More and more these days Christian politicians and their followers use the Bible to justify their stances on societal issues. Many of our leaders use scripture to justify their support of the state of Israel and the related military actions as just warfare. They also use the Bible to condemn abortion, homosexuality and transgenderism. It seems to me that there is just as much evidence in the Bible, maybe even more evidence, suggesting that Jesus and his disciples were communists.

Every day I read from a Daily Catholic Devotions magazine called Living Faith. A recent Daily Devotion included Acts 4:32-37. 32 Now the full number of those who believed were of “one heart and soul, and no one said that any of these things belonged to him was his own, but “they had everything in common. 33 And with great “power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and “great grace was upon them all. 34 “there was not a needy person among them, for “as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold 35 and “laid it at the apostles’ feet, and ” it was distributed to each as any had need, 36 Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabus (which means son of encouragement ), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, 37 sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and “laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Communism is defined as a political, social, and economic ideology that advocates for a classless stateless society based on common ownership of the means of production. It aims to eliminate private property, replacing them with a planned economy where wealth is redistributed based on need. Communism operates on the principle “from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs”.

While suggesting that the Bible might promote communism may surprise, shock or even enrage some Christians, it’s hard to deny the similarities between Acts 4:32-37 and the definition of communism. If you imagine heaven to be a classless paradise where everyone has all that they need, one could make the argument that the after life is a utopian communist society.

Politicians today routinely throw around labels like communist, socialist, progressive and liberal, using the words as pejoratives in describing an opposing political party. I am not sure how these men and women will feel when those same words are used to describe Jesus and his disciples.

Communism, abortion, homosexuality and transgenderism are not specifically written about in scripture. Tug hard enough on the language written in the Bible and you can stretch the interpretations and translations. Take Old Testament scripture as literal moral directives and you can justify many human acts that are found to be universally criminal today. People will ask, “What version of the Bible are you quoting because mine says something different?”. Just the fact that there are different versions of the the Bible only strengthens the argument that what is written in the different scriptures is up for interpretation and subject to debate over the words used in translation.

Is Jesus a communist? That’s for you to decide. Just like it’s up to you to decide if the Bible actually condemns homosexuality, transgenderism and abortion. Just remember this. Whatever you decide your personal answers to these questions are, that is your interpretation of language written and translated by men who in their transcriptions chose words that fit their narrative. If you turn the answers to these questions over to a church leader or a biblical scholar, you are still applying someone else’s interpretation of God’s word as recorded and translated by men.

While much of the Bible is up for interpretation, there is scripture that is certainly not subject to the vagaries of transcription and translation. Love God. Love thy neighbor. Heal the sick. Feed the hungry. Learn to do right. Seek justice. Father the fatherless. Welcome the stranger. Raise up the downtrodden. Perhaps a little more attention should be paid to that scripture?

Is Jesus a commie? Could heaven be a classless utopian commune? Does the Bible command the support of Israel ? Does scripture condemn abortion, homosexuality and transgenderism? Whatever you decide for yourself, be reminded that someone just as thoughtful, moral and spiritual as you are may consider the issues and what’s written in the Good Book and come to a different conclusion. And that’s their right as a thoughtful child of God.

When speaking about homosexuality, the late Pope Francis famously and boldly asked the controversial question, “Who am I to judge?” If a pope can ask that question of himself, maybe more of us need to apply that same query to ourselves. Love God. Love thy neighbor. Anything controversial about that?

Andrew Ludwig is a retired math teacher and a retired public school and Catholic school administrator. He currently works as a substitute teacher in Chautauqua County.