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View Full Version : Glenn Beck warns of creeping Christian 'communism'


Twoller
03-12-2010, 11:58 AM
"Social justice" has got to be one of the emptiest say-nothing phrases ever to be uttered in politics anywhere. Beck attributes it to communism, but I don't think I've ever heard it used by any real communist anywhere.

Anyway, Glenn Beck doesn't like it either:

http://network.nationalpost.com/NP/blogs/holy-post/archive/2010/03/12/beck-warns-of-creeping-christian-communism.aspx

Glenn Beck warns of creeping Christian 'communism'

Posted: March 12, 2010, 1:23 PM by Gillian Grace

Glenn Beck, the Fox News commentator known for his tearful rants in defence of American liberty and against the evils of liberalism, has told his audience that it may be time to abandon most of the Christian churches.

In recent radio show, that was broadcast on more than 400 affiliates, he told his listeners to leave any church that uses the phrases “social justice” or “economic justice." “I beg you, look for the words ’social justice’ or ‘economic justice’ on your church Web site,” he said.

“If you find it, run as fast as you can. Social justice and economic justice, they are code words. Now, am I advising people to leave their church? Yes!” He went on to say, “If you have a priest pushing social justice go find another parish. Go alert your bishop and tell them. [Ask them] are you down with this whole social justice thing?”

Later, on his Fox television broadcast, he noted that both the communists and Nazis subscribed to the philosophy of “social justice.” While social justice is part of many Protestant and Jewish traditions, Catholic commentators felt Mr. Beck’s remarks were specifically targeted at their church.

“What he said was dangerous because it’s a continuation of the idea that charity is equivalent to socialism and addressing the structures that keep people poor is equivalent to communism — when in fact it’s a constitutive part of Christianity,” said Father James Martin, an editor at the Jesuit magazine America and the author of the just released The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything.

“[Mr. Beck] is a major figure with a huge following radio and television on a popular network; he’s not some fringe figure with a tiny little blog. So what he said calls for a response.”

In his commentary, Mr. Beck pointed out that the phrases “social justice” and “economic justice” could not be found in the Bible. But Fr. Martin said that Jesus spoke specifically about social justice without having to use the exact term. “When Jesus tells his followers [in Matthew] what it’s going to take to get into heaven, he doesn’t talk about what church you go to or how you pray or how often. He talks specifically how you treat the poor.” Over the past 150 years, Fr. Martin noted, successive popes have written encyclicals specifically on economic and social justice.

....

The rest of the article is at the above link.

Of course the Catholic Church is unfit to be fretting over poverty or the poor since it is behind most of the poverty in the world.

ilbegone
03-12-2010, 06:36 PM
There are varying ways of looking at charity.

If I remember the books right, there were 19th century Robber Barons who would skin a flea for the marketable value of its hide, yet founded schools, libraries, museums, hospitals, charities and such.

There are the current batch of billionaires, who perhaps justify a predatory, take no prisoners form of capitalism by either justifying their existence or salving their conscience by giving to one charity or another.

However, the newest number one billionaire - Mexican telecommunications mogul Carlos Slim (who has brushed off criticism concerning his lack of charitable contribution) - has another philosophy which directly corresponds to the Mexican national reality that one doesn't eat if one doesn't work (and maybe not eat sufficiently even if one does work): the best charity is providing job opportunity.

PochoPatriot
03-13-2010, 01:09 PM
"Social justice" has got to be one of the emptiest say-nothing phrases ever to be uttered in politics anywhere. Beck attributes it to communism, but I don't think I've ever heard it used by any real communist anywhere.

Anyway, Glenn Beck doesn't like it either:

http://network.nationalpost.com/NP/blogs/holy-post/archive/2010/03/12/beck-warns-of-creeping-christian-communism.aspx



The rest of the article is at the above link.

Of course the Catholic Church is unfit to be fretting over poverty or the poor since it is behind most of the poverty in the world.

Social justice is very big idea, especially in my church, and the the movement that launched my church. While there is a very disturbing socialistic edge to much of the social justice movement, there are Scriptural warrants for social justice.

For instance, farmers cold not harvest certain portions of their fields. These were left for the poor and destitute. They could only harvest a certain portion of their fruit-bearing trees, leaving the rest for the poor and destitute. Note that while provision was made for the poor, they still had to go out and do labor in order to bring in food.

Jesus stated that in so much as a follower of His feeds, clothes, or comforts anyone, then they have done that to Him. There is a great need for social justice in this world.

One of the big issues within my church is the issue of so-called white slavery. It is utterly amazing that women from all over the world are being bought and sold as sex slaves in the 21st century. Human trafficking is also seen with illegal immigration.

One other thing. I take everything Mr. Beck states with a huge grain of salt. He is a Mormon, and as such may be influenced by Mormon leadership to spin issues in orthodox Christianity in a negative way.

Rim05
03-13-2010, 07:07 PM
Sorry to have to tell you, but Beck is just plain insane in my opinion.

Twoller
03-13-2010, 08:57 PM
Sorry to have to tell you, but Beck is just plain insane in my opinion.

Could you, maybe, expand on that a bit? Is this a particular case of Beck's insanity? How?

Rim05
03-14-2010, 04:43 AM
Could you, maybe, expand on that a bit? Is this a particular case of Beck's insanity? How?

If you watch him one time then I should not have to tell you.
My first encounter with Beck was because I heard people saying what a great 'thing' he is, Wow, yes he is a thing.
I listened to how he has recovered from alcohol and cocaine and thought, No you have not recovered.
All he does is ramble.
If that is not enough, I don't know how much more you need. I don't need to know any more.

Twoller
03-14-2010, 08:25 AM
If you watch him one time then I should not have to tell you.
My first encounter with Beck was because I heard people saying what a great 'thing' he is, Wow, yes he is a thing.
I listened to how he has recovered from alcohol and cocaine and thought, No you have not recovered.
All he does is ramble.
If that is not enough, I don't know how much more you need. I don't need to know any more.

How do you feel about the concept of "social justice"? Do you think there is anything to it?

retiredat44
04-21-2010, 04:59 PM
Sorry to have to tell you, but Beck is just plain insane in my opinion.

how is Beck insane,, I would really like to hear a rationale...

or do I have to give you a copy of arguing with idiots?
:confused:

Kathy63
09-06-2010, 07:36 AM
Personally I would not attend any church that promoted social justice in any form. Churches are not immune to political pressure. During WWII, the Catholic Church had close ties with Germany and the Nazis.

Charity is given, justice is exacted. To even mention social justice presupposes that there is something unjust that needs to be forcibly made just.

Nope, not buying it.

Don
09-06-2010, 08:22 AM
Could you, maybe, expand on that a bit? Is this a particular case of Beck's insanity? How?

I agree that Beck is mentally ill, although perhaps not totally insane.

In 2007 he broadcast that Ron Paul's supporters were terrorists who should be shot.

He's flip flopped all over the place on other issues, such as Obama's racism.

tim55
09-06-2010, 08:22 AM
And Kathy nails another one.............Couldn't have said it better myself.