What would property law look like in a Christian state?

[struggle4progress]

[imenja]

1. Slavery?

I mean that sarcastically rather than seriously, but I did read a thread on DU about history classes in some red states using a pamphlet that seeks to rehabilitate, make it seem benign, the institution of slavery.
(Here I'm thinking of the Gerry Falwell crowd. I don't mean to besmirch Christianity generally).

[struggle4progress]

2. Actually, I think it makes much difference how one interprets ...

... "Christian."

In particular, it might matter how tradition, revelation, and scripture were balanced -- and who was in charge of interpretation.

The primitive Christianity of the apostles seems to have been an early form of communism . The early Church fathers taught that almsgiving and charity work with the poor was not a personal choice but an ethical obligation and that conveying surplus to the poor was not merely an act of mercy but more simply (and profoundly) represented the RETURNING to them of what had been UNJUSTLY TAKEN away from them before.

Similarly, the notion that "the earth is the Lord's" had, by the middle ages, been elaborated into a theory that recognized only a temporary right to use the fruits of the land rather than any absolute right to deplete and destroy what is "owned".

Of course, the corporate media will never mass-produced such ideas as images of "Christian" thought for popular consumption, because these ideas tend to produce a consciousness materially opposed to the greedy and rapacious tendencies that corporate ideology claims are necessary for a modern economy. What passes, instead, through the media filter, is the "Christianity" of televangelists, busily reinforcing consumer culture by aping commercial techniques: namely, creating anxieties about personal worth and offering spending options as a means of alleviating these anxieties.

A serious public discussion about "Christian property law" would terrify the corporate elite and might cause them to rethink their current strategy ...

[imenja]

3. a much more thoughtful response

than my own, and I appreciate reading it. The problem, of course, is that many in this country don't interpret Christianity in such a thoughtful manner. I believe Christian values should inform how we approach politics, but the idea of a Christian state is disconcerting. Even if it weren't dominated by the fundamentalists, it is unlikely to be based on social justice. I have read quite a bit in Latin American history, and there Catholicism underlay laws until at least the mid-19th century. For much of the colonial period, Church and Crown ruled side by side, metaphorically as mother and father (with Crown as father). The Church hierarchy invariably allied itself with the forces of power, though there have always been divisions on key moral issues--treatment of Indians, military dictatorships, liberation theology, etc... I've not aware of any vocal Catholic opposition to African slavery. If you are, I'd appreciate knowing about it.
Our founding fathers had it right. Church and state must be separate to protect religious and political expression.

[struggle4progress]

4. I completely agree we must have 100% separation of church ...

... and state.

I simply observe that the corporate class today is carefully constructing a smoke-screen of "Christian values" rhetoric in order to hide their power grab. And it occurs to me that many of the fundamentalists who naively fall for this game are sincere in their Christianity. So I simply wonder ... if from somewhere on our side suddenly came loud and unexpected enthusiasm for "Christian property law," with excited discussion about the communism of the early Church ("And all who shared the faith owned everything in common" Acts 2:44) ... what effect might that have the current ruling class alliance?

[imenja]

5. interesting but. . .

I tend to think it wouldn't dislodge the allegiance between the Christian Right and corporate capitalism. The TV Christians seem remarkably impervious to the teachings of Christ, who after all spoke more about ministering to the poor than anything else. Evidently, and I'm sure you know better than I, Christ never mentioned homosexuality.

[struggle4progress]

6. Perhaps you are right. I tend to daydream in process terms.

While I agree with you about the "TV Christians," I don't think all the Bush voters fall into that category.

And if one side can fracture the electorate I don't see why the other side could't.

[imenja]

7. it's worth a shot. n/t.