When decent parents care for their children: “family”. When decent non-profit organizations enable the community to provide for the needy: “charity”. When decent government provides Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP, etc.: “socialism”.
Jesus lived what he preached: loving God and others by feeding the hungry, healing the sick, saving the condemned with compassion for all. His mercy-based justice is vivid in Matthew 25:31-46. Early Christians sold their possessions and shared with those in need (Acts 2:44-45; 4:32-27). Such practice continued in some Christian traditions and inspired Christian socialism in 19th Century Britain championing the poor against the greed of capitalism and the violence of communism. Are you surprised that Francis Bellamy (1855-1931), a Baptist minister and the author of the Pledge of Allegiance, was an American Christian socialist? Not all American socialists are Christian, but they all strive for democracy and care for people, especially the needy.
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Fellow voters, please show your decency by voting for mercy-based justice!
Ke Chiang Hsieh
Midtown
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
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