top of page

DEMOCRAT, SOCIALIST, OR CHRISTIAN?

“Jesus said unto him, ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like unto it.  Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”- Matthew 22:37-39 KJV

Image by Jesse Paul

Does being a Christian Democrat make me a Socialist? In the weeks before the November election, I heard Christian ministers I respect warn about socialism in the Democratic Party. As a Democrat, I felt labeled a socialist, but I wasn’t sure whether to agree or disagree. I realized I knew too little about socialism to assess those warnings. Webster’s Online Dictionary defines it as,“A theory or system of social reform which contemplates a complete reconstruction of society, with a more just and equitable distribution of property and labor.”

Like many voters raised during the Cold War, I learned to view socialism as wrong. The Soviet Union—the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, or USSR—was an enemy of the United States. I welcomed its dissolution in 1991, and that history left me wary of anything associated with socialism.

Yet, like most working Americans, I pay Social Security taxes and expect to receive benefits when I turn 67. I also support programs such as Medicaid. Do those views make me a socialist?

I don’t believe so. My Christian faith helps me see the distinction. As a Christian Democrat, I seek to follow the two commandments Jesus gives in Matthew 22:37–39:

  1. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” and

  2. “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

For me, supporting these programs expresses love for my neighbor. Calling a program “social” does not make it—or its supporters—socialist. That label does not describe my beliefs.  I also see biblical principles as more consistent with a capitalist approach. The Bible does not condemn wealth; I view Abraham’s prosperity as an example of hard work. In the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14–30), I see a similar principle: servants are rewarded for their efforts rather than given equal shares.

With respect to those religious leaders, labeling members of the Democratic party as socialist, it is as farfetched as labelling the Republican party a bunch of MAGA extremists.

Submitted by - A  proud Christian Democrat.

bottom of page