Logic behind Socialism or Social democracy

It occured to me as I was doing a reading today for my Western Civilization course. I am reading about the rise of the National Socialist Workers' Party (for those of you who didn't know that the Nazis were also socialists, please read Mein Kampf. I've never found a reason to read it through myself, but it will make itself apparent...). The obvious had escaped my notice a while, although it took me to little surprise. I was in the part which explains the ideological background of the NSDAP, which was primitive at best. It was, however, based on a more radical form of Marxism which involved controlling people as well as the means of production. As I read about the other socialist and social democratic movements which sprang up at the time, the main point of this blog post occured to me, so, finally, drum roll please... ... ...

The reason why a person becomes a socialist is that they believe that this physical body that they are living in has importance, is good, and should be sustained for as long as possible!

(In the Nazi party, they believed this about the collective State, not the individuals in it...)

I feel the need to cite my sources before I go on too much further, although the Bible is an easy book to cite, I want to do it before I forget. Actually, let me come back to that, seeing as how I have class in 45 minutes. I shall return for scriptural citation, but God says that we should not fear those who can only kill the body, but to fear those who can kill the spirit and the body. The irony in this is that many a Christian focuses on ways to consistently improve the condition of themselves and others, usually unselfishly, but unfortunately many times this comes in vain. God did say to love, and also that he would take care that those who open their hearts would hear His word, that we should not worry about who converts and who does not, for that is a decision between them and God. I cannot help but feel however, that a life of service to others and unselfish love is betrayed if it is not accompanied by the spread of the Word. Without this, men will surely remain dead, and although their bodies will be comfortable, they will never know the glory of God, which is far worse than a miserable earthly life followed by an Eternity with God!

My point is this, continue to love and to work for your fellow man, but make sure that you give credit where it is due, if you work for the Lord, communicate to those for whom you work in whose name you have done these things. Give credit to he who freed you to do such things, even when it is dangerous or unpopular. Let every child, every village, every nation understand who it is who has the power to truly save their souls, as you have saved their bodies. I also understand that it is ironic that I write this, because I am not a works-focused evangelist. I love to do works but I constantly find myself wrapped up in other things, in preparation for years and works to come. My works are works of voice and of writing, of speech and of debate, of compassion and of ministry. In this way I would like to thank those who continue to work hard to benefit the lives of others, they truly are blessed. Please, do not take these words which I have written as rebuke for those who labor for the love of others, but rather words of warning of what can go wrong when you minister through actions. I simply say this, make sure that your words align with your actions, which I know are righteous before the Lord, because he said that when you give to the least of His people, you also give to Him. I mean only to say that those people need the water which gives life far more than they need the water which sustains the body, because the body will die, with or without water, but the soul will surely perish with His living water. Hand them the bread of His body as you dispense the bread of wheat and flour. And, do all this to glorify his name, that his flock may return to him. 

This is my reason for being against socialism, in that it includes those of other faiths and of no faith being forced to do "good works" which do not glorify God's name. Christians are more than willing to give to help others, but I do not believe that the state should force this. This explains my problems with it. If there are out there Christian socialists who propose a Christian socialist voluntary state, which does not force people to do things, but rather helps them on their way to salvation by keeping their bodies fed and comfortable, all the while praising God's name in the process, that is perfectly legitimate philosophy to me. However, I know, personally, no Christian socialists, just socialists who happen to be Christian, or vice versa. This explains my problem with secular socialism. It is secular socialism with which I have many problems and complaints.

Thank you God for everything that you have given to me, and the oppurtunity to live and love amongst others of Your flock, thank you for the knowledge that I have, and I ask for as much as you wish me to have. If I speak against Your word, rebuke me, if I speak Your word truly, make my lungs hearty, Your voice clear, and Your words powerful. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.