The gospels were indeed a socialist manifesto

June 30, 2026

I am indebted to George Browning for articulating what the message of the Bible, particularly the New Testament gospels, is all about – the need for more even distribution of wealth. The gospels are indeed a socialist manifesto: heal the sick, feed the hungry and so on. As Jesus said in Matthew 19: 23-24. “…it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

I am never quite sure how anyone on the right can claim to be a Christian. Being of the right means to applaud the accumulation of wealth. There are, of course, many cases of people who earn money legitimately then give it away to the poor or to worthy causes, and that is perfectly honourable. I remember in the 70s in the US an African-American surgeon who earned at the time $100,000 annually but he gave away much of it every year to struggling African-American enterprises.

If we claim to be a Christian country, why are we not taxing the likes of Gina Rinehart to the hilt? We need the money to feed the hungry and heal the sick.