Comments by "Edward Cullen" (@edwardcullen1739) on "Addressing the criticisms of the “concerning pattern in ALL Socialist childhoods” video" video.

@soupycask He was quoting the Bible. "The love of money" means the love of money to the exclusion of all else. I love having money. I want to have lots of money, so I can do Good Things and help people. But I'm not motivated by money, I don't really worry about how much money I have, beyond the practical issue of being able to buy food etc.
9
@Michael-Archonaeus Christianity is based on Judaism. Judaism has an oral tradition of understanding of the scriptures that isn't contained in the words of the scriptures. That and the English translation of the Bible is imperfect - there are many passages that are more "poetic" than accurately reflecting the true meaning of the original words. That is, there may be a word that was translated to "the nearest equivalent English", which loses a lot of the meaning (which is often subtextual) of the original. And generally, it is a very complex, inter-referential text. When Jesus said "It is you who say that I am", this is not just him saying "you're saying something I never claimed", he is also invoking the name of God - "I am" is literally (one of) the names of God, from the Old Testament (see Exodus). When you've been raised a Catholic, been to church every week for over a decade, been around the community, you know more than the text of the Bible. It's unsatisfying to others, because it's a "vibe", but you know, instinctively, when someone says "the Bible says this, therefore", whether they are correct or not. TIK is very right at a superficial level, but wrong at the deeper subtextual and philosophical. "Blaming" Socialism on Christianity is like blaming the firefighters instead of the arsonists, because "they both deal with fire".
6
@TheImperatorKnight I am facing my childhood trauma, which is why I'm so angered by your surface-level analysis of Christianity. I was raised a Catholic and lost my faith at 14 (I'm now 44). I know you are wrong - returning to Christianity, to Christian teaching, really understanding the difference between Christianity and Socialism, is what's helping me, even though I don't "believe". You are wrong about Christian teaching. You are wrong about your understanding of the Bible. Christianity and Socialism are diametrically opposed, because they have VERY different philosophical roots. "The Pope isn't Catholic, he's a Socialist." Is a refrain that it's VERY easy to find amongst Catholics. We may not all be able to articulate why, but we know it's true. The root of Christianity is "you are born imperfect, but can be better; you are responsible for your actions", the root of Socialism is "you are perfect and everything bad that happens to you is because of others; you are not responsible for what happens to you". You mistake evil people twisting Christian teaching for a "problem" with Christianity itself. Almost the entirety of the modern world exists because of Christianity, not in spite of it, so to say that it's "fundamentally wrong" means there's something you don't understand. Your analysis also completely ignores free will. Your fundamental problem is not faith or Christianity, it is simply that you are intelligent and able to see more of the world than most. Yes, it sucks. Welcome to the club. "Altruism", as you describe it, is really "pathological altruism". Altruism is a group adaptive trait - this is Evolutionary Psychology. A group full of individuals willing to sacrifice for each other is more likely to succeed - how do you think the SAS function?!?! I understand the torment you are going through and I can promise you that "selfishness" is not the way out. True understanding of duty, service, sacrifice and gratitude - of community and meaning - are what you need. And no, not everyone can be saved! This is one of the Painful Truths of Christian teaching - something that many do not understand. This doesn't mean you give up - I have a nephew who has fallen down the Socialist rabbit hole. He is miserable as a result, but can't see the cause/effect. I can't help him, but I still try - I just don't allow myself to despair over it.
5
 @Michael-Archonaeus Ahhh... Classic "take a passage out of context and use it to make a point that's completely wrong". There's a LOT more to that passage.
5
@Michael-Archonaeus Sorry, I missed some of your points because of app issues. How's your Hebrew? Yes the New Testament was mostly Greek, but what about the Old? Whole chapters? What about when you need to reference other books to fully understand the context? It's as old for you as it is for me. I'm tired of the same, tired criticisms, that are all word-based, rather than practical/philosophical. I'm not a Biblical scholar, but I am an engineer and I understand systems and I've learnt to recognise a system that works and when I don't understand it enough to recreate it. It's always easier to destroy than create. Christianity and Judaism have lasted for thousands of years, so there must be some validity to them. If you can't see that, that's a failing on your part, not of the system. You don't like this because I'm hand-waving. Yes, but then, it doesn't bother me, because I have humility and Faith. My guess would be it bothers you, because you don't. If you're looking for answers in words on a page - or you think that burning books (metaphorically) will bring you peace, then you really HAVE missed the point. Just like TIK.
4
@Michael-Archonaeus LOL, now who's mind reading? I say the same thing about Hinduism and Buddhism - that their longevity is proof that there must be some value in their belief system. I'm neither a Hindu or a Buddhist. Rejecting an alternative point of view is not the same as failing to understand it - unless you are so arrogant as to believe that yours is the only "correct" view? You believe I am ignorant because I don't believe as you do, that failing to adopt your perspective is proof of my inferior intellect. You call me arrogant, because I don't agree with you. You say "if", yet you talk about dropping whole chapters and cross-references, which I don't believe for one second, but even if you did that would be proof that you're doing what I accuse you of - metaphorical book burning, because that is precisely what you are doing. The real arrogance is to assert that you understand the scriptures better than anyone and therefore... Which is why Protestantism is fundamentally flawed. Life is too complex to be codified into a single book. If you do nothing but look for the bad, you will never see the good. I'm not saying that the Bible is perfect or easy to understand, all I am saying is that TIK's view is a naive reading that is more a map of his own problems than it is an exposition of the Truth of the scriptures.
3
You are engaging in "word thinking". You are reading the words and taking them at face value and in isolation. You are treating the allegorical as literal. You are doing a Socialist, materialist, deconstruction of something far more complex and beyond materialism. The "self-hatred" you talk about is not true. They were narcissists who twisted the Bible to justify why others should sacrifice for their benefit. I understand Socialism, because I am a Christian and I understand religion. The reason your previous video fell flat, is because you were blaming Christianity for the sins of individuals. "Beware the false prophet." Socialists are false prophets, who twist Christianity.
2
 @Michael-Archonaeus Right. There's more depth to the Bible. You can't "just read the words" and understand it.
1
"I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, none may come to the Father, except through me." You're right, some people cannot be saved - this is a Fundamental Truth of Christianity, because it is a fundamental truth of human nature! Altruism is not bad - it is an evolutionary adaptation. You need to broaden your understanding to include Evolutionary Psychology. Altruism within your tribe is a Good Thing. What is "your tribe"? That is where the question really lies. You are using altruism to mean something simultaneously broad and narrow that doesn't encapsulated the thousands of years of distilled wisdom that is the Torah, Bible and the writings and traditions that surround them.
1
@raybanseyes And this is why Protestantism/Lutharianism is so flawed - there is the belief only in the translated words of the bible, without the understanding from the Rabbinic tradition inherited from Judaism.
1
@rebeccalindley153 What about Hebrew and Aramaic? Being able to read the Bible is not the issue, it's the discarding of the Rabbinic tradition that is.
1
@Michael-Archonaeus Aaaand there it is! "Jesus was a Socialist." Out come the half-witted Communist tropes! Utterly pathetic. I do not need to take doctrinal guidance from someone who wants me dead or enslaved. I see through you and your lies. ESAD, Commie.
1