Is social justice the same as socialism?
Monday, August 16, 2010
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Lately there have been accusations that a church with a social justice mission is one that supports socialism. Conservative TV personality Glenn Beck told Christians, "I beg you, look for the words ‘social justice' or ‘economic justice' on your church website. If you find it, run as fast as you can. Social justice and economic justice, they are code words. . . . If you have a priest that is pushing social justice, go find another parish. Go alert your bishop."
Unfortunately, statements such as this have left even Catholics, who enjoy a rich social justice tradition, confused.
Socialism is defined as economic or political theories that advocate collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods. The threat perceived by socialism is that it threatens the identity of the individual because it merges the masses into one common goal or voice.
Social justice isn't an economic or political theory, but an outlook that seeks to strengthen the identity of the individual because it sees that human dignity derives its meaning from being made in God's image (Gen. 1:26). In God's image, no one is worth more than another. All are deserving of life and whatever is needed to adequately sustain it.
The church's mission is derived from the words and actions of Jesus. Jesus reached out to those living on the margins of society because they had as much value in God's eyes as those living in the center with their power and comfort. Pope Benedict XVI proclaimed in Caritas in Veritate, "If we love others with charity then first of all we are just towards them. . . . Justice is the primary way of charity."
Social justice means living in right relationship. We must live justly not only with God, but with our neighbor and all of humanity. How we treat the least among us becomes a measure of how well we honor our relationship with God. By honoring the least, we are challenged to look at how they are denied the chance to sustain their own life. If our actions, our consumption, or our materialism make it difficult for others to simply live, then we are not loving our neighbors as much as we love ourselves.
Therefore, while socialism is seen as a threat to individual identity, social justice is a call to honor the life and dignity of each individual, especially the least among us. The fear of socialism begins with a fear of losing one's identity and material wealth, as well as the ability to experience economic upward mobility. The mission of social justice begins with honoring the identity of each human and realizing the mobility of one depends upon the mobility of all.
Within the mission of the church, each member has a voice to add and a value and worth as an individual. But we must never forget that we are all one body and no one part is more deserving of dignity and life than any other.
Kathy McGourty is a youth minister in Bloomingdale, Illinois. This article appeared in the September 2010 issue of U.S. Catholic (Vol. 75, No. 9, page 46).
Catholic "Social Justice" is "Equal Justice"
By LordDrexil (not verified) on Thursday, June 23, 2011Hi Everyone,
Stictly speaking, the term "Catholic Social Justice" (CSJ for short) would be better interpreted as "Equal Justice". The implementation of CSJ is the real problem as members of the church and the clergy cross the lines from promoting individual responsibility to forcing collective or governmental responsibility.
True CSJ is rooted in the teachings and examples of Jesus. As far as I know, Jesus never said "use politics to force equal justice" - rather he said that each person should give freely and willingly serve according to his means and blessings.
Where the implementation of CSJ falls down is when we seek to force our own will upon others in order to make Social Justice a reality. Even God will not trample on someone's freewill - which is His greatest gift to us all.
As Christians we are to preach the Gospel of equal justice for all and personal responsibility rather than political social justice.
A prime example of the mis-guided implementation of CSJ can be found in one of America's most well known early "Social Justice" activists - Father Charles Coughlin (1891-1979). In fact, it is primarily due to Fr. Coughlin that the term "Social Justice" took root in the American Catholic conscience.
To me it's very simple, don't say what you don't mean. If what you mean by "Social Justice" is really the Catholic teaching of "Equal Justice and Personal Responsibility" then just say that.
If you truly believe that applying collective political pressure and legislating a forced re-distribution of personal wealth in order to obtain utopian social equality, then just say it - it's called "Socialism" and that is not CSJ.
If in doubt, ask yourself this: Is it right to collectively force others to act as Jesus did against their will when they don't respond to our attempts to evangelize them just so we can proudly say "We did it - we now have Social Justice!"?
But wait Lord Drexil....
By Bad Meets Evil (not verified) on Monday, July 18, 2011You can't interfere with someone's freedom of will.
But sometimes, you have to interfere with someone's freedom of action.
Unless you are an anarchist, you would acknowledge the role of the State to protect the common good.
I don't want to live in a police state by any means, but...
I do believe the government should do what it can to stop murder, rape, robbery. People may have the free will to intend to do these things, but that doesn't mean we should sit back and allow them to do so. Some would argue abortion should be stopped too, rather than allowing women to exercise their free will in action.
I believe that we need traffic laws, and we need for them to be enforced. We have enough traffic accidents and death with the traffic lights, signs, and signals... can you imagine how many more we'd have without them? Traffic laws don't create a utopia, but they make things better than they would be without them.
Just as I don't believe in anarchy on the roads, so too I don't believe in anarchy in the marketplace, workplace, stock exchange, or boardroom.
As an example, when people are unpaid un-living wages, they are harmed... much in the same way as if they were raped, killed, or robbed. In fact, it is a form of robbery. The State should intervene, in my opinion, to help stop human dignity from being trampled upon. This will not create a utopia, but it might just make things better than they would have been.
Also Lord Drexil....
By Bad Meets Evil (not verified) on Monday, July 18, 2011As for me, I don't pretend that there will ever be equality of wealth in the world. Nor do I think there should be.
But there is a problem when some people work hard, but only make 1/20th or less of what someone else makes, when that other person sits back and relaxes.
What about when the laws and social institutions are written unfairly to the benefit of a wealthy elite? When those elites actually force the rest of us, against our wills, to embrace their wills, via the laws? Where's the freedom for most people in that?
In other words, I'm saying that most institutions and laws and tax codes in the world are overwhelmingly written and designed for the extremely disproportionate benefit of a select wealthy few... "He with the gold rules". Wealth is often redistributed upwards!
When a few meager measures are taken to try to counter this, people like Mr. Drexil are crying that it's "Socialism" and against freedom ! Unbelievable to me!
I happen to agree with BME on this
By Don R (not verified) on Monday, July 18, 2011As Adam Smith observed in Wealth of Nations 235 years ago:
"Civil government, so far as it is instituted for the security of property, is in reality instituted for the defense of the rich against the poor, or of those who have some property against those who have none at all."
AMEN!!! 1000 times over,
By Rebecca (not verified) on Sunday, July 17, 2011AMEN!!! 1000 times over, AMEN!!!!
If that is true, why then ...
By Amy (not verified) on Monday, June 13, 2011Your arguments do not match reality. In recent wks, the Archbishop of Minneapolis & St. Paul, & the Catholic Conference joined a leftist/socialist group called the "Joint Religious Legislative Coalition" (JRLC) to advocate for "taxing the rich," to resolve MN's buget crisis. The Archbishop calls it a "moral imperative" to steal an individual's earnings and transfer their so-called "wealth" to those the state (not the Church) deems more worthy.
Stealing is a sin and not a teaching of Jesus Christ.
Proof of this is the fact that JLRC is tied to other leftist organizations, and most aggrievedly, to those who promote abortion & euthanasia. JLRC has organized rallies in the Twin Cities to push and force their agendas, just as ACORN and other SOROS founded groups do. The leftists seek to destroy the Church, faith & belief in God. They need to to destroy freedom. So defend away as our Church is being destroyed by Social Justice, another name for communism & enslavement to tyranny.
Taxation is not stealing
By Anonymous (not verified) on Monday, June 13, 2011That's your definition, not the Church's. The Church teaches that governments have a duty to collect taxes for the common good including helping some individuals with other people's tax money. Look it up. And please don't use Subsidiarity as a reason to not tax. Subsidiarity cannot be separated from Solidarity. Governments must correct the injustices created by unrestrained capitalism. Taxes are one way governments do this. As Pope Pius XI, who defined the principal of Subsidiarity said, “economic life cannot be left to a free competition of forces” – the “poisoned spring” of the “evil individualistic spirit”.
The political philosophy of the Tea Party and other extreme conservatives in inconsistient with Catholic social teaching.
http://vox-nova.com/2010/12/20/priorities-inside-the-catholic-vote-bubbl...
Traffic and Economics... food for thought
By The Eminem Fan (not verified) on Monday, June 13, 2011When it comes to motor vehicles, it would probably be a bad idea for the State to allow drivers complete freedom on the roads.
We have traffic lanes. We have speed limits, stop signs, green lights, red lights, one way signs, & numerous other signs/signals. Drivers have to be licensed. Driving while intoxicated is prohibited. The list of rules & regulations goes on. Violators of traffic laws are prosecuted, either via fines, or in severe cases, with suspension of their licenses or even prison.
Even with all of this intense State intervention, no utopia results. A lot of people still get hurt & die in traffic accidents.
But can you imagine how many more would get injured or die in car accidents if there were no traffic laws or traffic police... i.e. if "freedom" and "limited government" entered into this realm?
Conservatives should consider this analogy when it comes to economic activity. Because economic activity is so integral to society, & because the food/shelter/needs of the population rest upon it, it is even more serious than traffic & roads. Aren't forms of regulation & oversight needed to limit severe harm to many human beings?
Progressive taxation is probably not a form of stealing: Rather, it appears to be an attempt to modestly offset (a little) what often is an unjust system that overwhelmingly benefits the ultra-wealthy who are in power. Some would also argue that it is a form of making businessmen/elites pay their "fair share", since it is argued that these people benefit more from the common taxation pool.
In any event, I don't think it's a good idea to allow complete "freedom" for businesses, capitalists, corporations, & the wealthy.
A new social paradigm is needed. This is impossible without the True Faith & the conversion of hearts. In the meantime, a few traffic lights & stop signs in the world of economics shouldn't hurt.
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