There is an apparent dichotomy in my worldview that has been brought into sharp relief in the last few days. The first recent trigger was a comment over at E3 Gazette by Orrin Johnson:

"Modern Liberalism is the belief that utopia can be engineered if only is it designed and run correctly, and that individual liberty must be subsumed to the greater good for this societal machine to run smoothly for the greater good."

 I have been thinking about that and my feelings on the subject ever since. I had been considering posting something on the subject, and thoughts were slowly resolving themselves into a coherent format. Then I read a recent comment over at Bill Whittle's Eject! Eject! Eject!. A poster by the name of Ryan G had been arguing in favor of government redistribution and other typical liberal positions. He wrapped one of his arguments with this (emphasis mine):

If you're religious, it's worth mentioning that even the Apostles practiced systemic charity [...]Whether it's a personal choice or part of the way society operates, looking out for your neighbor is not, in itself, an evil thing.

 This offends me on the deepest of levels. This takes things near and dear to me and drags them through the mud. The Apostle Paul placed charity above all the other virtues and gifts.  It is a precious and vital part of a successful society.  The reason the quote from Orrin was significant to me is because what he describes as liberalism very nearly approximates my ideal society.

Confused yet?

Human beings are social creatures. God created us to rely on one another; our greatest achievements and most noble societies have come of learning to work peaceably together for a greater purpose than the individual. I firmly believe that it is the duty of every person, particularly for a Christian, to put the good of others before himself. I dream of the day when all people will have all things in common, when we will offer to others more than they need, and they will take less than is offered. I dream of that day, as many others have throughout history. But I know something many of them missed, or learned the hard way: a government will never take us there. The key is not organization. We have to get there ourselves. One by one, in our own hearts and with our own choices, we have to change ourselves.  It cannot be imposed upon us.  The only way that we can give all that we have is to be free to do exactly the opposite. If we do not have complete control of our decisions and our possessions, we cannot freely surrender them to the impulses of charity and the work of God. By comparison, that is exactly what God has done for every one of His children. Having created them and placed them on the Earth, he gives them the freedom to choose. If they want to be happy and live by his instructions, they are free to do so. But that only has value because they are free to ignore Him and all that he has to say. Many of them do. That is their choice and their freedom.  For the opposite contrast, look at the fruits of Communism, where that equality is forced at the end of a gun.  People rebel, often becoming more jealous, hateful, and materialistic.  You cannot give away what you do not have, and a gift that is not given freely is no gift at all.  It turns to poison.

This is why Ryan G.'s comparisons riled me so badly. To say that the covenant of the saints to care for one another, to give their all freely to God and their fellow man, is no different than forced economic redistribution by a tyrannical government is a vile and pernicious statement. Government redistribution is not freely done. If you think it is, try opting out. Looking out for your neighbor is not evil, of course not. Stealing someone else's property to give to your neighbor is.

I do my best to give to those around me as my means and situation allow. I have a peaceful conscience in that regard. I have made promises to God to bear my neighbor's burden. But whether I fulfill that promise or not is not the affair of government. Socialism is not pious. It is robbery clothed in self-righteousness, and I will have none of it.

Oyster out.