Atheist Thought Experiments Debunked #9

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                                                       "Jesus was a socialist"

THE MILLENNIAL CATHOLIC:

No matter how much evidence is presented to the contrary, the idea that Jesus was socialist just will not go away. Sadly, this comes from a poor or little understanding of the Gospels themselves and what they are teaching people.

The crux of this whole stand comes from a particular set of verses in Acts:

And all they that believed, were together, and had all things common. Their possessions and goods they sold, and divided them to all, according as every one had need. (Acts 2:44-45)

Let's point out a few key problems with the verse:

1. There is NO indication this is supposed to be a teaching that would stand for all time.

    While there have been people who did sell all they had and lived as either hermits or in a holy community (more on this later), this verse doesn't say, show or imply every Christian is supposed to do this. 

It's no different than when Paul tells people he would prefer they live as he does, but acknowledges not everyone can do that.

2. Right before they talk about holding things in common, they talk about the "breaking of the bread." 

     To a non-Catholic ear, that phrase makes no sense but it makes perfect sense if you believe in the Real Presence. Combine that with the distribution of goods and one could argue this is talking about an early form of the Catholic Mass, NOT socialism.
And really, when was the last time socialism has ever been paired with religion--besides as an effort to mislead people?

3. The goods went to the Church, NOT the State.

I find it odd that those who are the most gung-ho about separating the State from any Church influence are always the first to say we should take a principle better suited to Church and give it to the State.

There's a word for that; it's called statolatry, a combination of statism and idolatry. In short, socialists worship the state as if it was a god, and therefore want you to pay tribute to their false idol. Maybe they won't phrase it in those words, but that's what their polices boil down to.

(By the way, in case anyone thinks I made that word up, it actually dates to 1931 but gained traction when then Pope Pius XI used the word to denounce the Fascists for their "pagan worship of the state.")

Furthermore, shouldn't we find it odd they use that verse to show Jesus being a socialist--even though it's not a quote from Jesus--but ignore this exchange, even though it DOES have several quotes from Jesus?

Tell us therefore what dost thou think, is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not? But Jesus knowing their wickedness, said: Why do you tempt me, ye hypocrites?Shew me the coin of the tribute. And they offered him a penny. And Jesus saith to them: Whose image and inscription is this? They say to him: Caesar' s. Then he saith to them: Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar' s; and to God, the things that are God' s.

There are two main teachings from these verses to consider, one obvious and the other less obvious. Obviously, Jesus is saying Caesar isn't God; this might not be important until one considers citizens of Rome were expected to pay tribute to Caesar as if he were a god. So, Jesus is objecting to this, and thus committing blasphemy--at least in the Roman's eyes. Today we would call this making a false idol out of the state.
Not so obvious is the implication of separating church and state...but before idiot atheists jump for joy at this, by this I mean there are two separate entities but the state is answerable to the church, not the other way around.

    

Sometimes one will even hear this line of reasoning (albeit phrased a little differently):

"But monks and nuns live in community, they share things in common and they make it work. Why can't we try that on a larger scale?"

We can't try it for the same reason we can't try particular family dynamics on a national scale:

Once you go past a certain number of people, it starts getting impersonal and stops working.

That's why only a certain number of monks and nuns live in one place, with other monasteries.


Finally, Revelation tells us we are children of Jesus if we follow His commandments...two of them make no sense if we assume we are to hold things in common across the board but they make perfect sense if we assume individual property rights.

This is yet another example of atheists trying to scam people into buying their nonsense. Why take the word of idiots like that?

Communism vs Capitalism

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THE MILLENNIAL CATHOLIC:

The Road to Socialism

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THE MILLENNIAL CATHOLIC:

Yes, I am aware Bernie Sanders will not get the Democratic nomination, but again, since we came dangerously close to choosing a socialist for president, we must never forget how dangerous socialism is and how brainwashed its supporters are:

A Consideration on Taxes

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THE MILLENNIAL CATHOLIC:

I want everyone to consider what is presented in this video and ponder why it has to be this way.
Before anyone goes into that "taxes are the price we pay for living in a civilized society,"....

1. You call this society civilized?

2. Even if it was, you can't expect me to believe it costs this much to keep things civilized.

St Joseph the Worker, pray for us!

Putting Communism to the Sword

THE MILLENNIAL CATHOLIC:

In the upcoming month, I've decided to devote a good number of postings to exposing communism, socialism and democratic socialism, and I've decided this for a few reasons:

-Poll after poll show people in my age group and younger are more likely to have a positive view of socialism than any other.
-Many in my age group and younger have no idea what they're asking for when they're promoting socialism...or as one article puts it, Millennials are socialists until they get jobs.
-This is also personal for me because I do have a friend who is otherwise well-meaning, level-headed and likes his life...but for some reason he supports Bernie Sanders. So as much as I'd love to, I can't call all Sanders supporters stupid, but I can call them misguided.
-Many admitted socialists are actually trying to lecture people who have lived under communism/socialism about how great both systems are.
-Most of all, communism is the sworn enemy of the Catholic Church, and thus I am duty bound to fight communism wherever and whenever it rears its ugly head.

And since May is also the month dedicated to Mary and St Joseph the Worker, what better time of year to take down godless, atheist communism?

The Flying Spaghetti Monster Gets Devoured!

A Nebraska inmate who has professed his allegiance to the divine Flying Spaghetti Monster lost his bid demanding that prison officials accommodate his Pastafarianism faith.

A federal judge dismissed the suit (PDF) Tuesday brought by Stephen Cavanaugh, who is serving a 4- to 8-year term on assault and weapons charges at the Nebraska State Penitentiary. US District Judge John Gerrard ruled that "FSMism" isn't a religion like the ones protected under the Constitution.

"The Court finds that FSMism is not a 'religion' within the meaning of the relevant federal statutes and constitutional jurisprudence. It is, rather, a parody, intended to advance an argument about science, the evolution of life, and the place of religion in public education. Those are important issues, and FSMism contains a serious argument—but that does not mean that the trappings of the satire used to make that argument are entitled to protection as a 'religion,'" the judge ruled. (PDF)

For the uninitiated, Judge Gerrard gives some explanatory background on Pastafarianism:

FSMism is a riposte to intelligent design that began with a letter to the Kansas State Board of Education when it was considering intelligent design. See, Bobby Henderson, The Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster 111-13 (2006) (FSM Gospel). The primary criticism of intelligent design—and the basis for excluding it from school science classes—is that although it purports to be "scientific," it is actually "an interesting theological argument" but "not science." Kitzmiller, 400 F. Supp. 2d at 745-46. The conceit of FSMism is that, because intelligent design does not identify the designer, its "master intellect" could just as easily be a "Flying Spaghetti Monster" as any Judeo-Christian deity—and, in fact, that there is as much scientific evidence for a Flying Spaghetti Monster as any other creator. See FSM Gospel at 3-4. 1 As the FSM Gospel explains, "[w]e are entering into an exciting time, when no longer will science be limited to natural explanations. . . . Propelled by popular opinion and local government, science is quickly becoming receptive to all logical theories, natural and supernatural alike."

In his lawsuit, the inmate sought $5 million and claimed he has "several tattoos proclaiming his faith" and demanded that prison officials afford his "faith" the "ability to order and wear religious clothing and pendants, the right to meet for weekly worship services and classes and the right to receive communion." Corrections officials determined FSMism was a parody religion and rejected his requests. (The religious clothing at issue is "a pirate costume," the judge notes.)

According to the ruling:

This is not a question of theology: it is a matter of basic reading comprehension. The FSM Gospel is plainly a work of satire, meant to entertain while making a pointed political statement. To read it as religious doctrine would be little different from grounding a "religious exercise" on any other work of fiction. A prisoner could just as easily read the works of Vonnegut or Heinlein and claim it as his holy book, and demand accommodation of Bokononism or the Church of All Worlds. 6 See, Kurt Vonnegut, Cat's Cradle (Dell Publishing 1988) (1963); Robert A. Heinlein, Stranger in a Strange Land (Putnam Publ'g Grp. 1961). Of course, there are those who contend—and Cavanaugh is probably among them—that the Bible or the Koran are just as fictional as those books. It is not always an easy line to draw. But there must be a line beyond which a practice is not "religious" simply because a plaintiff labels it as such. The Court concludes that FSMism is on the far side of that line.

Nebraska, in seeking to have the case dismissed, told the judge that there was no constitutional violation. "The essence of this action," the state wrote, "is that prison officials believe the Plaintiff is not sincere in his religious beliefs about a flying lump of spaghetti that first created 'a mountain, trees, and a midget.'"

(For the link, click here)

THE MILLENNIAL CATHOLIC:

You see, atheists? Courts are NOT buying your FSM claim. They understand it for the garbage that we know it is, and if you had any brains, you'd realize it too. 

A Rant Against Ellen

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THE MILLENNIAL CATHOLIC:

I must admit there is so much atheist stupid in the world that sometimes it just takes a rant to tear it to shreds. In this case, so-called "comedian" Ellen DeGeneres took time from her talk show to speak out against a new law in Mississippi targeted against gay people..or so she claims.

Here's the brass tacks of what she said with me pointing out in the red lettering why her statements are so dumb.

"I am not a political person. This isn't about politics. This is about freedom."

[Really? You're not a political person? How come you're close friends with only liberals? And if it were about freedom, how come you never spoke out when a baker gets sued for not catering a gay wedding? Isn't it their freedom to deny service to people?]

This is something the Supreme Court has already ruled on."

[You mean the same court that said Japanese people belong in internment camps? Since when is the Supreme Court a standard for morality?]

They [the US Supreme Court] said the same thing Diana Ross said. "Stop in the name of love."

[You mean the same love gay activists show Christians?]

Imagine if two cupcakes walk into a flower shop but the owner doesn't want to sell them any because the cupcakes don't have any money. Well, gay people do have money so sell them the damn flowers.

[That makes no sense. I can't speak for each florist or baker but does she honestly think this is about money? It's jokes like this that make me conclude she just isn't funny. And don't hand me any of that bull about her having a talk show. If I can have an opinion of her not being funny, then florists can have their own opinion on who they sell flowers to.]

If you live in any area and you're judged by who you love, don't despair.

[If gay activist actions are any indication, you will be judged if you love Jesus.]

I was fired for being gay and I know how it feels like.

[This goes back to her claim about it saying businesses can deny employment to someone for being gay. Too bad for her I have read the law and all it says concerning employment is whether the employee follows the company standards, one of which is employees can only wear clothing appropriate to their gender. Companies are allowed to set their own standards.
Speaking of company standards...no, Ellen was not fired from ABC for being gay. She was fired because of low ratings. 
Besides Doesn't she voice Dory in Finding Nemo and the upcoming Finding Dory?Aren't those both Disney productions? Doesn't Disney own ABC?
So no...she doesn't know what it feels like and she needs to stop pretending she does.]

I can buy the governor's mansion, flip it and make millions in profit.

[I've been meaning to ask...how are those sky-high taxes working out in California?]