Socialism: Ungodly Worldviews Fail; the Biblical Worldview Works (published 5-21-2023; article #414)

Image by kalhh from Pixabay. Free to use under the Content License.

Introduction

Yesterday was Armed Forces Day. See “Armed Forces Day,” on U.S. Department of Defense. Brief and random glances, at the various national and local media sources, found no segments that marked the day. Perhaps there was one. Thank you, to every veteran, who reads this article, for your service!

As a personal sidenote, yesterday, before the rain arrived, Mrs. Appalachian Irishman and I enjoyed giving Molly (our ol' puppy) a bath! Molly didn't seem to mind. Of course, once the rain came, Molly had a “country doggy” bath!

This article draws attention to and recommends two recent articles, on Ileana Writes, by Dr. Ileana Johnson. (Her website is one of four under the section “Folks, to Whom I Subscribe.”) The article of 3/26/2023 was inspired by Dr. Johnson. This twelfth article, under the Worldviews in Conflict topic section, is also inspired by her recent articles.

The conclusion may surprise you! This Appalachian Irishman accepts socialism – under the proper worldview. Folks, especially the younger generation, however, should not drink the Kool-Aid that ungodly socialist worldviews pour out.

Two Recent Articles on Ileana Writes

The First Article

The first article, published on 5/17/2023, is titled simply, “My Musings Today.” Dr. Johnson wrote another excellent article that begins with her thankfulness for having been able to emigrate from communist Romania to America, in 1978. She shared her first-hand knowledge of the oppression, propaganda, poverty, spying, invasion of privacy, and lack of freedom under that godless and socialist regime.

Ileana's mother was fortunate to escape Romanian communism, but her father was unable to do so. He died, due to inadequate medical care, in a communist hospital, on 5/12/1989.

Ileana wrote:

I never would have believed you if you had told me in 1978 that America would turn communist in my lifetime. I would have laughed. But here we are – every day I have communism PTSD, something is happening that the rest of you are ignoring, lulled into a false sense of freedom and security. You do not realize that the communists within are destroying our country. I shall list a couple of the latest examples.

The first of her two “latest examples” is:

New York City will begin tracking the carbon footprint of household food consumption and putting caps on how much red meat can be served in public institutions in order to achieve a 33% reduction in carbon emissions from food by 2030.

Ileana followed by writing, in part, “I beg you to wake up! This is what communism dictated to us - how much food we could consume per day . . . .” Please read all of her eloquence.

Intrigued, I uncovered: “Transcript: Mayor Adams Commits to Reducing City’s Food-Based Emissions by 33 Percent by 2030 After Releasing new Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Incorporating Emissions From Food,” on The Official Website of the City of New York, 4/17/2023. Thankfully, the socialist silliness is local to New York City and its food purchasing and serving. Apparently, the raising and eating of meat increases “greenhouse gas emissions.” If my paternal grandparents could have known! They might have influenced the next generations to be vegetarians, to “save the planet!” Well, Papaw Ferrell didn't care for beef. He did like pork and other meat.

The following are a few snippets from the transcript, with my pithy comments. “. . . [A]ll food is not created equal. The vast majority of food that is contributing to our emission crises lies in meat and dairy products.” I smell the vegetarian agenda! “. . . [P]lant-powered diet is better for your physical and mental health . . . .” Are carnivores physically less healthy than vegetarians? Do we carnivores have mental health problems? Apparently, we do. New York City is “. . . committed to reducing the city food emissions by 33 percent by 2030 . . . .” I'd suggest that the city eat country food, which only contributes to outhouse emissions. Finally, “plant-powered meals” will be used in socialist hospitals and schools. The rotting vegetarian agenda will soon decay to compost, folks! It's all a guise for an ungodly form of socialism.

The last of her two “latest examples” is:

Universities pay radicals to speak to student bodies while rejecting conservative Americans altogether. Angela Davis, a racial activist and VP nominee for the Communist Party USA in 1980, who was previously on the FBI’s Most Wanted List, was the keynote speaker at the University of Texas, Austin, on April 4, 2023. She was paid $25,000 to bash capitalism as exploitative. Oh, the irony!

Intrigued again, I found: “Renowned Scholar, Activist, Writer Angela Davis will Keynote the 2023 Eric Williams Memorial Lecture at The University of Texas,” on The University of Texas at Austin, College of Liberal Arts, 3/6/2023. That was just the online commercial for the, at that time, upcoming event. One, of several, critical articles -- which mention the person's previous infamy on the FBI's most wanted list and Communist Party USA affiliation -- is: “Racial Activist Angela Davis Got $25,000 From U. Texas at Austin for Speech Trashing Capitalism,” on Legal Insurrection, by Mike LaChance, 5/10/2023. I'm glad that the University of Texas at Austin is not in Tennessee!

The Second Article

The second article was published two days later, on 5/19/2023. It is titled “Communist Regimes of Lies and Terror Failed Spectacularly at Everything.”

The article highlights the violent brutality and oppression of the godless Soviet system and its devastating economic failures. The reading of the full article is highly recommended. The conclusion states:

Next time the young Americans who responded in surveys that they prefer socialism over capitalism, should read more about the actual economic and social conditions under all of the socialist republics of the Communist Party that failed spectacularly.

My wife and I experienced life in Russia, from 1994 to 1999, after the fall of the Soviet Union. We, however, had the dubious “pleasure” of enduring remnants of the old Soviet system. Our Russian church families and friends shared -- while sometimes glancing around to find any hidden microphone -- their profound and personal stories of the oppression that they had endured.

The socialist agenda in this once great nation continues its slow and steady march to “Socialist Utopian Oblivion” (as my coined phrase). Socialist (i.e., public) schools are a primary means that indoctrinates the young. Thankfully, however, sufficient push back continues to slow the relentless socialist march.

Conclusion

I'd always thought that Jim Jones was a deranged and evil leader of the cult. I didn't know that he was also a socialist. I happened to find “Drinking the Kool-Aid: Reasons Behind the Jonestown Massacre,” on Jonestown, a project of the University Library at San Diego State University, by Jacquelyn Lofstad, original 1/5/2013, last update 1/3/2021. The lengthy and detailed article includes the following.

Jones attempted to put the ideas of socialism into practice. Nobody owned any property, and every community member was expected to work to contribute towards the common good.

Here is the surprise! Socialism, intrinsically, is neither good nor evil. It becomes evil, based on the ungodly worldviews of its leaders. The former Soviet Union is the primary example of socialist evil under an ungodly worldview. Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple cult is a lesser example of the same. Don't drink those types of ungodly socialist Kool-Aid!

Did you know that the first century church in Jerusalem followed a form of socialism? That first church started on the Day of Pentecost, after Jesus' ascension. Please read Acts chapter two in its entirety. Two verses verify their form of socialism.

Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. (Acts 2:44-45, NKJV)

See also Acts 4:32-35.

The church, of about 3,000 new Christians, formed a voluntary and collective form of socialism – but it was based on the biblical worldview! The inspired Luke stated that:

. . . they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. (Acts 2:42, NKJV)

and that “. . . continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:46-47, NKJV)

Wake up, America! As this once great nation marches further into socialism, at least let us march toward the form that is based on the biblical worldview – such as the first century church in Jerusalem practiced. I could accept that form. The current and ungodly form of socialism that is growing, however, will only continue to lead to poisoned Kool-Aid. I have spoken! This is the Appalachian Irishman, signing off.