By Hunter Hines
Christian Action League
August 30, 2019
During last week’s Democratic National Committee’s summer meeting, North Carolina Progressive Preacher and former Moral Monday leader, Rev. William Barber, told the group the Bible and the Constitution support socialism.
“When we embrace moral language, we must ask, does our policy care for the least of these? Does it lift up those who are marginalized and dejected in our society? Does it establish justice? That is the moral question,” said Barber. “If someone calls it socialism, then we must compel them to acknowledge that the Bible must then promote socialism, because Jesus offered free healthcare to everyone, and he never charged a leper a co-pay.”
Barber added, “The Bible says a nation will be judged by how it treats the poor and the sick and women and the immigrants. The Bible says that God makes it rain on the just and unjust alike. If you want to call caring for folks socialism, then the Constitution is a socialist document because it calls us to promote the general welfare and to establish justice.”
The crowd responded to Barber’s remarks with cheers and a standing ovation.
Several media outlets reported that Freshman Texas Republican Congressman, Dan Crenshaw, responded with a tweet decrying Barber’s remarks.
“Deliberate misleading of biblical principles by the DNC to promote socialism,” said Crenshaw. “The Bible teaches charity with one’s own time and money. Socialism teaches charity with other people’s time and money. So…not the same thing.”
Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League, said Crenshaw was right – “totally right.” Creech said:
“This is what Progressive clergy do over and again. They impose their views onto Scripture rather than allowing the Scriptures to speak for themselves. In doing so, they take the name of the Lord in vain, attributing to God things he never said. They do awful violence to the very basic principles of hermeneutics, which is the science of interpreting any piece of literature. Just a cursory look at what the Bible says refutes the assertions of socialism.
“From the very start of the first book of the Bible, Genesis, we read of God’s creation, his ownership of the world, and his delegating dominion of property to his vice-regent, humanity. God granted the Hebrews a plot of land that was to always belong solely to them. One of the Ten Commandments, in its prohibition against theft, affirms the right to personal private property. In the New Testament, these same principles were affirmed by Jesus in Matthew 19:18, and the apostles in Acts 5; and Ephesians 4:28.
“Socialism, however, denies the right to private property and contends the government should own everything or most everything and distribute it as the state believes. But let’s not forget that millions of people have, and should have the right to plans of their own. When these private plans don’t fit into the government’s agenda, then socialism demands such plans be annulled for the so-called greater good. If these millions of people are unwilling to cooperate with the government’s designs, then they must be forced to comply with punishments, even violence.
“Jesus’ healings of people weren’t meant to be a statement about free healthcare, as Barber asserts, but instead were the means of affirming his credentials as the Messiah – the One who is God-incarnate – the One who can forgive sins – the One who is the Lord of all life. You can no more contend that Jesus’ miracles of healing were an endorsement of free healthcare than you can argue that his preaching was an endorsement of government backed evangelism.
“The way Progressive pastors handle the Scriptures is appalling. They pull out the Bible to justify socialism with the scantest of theological support, and then ignore the Bible’s plain and irrefutable teachings against murder, like killing the unborn. The Bible clearly condemns sexual sin too, whether its adultery, lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender behavior. But when conservative evangelicals point this out, they are condemned by Progressive ministers as haters, bigots, and homophones.
“Barber and his ilk are exasperating. They are ardent advocates for the separation of church and state, citing Jesus’ words to render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and unto God what is God’s. Yet in their support for abortion, they argue for taking an innocent child’s life, which is something that first belongs to God. And in their support for socialism, they fail to recognize the very passage they site, Matthew 22:15-22 affirms property rights, which is what socialism in its essence denies.
“Finally, I want to add that the Constitution doesn’t endorse socialism either. It says nothing about charity. Its purpose is to protect our inalienable rights, our life, liberty, and property, not to provide government entitlements.
“I don’t envy Barber. I pity him! I fear for his soul, and every dupe pulled into the heresy he espouses. Mostly, I fear for my country. Socialism will destroy liberty, justice, and the prospect of prosperity for anyone willing to work hard to achieve it.
“Socialism and the Bible are major rivals. You can’t choose one without rejecting the other. Either our trust is in God, or we trust in the state. Government has never proven worthy of our full faith and obedience.”
Timothy Meads in a Townhall article written about Barber’s outrageous comments sounded a critical warning. Meads said the “2020 election, and subsequent elections will be focused on the ‘morality’ of socialism.” He advises conservatives to develop strong moral arguments if they want to defeat it. “It won’t simply die if President Trump wins re-election,” said Meads.
Meads is right. It won’t, and preachers faithful to the Word of God had also better start preparing to take this subject up from the pulpit.
