Uncloistered

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  “She gazed ahead through a long reach of future days strung together like pearls in a rosary, every one like the others, and all smooth and flawless and innocent, and her heart went up in thankfulness. Outside was the fervid summer afternoon; the air was filled with the sounds of the busy harvest of men and birds and bees; there were halloos, metallic clatterings, sweet calls, and long hummings. Louisa sat, prayerfully numbering her days, like an uncloistered nun.” A New England Nun By Mary E. Wilkins Freeman (1852–1930)

Christians are Communists?

In the today's post, "Little-Known Bible Verses: Communism", Ebonmuse (he does not post his real name) attempts to make that case that communism is a biblical idea. Edonmuse writes, "In the Book of Acts, chapter 2, verses 44 to 45, we hear a bit about how the first Christians lived following the departure of Jesus: 'And all that believed were together, and had all things common; and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.' This is communism in a nutshell - common ownership, no private property, redistribution of resources based only on need. The first Christians were communists."

Communism is not what the Bible is portraying at all. What Acts shows is a how early Christians held onto their possessions lightly, ready to help as needs arose. 2:45 says they sold their possessions to care for the needy, not for equal distribution. Consider also 2:46; 4:34-37. I found it intriguing that the "Daylight Atheist" admits to the historicity of Jesus. Also, I could not help but agree that Deuteronomy 15:7-8 is a command to take care of the poor.

So the problem is that people have been taking care of the poor for centuries. Communism and the biblical culture decried here are not at all the same. This is a poor excuse for atheism.

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