Jesus was a Socialist. Amen.

When Jesus[a] saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.

 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely[b] on my account.  Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Matthew 5:1-11

Fascism is a form of far-right, authoritarian ultra-nationalism characterized by dictatorial power, forcible suppression of opposition, as well as strong regimentation of society and of the economy 


I literally laugh at times when I hear some Americans dismiss or decry Canada as a socialist state.We are a suspect country, along with those Scandinavian states which consistently have the  highest standards of living in the world. Canada consistently ranks near the top for quality of living as well, but no matter, we're "socialist" because we have governmental programs in place -- admittedly often incomplete -- to care for the vulnerable in our society. 

I can say that I support our form of socialism and am convinced that the gospel Jesus taught and lived was socialist was far more radical than anything we have chosen. I do believe strongly in the separation of church and state yet realize that governments fulfill an important role in creating an equitable society. 

 I'm also convinced that the United States is moving steadily toward fascism, an authoritarianism which places power in the hands of a few, usually reinforced by police and military, demonizing particular minorities. 

There are now squads of militarized officers moving into American communities where protest, mostly peaceful, is taking place. These shadowy figures are not identified, take people into custody without the support of elected community officials, and have no accountability within the legal system. This is fascism directed by a federal administration which simply does not care about the rule of law in its lust for power.  

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Unidentified Storm Troopers on the Streets of Portland, Oregon

Too often in history fascism has received tacit or direct support from Christian religious institutions which decide that compliance is preferable to opposition, even when the values of the regime are antithetical to the gospel. This happened in Italy and Germany during WW2 and the years leading up to the global conflict. In recent years much attention has been focussed on Pope Pius XI whose Roman Catholic church supported Benito Mussolini in his rise to power in Italy. Mussolini became a model for Adolf Hitler.

We see something similar today in the cult-like support of millions  and the virtual adoration of President Trump of right-wing Christians in the US and by certain Evangelical leaders who have incomprehensibly aligned with this racist who cares nothing for the poor and disadvantaged. 



I feel that we must do more than look on with a sense of relief that we're not Americans, or even regard the mess south of the border with disdain. We can pray for the safety of those who are victims of what is transpiring, including those involved in peaceful opposition. We can pray that the election which now looms large will be conducted without voter suppression, a growing concern. And we can pray that those who claim allegiance to Christ will read their bibles and discover the "socialist" Jesus as their model and Saviour. Surely to God those committed to democracy in the United States will prevail.