Thankful for Private Property

In light of Thanksgiving, John Stossel’s recent column highlights something the Pilgrims had to be thankful for that is often missed in contemporary retellings of the first Thanksgiving: the removal of communal farming. It seems restructuring into a system of private property made a big difference in the harvest:

Had today’s political class been in power in 1623, tomorrow’s holiday would have been called “Starvation Day” instead of Thanksgiving. Of course, most of us wouldn’t be alive to celebrate it.

Every year around this time, schoolchildren are taught about that wonderful day when Pilgrims and Native Americans shared the fruits of the harvest. But the first Thanksgiving in 1623 almost didn’t happen.

Read more …

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One Nation Working Together … for Socialism?

Today is the big “One Nation Working Together” rally. The rally’s website lists a load of ‘progressive’ organizations spanning the political spectrum … the far left side of it. The list is full of many communist and socialist organizations who are endorsing the event.

Here is a small sample:

• Progressive Democrats of America – NYS and NYC
• Progressive Congress Action Fund
• People’s Organization for Progress
• Planned Parenthood
• Physicians for a National Health Program
• New York City Democratic Socialists of America
• National Network Opposing the Militarization of Youth
• National Immigrant Solidarity Network
• National Alliance Against Racist and Political Oppression, Chicago Branch
• Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout
• International Socialist Organization

Is Obamacare the ‘Christian’ Thing to Do?

With health-care “reform” poised to possibly pass today, it’s interesting to note how many supporters of this bill have based part of their arguments on an appeal to Christians — especially given their usual reluctance in other matters to mix government and religion. Take for example this recent article from the Center for American Progress (CAP) touting the bill as reflecting “Catholic social teachings.”

Here’s one interesting claim from the article:

… the Catholic Church has been a consistent advocate for comprehensive health care reform, with the government playing a key role in the organization and provision of services.

Another example is this segment from MSNBC a week or so ago. It criticized Glenn Beck’s take on the “social justice” movement in modern Christianity.

Supporters of what has been dubbed “Obamacare” have claimed that the provisions in “reform” represent the “Christian” thing to do, as if Jesus went around preaching that the answer to everyone’s problems was more government control of their lives. He didn’t.

Liberation Theology 2

Dr. George Garner has continued his previous discussion of “Liberation Theology” in the latest issue of the Baptist Anchor. It can be read here on page five. This time he looks at how it affects theology, law, economics and the study of history.

Liberation Theology

There is a good article from Dr. George Garner on so-called “Liberation Theology” — an unholy mingling of Christianity and Marxism — on page five of September’s Baptist Anchor. This movement is of particular importance to Latin America, but as Dr. Garner points out, it is also espoused by American clergy like President Obama’s former pastor, Jeremiah Wright.

Liberation Theology places heavy emphasis on “social justice” and correcting the disparity in the distribution of resources among the classes through political action (e.g.; forced redistribution of wealth). In short, it’s basically socialism wrapped in religious clothing — a concept in opposition to biblical Christianity.

Spending 50 Percent More Than You Take In

This AP article notes that, “For the current year, the government would borrow 46 cents for every dollar it takes to run the government under the administration’s plan.” This came from newly released information on the fiscal year 2010 federal government budget.

The article notes that Obama’s budget “proposes higher taxes for the wealthy, a hotly contested effort to combat global warming and the first steps toward guaranteed health care for all.” Translation: Taxing one group of people and giving the money to others. But the problem is that, as Margaret Thatcher once noted, “The trouble with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money.”