THE SOCIALIST SHIP
OF STATE.
I DO NOT SEE HOW ONE COULD HAVE A MORE EXPLICIT
REPUDIATION OF SOCIALISM THAN THAT IS FOUND IN THIS
VERY PASSAGE.
SO, WE WILL GO RIGHT TO THE CITADEL OF THAT
PASSAGE WHICH THE PROPONENTS OF SOCIALISM
CLAIM TO HAVE FOUND IN THE BIBLE WHICH TEACHES
SOCIALISM TO SEE IF INDEED IT DOES, OR IF IT TEACHES,
AS I PROPOSE, THE VERY OPPOSITE OF SOCIALISM-
ITS ANTITHESIS.
WELL THE BASIC CONCEPT OF SOCIALISM IS EITHER THAT
THE STATE OWNS OR CONTROLS PROPERTY OF THE MEANS OF
PRODUCTION.
THAT IS THAT SOCIALISM BASICALLY DENIES THE
CONCEPT OF PRIVATE PROPERTY.
WELL, WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
IN THE DECALOGUE ALONE, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS,
I THINK WE HAVE THE REPUDIATION OF THIS.
THE COMMANDMENT, "THOU SHALT NOT STEAL" (EXODUS 20:15),
AS VIRTUALLY EVERY THEOLOGIAN FOR TWENTY CENTURIES HAS
DECLARED, IS A DIVINE GUARANTEE OF PRIVATE PROPERTY.
I CANNOT STEAL SOMETHING FROM YOU IF YOU DO NOT OWN IT.
FURTHERMORE, IN THE DECALOGUE, WE EVEN HAVE THE COMMAND,
"THOU SHALT NOT COVET THY NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE
OR ANYTHING THAT IS THY NEIGHBOR'S" (EXODUS 20:17).
AGAIN, A CLEAR TEACHING OF PRIVATE PROPERTY.
BUT LET'S COME TO THIS PASSAGE THAT WE HAVE
BEFORE US.
IS PRIVATE PROPERTY REPUDIATED OR IS IT TAUGHT?
NOTICE WHAT PETER SAID TO ANANIAS: "WHILE THIS
PROPERTY REMAINED, THIS LAND REMAINED,
WAS IT NOT THINE OWN?" (ACTS 5:4)
IT IS DIFFICULT FOR ME TO IMAGINE ANY CLEARER
STATEMENT OF THE OWNERSHIP OF PROPERTY THAN THAT!
"WHILE IT REMAINED, BEFORE YOU SOLD IT,
WAS IT NOT YOUR OWN?
DID YOU NOT OWN IT?
COULD YOU NOT DO WITH IT WHATEVER YOU WILL?
AND EVEN AFTER YOU SOLD IT, WAS NOT THE
MONEY YOUR OWN?"
SO WE SEE THAT THE BIBLE CLEARLY TEACHES THE RIGHT
OF PRIVATE PROPERTY, BECAUSE GOD HAS GIVEN THE
WHOLE WORLD UNTO MANKIND AS A STEWARDSHIP,
WHICH IS HIS TO USE AND FOR WHICH HE IS
RESPONSIBLE TO GOD.
SECONDLY, WE NOTE THAT THIS ACTION WAS VOLUNTARY.
THEY DID NOT HAVE TO SELL THEIR PROPERTY.
THERE WAS NO COMMANDMENT TO SELL THEIR PROPERTY.
THERE WAS NO COMMANDMENT TO GIVE THE FUNDS AWAY,
IT WAS VOLUNTEERISM.
NOW I CANNOT IMAGINE ANYTHING THAT MILITATES
MORE STRONGLY AGAINST MODERN CONCEPTS OF
SOCIALISM THAN VOLUNTARISM.
I HAVE NOT THE SLIGHTEST OBJECTION TO ANY GROUP OF
PEOPLE ANYWHERE WHO WANT TO GET TOGETHER AND
VOLUNTARILY ENGAGE IN ANY FORM OF SOCIALISM THAT
THEY CARE TO DO.
IT IS THE FACT OF ENFORCEMENT; IT IS THE
FACT OF COERCION THAT LIES AT THE VERY HEART OF
EVERY SOCIALISTIC SCHEME IN MODERN CENTURIES.
THIRDLY, AND I DON'T KNOW WHICH OF THESE PRINCIPLES
INDEED MILITATES MORE MIGHTILY AGAINST MODERN
CONCEPTS OF SOCIALISM.
THE MONEY, THEY SOLD THE PROPERTY AND THEY BROUGHT
THE MONEY AND LAID IT AT THE FEET OF PONTIUS PILATE.
WAS THAT CORRECT?
THEY LAID IT AT THE FEET OF CAESAR.
IS THAT CORRECT?
THEY BROUGHT IT TO THE LOCAL TAX COLLECTOR.
NO, WHAT DOES IT SAY.
IT SAYS IT A NUMBER OF TIMES: "THEY LAID IT AT
THE APOSTLES' FEET" (ACTS 4:37).
NOW I CAN THINK OF NOTHING MORE PERFECTLY DESIGNED TO
GIVE KARL MARX APOPLEXY THAN THE IDEA THAT PEOPLE
SHOULD SELL ALL OF THEIR PROPERTY AND BRING THE
MONEY AND GIVE IT TO THE CHURCH.
IF THERE IS ANYTHING WHICH IS ANTITHETICAL TO THE
WHOLE SPIRIT OF MODERN SOCIALISM,
IT IS PRECISELY THAT.
AND YET, PEOPLE HAVE THE INCREDIBLE TEMERITY TO SAY
THAT THIS PASSAGE TEACHES MODERN STATE SOCIALISM.
NOTHING, INDEED, COULD BE FARTHER FROM THE TRUTH
THAN THAT.
NO, THE BIBLE DOES NOT TEACH SOCIALISM.
AND THE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF IT, IN THE LONG HAUL,
ARE INCALCULABLE.
WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES IS FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY
AND WORK, AND WE ARE JETTISONING ALL OF THESE
IN THE SOCIALISTIC STATE.
AND THE SPIRITUAL EFFECTS WILL BE THE WORST IN THE END.
SOCIALISM RESULTS IN MANY ADVERSE EFFECTS.
IT HARMS FAMILIES, CHURCHES, AND INDIVIDUALS-
ESPECIALLY THOSE ON THE RECEIVING END OF
GOVERNMENT REDISTRIBUTION.
ATTEMPTS TO CLAIM THAT THE BIBLE ADVOCATES ANY FORM
OF SOCIALISM CLEARLY FALL APART UNDER CLOSER SCRUTINY.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN GOOD INTENTIONS TO HELP THE
DOWN-AND-OUT GO ASTRAY?
WELL, OUR OWN JERRY NEWCOMBE TAKES A CLOSER LOOK.
IS POVERTY ON THE RISE IN AMERICA?
IN 2000, THE NATION SPENT $20 BILLION FOR WELFARE
TRANSFER PAYMENTS.
BY 2014, THAT NUMBER HAD QUADRUPLED TO $83 BILLION.
NOW, NEARLY ONE OUT OF SIX AMERICANS ARE RECEIVING
FOOD STAMPS.
SO IS GENUINE POVERTY RISING AT AN ALARMING RATE?
OR ARE MORE PEOPLE SIMPLY TAKING ADVANTAGE OF
EASY-TO-GET FREEBIES?
THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION REPORTED RECENTLY ON A
GROUND-BREAKING WELFARE REFORM IN THE STATE OF
MAINE, SIGNED INTO LAW BY GOVERNOR PAUL LEPAGE.
GOVERNOR LEPAGE IS A VERY DOWN-TO-EARTH,
MATTER-OF-FACT, MANNER.
AND HE THINKS ABLE-BODIED PEOPLE WHO CAN WORK,
SHOULD WORK.
AND I THINK HE AND HIS TEAM, HE'S GOT SOME
OUTSTANDING PEOPLE WORKING FOR HIM, JUST MADE THIS
POLICY A REALITY.
AND SOMETIMES THAT DOESN'T GO OVER WELL WITH PEOPLE
WHO ARE ABLE-BODIED AND DON'T WANT TO WORK EVEN
THOUGH THEY CAN, BUT IT WAS SUCCESSFUL IN MAINE.
AS OF 2014, MAINE REQUIRES THAT THOSE RECEIVING WELFARE
WHO ARE ABLE-BODIED ADULTS WITHOUT DEPENDENTS EITHER
GET A JOB OR ENROLL IN JOB-RETRAINING OR EVEN
JUST VOLUNTEER SOME TIME.
DO ANY OF THOSE THINGS- AND YOU CAN KEEP YOUR FOOD
STAMP BENEFITS.
AND WHAT HAPPENED IN THE FIRST 3 MONTHS WHEN THESE
VERY MINIMAL REQUIREMENTS WENT INTO EFFECT?
REQUESTS TO CONTINUE FOOD STAMP BENEFITS FROM
ABLE-BODIED ADULTS WITHOUT DEPENDENT CHILDREN
PLUMMETED BY 80%.
AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE WHO ARE WRONGLY ON THE ROLLS
WILL SIMPLY SAY, "WELL I GUESS IT'S TIME FOR US TO
QUIT APPLYING FOR BENEFITS."
INSTITUTING BASELINE REQUIREMENTS FOR WELFARE
DESIGNED TO GET PEOPLE WORKING IS BIBLICAL.
WHILE IT'S VIRTUOUS TO HELP THE TRULY NEEDY,
THE APOSTLE PAUL SAYS IN SECOND THESSALONIANS,
CREATING NEEDLESS DEPENDENCY VIOLATES
GOD'S DESIGN FOR MAN AND DOES HARM.
MOST LIBERAL INITIATIVES FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE
WAR ON POVERTY UNDER LYNDON JOHNSON ON WERE
OSTENSIBLY CREATED TO HELP THE POOR.
BUT BECAUSE THEY HAVE PENALTIES AGAINST WORK AND
VERY STRONG PENALTIES AGAINST MARRIAGE,
IN FACT THEY PUSH THE POOR FURTHER INTO A HOLE.
AND THAT'S WHY WE CAN HAVE SPENT OVER SIXTEEN
TRILLION DOLLARS ASSISTING POOR PEOPLE SINCE THE
BEGINNING OF THE WAR ON POVERTY BUT POVERTY HAS
NOT GOTTEN ANY BETTER AT ALL AND IN FACT PEOPLE'S
CAPACITY FOR SELF-SUPPORT HAS DECLINED DRAMATICALLY
BECAUSE THESE GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS DESTROY THE HEART
OF SELF-SUFFICIENCY.
ALL ABLE-BODIED AMERICANS WHO WANT TO WORK SHOULD
BE ABLE TO FIND JOBS.
AND THEY SHOULD TAKE THOSE JOBS, AND IF THEY TAKE
THOSE JOBS AND THEY'RE AT THE BOTTOM RUNG OF
THE LADDER, GUESS WHAT - AMERICA IS THE LAND
OF OPPORTUNITY, THEY CAN MOVE UP.
THE HERITAGE STUDY NOTES THAT IF WHAT THEY DID IN
MAINE WERE TO BE APPLIED IN THE OTHER 49 STATES,
IT WOULD SAVE TAXPAYERS ABOUT $10 BILLION A YEAR.
NONETHELESS, CRITICS OF WELFARE REFORM MAY WONDER
IF IT SOMEHOW DEVIATES FROM THE CHRISTIAN ETHIC.
I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S ANYWHERE IN THE BIBLE THAT
IT TALKS ABOUT SOCIALISM BEING A BETTER FORM OF
GOVERNMENT.
THERE IS REFERENCE IN THE BIBLE THAT WE SHOULD
CARE FOR THE POOR, BUT THAT'S US, YOU AND ME,
WE SHOULD MAKE DECISIONS IN OUR OWN COMMUNITIES TO
CARE FOR THE PEOPLE AROUND US THAT ARE LESS FORTUNATE.
NOW WHEN RONALD REAGAN WAS PRESIDENT HE TALKED ABOUT
THE NEED FOR THE NATION TO HAVE A SAFETY NET FOR
THOSE WHO COULD NOT TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES.
AND THAT'S AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION, BUT
WE SHOULD NEVER CONFUSE GOVERNMENT'S ROLE WITH WHAT
THE BIBLE SAYS IS OUR ROLE, AND THAT'S TO LOVE
OUR NEIGHBORS AS OURSELVES AND TO TAKE CARE OF
OUR BROTHERS.
AS YOU'VE SEEN ON THIS PROGRAM, SOCIALISM IS
A DANGEROUS IDEOLOGY THAT HARMS PEOPLE AND
CONTRADICTS THE BIBLE.
AND YET IT SEEMS TO PERSIST- EVEN SOMETIMES
UNDER THE BANNER OF CHRISTIANITY- AND MILLIONS
OF YOUNG PEOPLE ARE BUYING INTO IT.
THAT'S WHY IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER FOR
PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THE TRUTH ABOUT SOCIALISM.
WE HAVE TWO RESOURCES THAT WILL HELP YOU UNDERSTAND
IT AND SHARE IT WITH OTHERS.
MY VERY DEAR FRIEND JENNIFER KENNEDY CASSIDY
IS HERE TO TELL US MORE.
JENNIFER, WELCOME!
THANK YOU, FRANK.
HOW COULD IT BE THAT SOCIALISM IS GAINING A
FOOTHOLD AMONG AMERICA'S YOUNG PEOPLE?
THAT A MAJOR PARTY CANDIDATE COULD DECLARE
HIMSELF A SOCIALIST AND WIN DELEGATES?
IT CAN ONLY HAPPEN BECAUSE OF IGNORANCE- IGNORANCE OF
HISTORY AND OF THE BIBLICAL TEACHING.
A RECENT SURVEY SHOWED THAT MANY AMERICANS UNDER
AGE 30 PREFERRED SOCIALISM TO CAPITALISM!
THIS SHOULD FRIGHTEN ALL OF US.
THAT'S WHY WE WANT TO OFFER YOU RESOURCES THAT
WILL HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE TRUTH ABOUT SOCIALISM,
AND TO SHARE IT WITH OTHERS.
IN A FEW WEEKS, WE'LL BE AIRING A SPECIAL PROGRAM:
THE PROBLEM OF SOCIALISM.
AND WE WANT TO SEND YOU A DVD OF THAT PROGRAM AS OUR
THANKS FOR YOUR GENEROUS DONATION TO THE ONGOING
WORK OF THIS MINISTRY.
WE NEED YOU TO HELP US GET THE WORD OUT TO THE NATION
THROUGH OUR NATIONAL TELEVISION AND RADIO
PLATFORMS, AS WELL AS VIA THE WEB AND SOCIAL MEDIA.
YOUR GENEROUS DONATION WILL HELP US DO JUST THAT.
SIMPLY WRITE TO US AT:
OR CALL TOLL FREE:
OR GO ONLINE TO:
WE ALSO WANT TO SHARE AN EASY-TO-READ BOOK WITH YOU
THAT SUMMARIZES THE DANGERS OF SOCIALISM AND
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IT BETTER THAN
ANYTHING I'VE SEEN.
IT'S CALLED TEN TRUTHS ABOUT SOCIALISM,
AND YOU'LL NOT ONLY WANT TO READ IT FOR YOURSELF,
BUT YOU'LL WANT TO SHARE IT WITH YOUR CHILDREN AND
GRANDCHILDREN.
PEOPLE UNDER AGE 30 NEED THIS INFORMATION MORE THAN
ANYBODY, SO ACT NOW TO MAKE SURE YOU GET THIS
BOOK SO YOU CAN PUT IT INTO THEIR HANDS.
TEN TRUTHS ABOUT SOCIALISM, IT EXPLAINS HOW SOCIALISM'S
FOUNDING FATHERS REJECTED GOD, HOW SOCIALISM
VIOLATES GOD'S LAW, AND HOW SOCIALISM GOES
HAND-IN-HAND WITH TYRANNY.
THE BOOK, TEN TRUTHS ABOUT SOCIALISM,
IS YOURS AS OUR THANKS FOR YOUR GENEROUS DONATION.
AND YOU'LL ALSO WANT TO GET A DVD COPY OF OUR
UPCOMING SPECIAL, THE PROBLEM OF SOCIALISM.
SIMPLY WRITE TO US AT:
OR CALL TOLL FREE:
OR GO ONLINE TO:
YOU'VE OFTEN HEARD IT SAID THAT,
"THE BIBLE IS NOT A TEXTBOOK ON SCIENCE," OR PERHAPS,
"THE BIBLE IS NOT A TEXTBOOK ON ECONOMICS."
WELL, AS DR. D. JAMES KENNEDY ONCE OBSERVED,
WHEN PEOPLE SAY THE BIBLE IS NOT A TEXTBOOK ON ONE
SUBJECT OR ANOTHER, YOU MAY REST ASSURED THAT WHAT
THEY ARE REALLY SAYING IS THEY REJECT THE BROAD
PRINCIPLES THAT THE BIBLE LAYS DOWN ON A PARTICULAR
DISCIPLINE.
INDEED, THE BIBLE IS NOT A TEXTBOOK ON ECONOMICS- BUT
IN IT, GOD TEACHES US HIS WILL AND HIS PRECEPTS.
AND THE CLEAR SWEEP OF THE BIBLE'S TEACHINGS PROVES
SOCIALISM TO BE THEFT AND IDOLATRY CLOAKED IN THE
GUISE OF CHARITY AND BENEVOLENCE.
SOCIALISM TEACHES THAT IT'S PROPER TO COVET
ANOTHER MAN'S BELONGINGS, AND DEMAND THAT SOME OF
THEM BE GIVEN TO YOU.
SOCIALISM TEACHES THAT THE JOB OF THE STATE IS TO
FORCIBLY TAKE FROM THOSE WITH MEANS TO GIVE TO
THOSE WITH LESSER MEANS.
IN STARK CONTRAST, THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT THEFT
AND COVETING ARE DEEPLY SINFUL,
AND THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S LEGITIMATE ROLE IS ONE OF
PROTECTION RATHER THAN IDOLATROUS PROVISION AND
REDISTRIBUTION.
SADLY, A GENERATION RAISED TO FEEL ENTITLED SEES
NOTHING WRONG WITH DEMANDING OTHER PEOPLE'S
BELONGINGS.
YOU CAN CERTAINLY BLAME OUR CURRENT POLITICAL
SYSTEM FOR SUCH ATTITUDES- BUT YOU CAN'T BLAME THEM
ON THE BIBLE.
THE BIBLE IS NOT A TEXTBOOK ON ECONOMICS-
BUT IT HAS PLENTY TO SAY ABOUT IT.
AND WHAT IT SAYS REVEALS THAT SOCIALISM IS FLAWED,
DECEPTIVE, AND WRONG.
I'M FRANK WRIGHT.
THANKS FOR JOINING US THIS WEEK ON TRUTHS THAT
TRANSFORM, WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME!
NEXT WEEK ON TRUTHS THAT TRANSFORM.
SOCIALISM IS ALIVE, THOUGH NOT WELL, IN AMERICA.
IF WE CONTINUE TO DO WHAT DETROIT DID FOR 40 YEARS,
GIVE PEOPLE THINGS THEY DIDN'T WORK FOR,
GIVE THEM SOCIAL PROGRAMS, WE CAN EXPECT THIS TO
HAPPEN ALL OVER AMERICA.
THAT'S NEXT WEEK.
TODAY'S PROGRAM IS AVAILABLE ON DVD FOR YOUR
GIFT TO THIS MINISTRY OF ANY AMOUNT.
PLEASE CALL, WRITE, OR LOG ON TO OUR WEBSITE TODAY.
THIS HAS BEEN A PRODUCTION OF
D. JAMES KENNEDY MINISTRIES
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