Of the 10 things God told the Israelites not to do, which no-no is the most socially destructive? I’m not asking which sin is the evilest. I’m asking which sin has been the most demonstrably destructive to human attempts at civilization. I’d like to posit that it’s “thou shalt not covet.” God commanded us to avoid the inordinate desire (i.e. lust) for something that belongs to someone else.
Even though “thou shalt not covet” is the last of the 10 Commandments, it is the driving impulse for many other transgressions. Lusting for what someone else possesses, has been the motivation behind any number of crimes against individuals like killing, stealing, and adultery. But it is also the base motivation behind movements that have destroyed countries all over the globe with socialism, communism, and fascism.
How often have we heard politicians demand that we “make the rich pay their fair share”? Is that a righteous suggestion that the rich be more socially responsible, or an evil suggestion that the public violate the 10th Commandment? Isn’t such rallying merely encouraging the public to take, rather than recreate, what another has accomplished?
When “fairness” is applied to the inequities in life, it is an appeal to our darker side, reassuring us that it’s noble to take rather than achieve.
Adolph Hitler blamed the Jews for Germany’s economic doldrums, and encouraged his countrymen to covet what the descendants of Abraham had created. Coveting led to a world war and the death of millions.
Karl Marx encouraged the proletariat to covet what the bourgeoisie had accomplished. In the name of “fairness” private property was seized for the collective good. Millions died and hundreds of millions have been cast into destitution in every continent except North America. Unfortunately, it’s coming here next, with New York City leading the way.
Unlike killing, stealing, or cheating, lust for another’s property isn’t a behavior. It’s a motivation. Hence it cannot be criminalized. Its destructive impact on civilization can only be kept in check by instilling a strong moral compass in the populace. Yet moral relativism causes our compass to drift.
When destroying an unborn child becomes reproductive healthcare and the atrocities of Hamas must be contextualized, government sanctioned theft becomes an easy sell. Taking from the rich isn’t shameful, its fair; and “spreading the wealth around” isn’t looting, it’s “social justice” – the type of “justice” which leads to destitution, death, and collapse.
Author Bio: John Green is a retired engineer and political refugee from Minnesota, now residing in Idaho. He spent his career designing complex defense systems, developing high performance organizations, and doing corporate strategic planning. He is a contributor to American Thinker, The American Spectator, and the American Free News Network. He can be reached at greenjeg@gmail.com.
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