Everyone should be familiar with The Boy Who Cried Wolf by Aesop. It is called "a fable" but it is true to form. The little boy would scream in fear about a non-existent wolf and people came to his rescue. He did it so often that when the real wolf came, no one responded to his cry! Calling something a "wolf" can create fear, but the actual wolf is dangerous. Of course, the fable is not really about a boy and a wolf, but is a metaphor for anything dangerous.
Scripture identifies a similar metaphor: " Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves" (Mat 7:15). Prophets really are not wolves dressed as sheep, but those whose doctrine is seemingly good but actually quite ravenous or "wolfish."
Scripture has another similar metaphor: "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Pet 5:8). In that one, the Devil is not really a lion, but ravenous like one. He will not actually "devour" anyone but will destroy whomever falls prey to his cunning! The little boy could as easily cried "lion" as "wolf" without changing the context.
What do both metaphors warn about? Evil doctrine disguised as good. The wolf and lion are symbolic of evil, and their doctrines are the "sheep" and us. The Doctrine of Christ represents the flock of sheep, Jesus the Lamb of God, and people as sheep. The lost sheep represents those who are not safe within the Doctrine of Christ (Luke 15:16). The Jewish people are often referred to as "lost sheep" (Mat 15:24, Psalm 119:176, and elsewhere.)
In the United States, there are presently two major political doctrines: (1) socialism and (2) capitalism. Spiritually, there are also two doctrines: (1) Judeo-Christianity and (2) all others. Since Judeo-Christianity is the traditional and established religion, and socialism is progression from the established, Christianity is under attack by socialism.
The latter disguises itself as good sheep, providing comfort to the shepherds, but in actuality are wolves/lions/devils who seek to devour the sheep. Socialism makes no pretense: it devours capitalism and feeds some of it to the other sheep but keeps most of it for the rams. There is an ensuing power struggle about who gets the sheep and the power which goes with it.
That is not to say that capitalism is all "good" for it is not. There are many hateful capitalists as well seeking to devour naïve people. That is called, "crony capitalism" and it too is evil. However, outside of condoning slavery for a time, American capitalism has followed through; it feeds the sheep. Those who have not enjoyed the fruits of capitalism are angry sheep. Those who are the most rebellious sheep are those who desire other sheep to work so that they don't need to. That is the basis of socialism - "From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs" (Karl Marx).
Christian doctrine is one of charity. Rather than Christians voluntarily sharing the wealth, Marx proposed that wealth be confiscated. That notion makes Marx the God and Jehovah superfluous, and socialism the gospel of prosperity and the promise of a Savior a mere opiate: "Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people" (ibid).
Hence, socialism has been known as "godless" although everyone is their own gods and goddesses who are in the image of the greater god, Karl Marx. Rather than disciples of Christ, his sheep - socialists - become Marx's sheep not knowing that socialist leaders are wolves in sheep's clothing!
The two most vociferous wolves were Joseph Stalin and Adolph Hitler. Both of them rose to power promising prosperity, but devastation was the outcome. Both the Bolsheviks and Nazis were socialists, and their "utopias" were the same - world-wide domination - as both ideologies sought global control. They even hated the same people. Hatred of Jews was their common denominator, and just for the sake of it, they added to them, Christians.
Hitler's given name "Adolph" means "noble wolf" (Wikipedia; "Adolph"). Hitler lived in his compound called "The Wolf's Lair." Ironically, Stalin's assumed name means "steel." "Joseph" means "he will add." Of course, Stalin's goal was worldwide colonialism with the world his throne!
No one says in derision, "You are a Stalin!" because to the world, that sort of socialism is seemingly better than Hitler's brand of National Socialism. Stalin actually was responsible for more deaths than Hitler (Snyder, Timothy; The New York Review of Books; "Hitler vs. Stalin: Who Killed More?"; Mar 10, 2011). Surely, Hitler was the wolf and Stalin the steely lion. Both came to the world in sheep's clothing and devoured many.
Haters resort to name-calling and insults rather than rational discussion. When anyone says something different than what the herd wants to hear, they cry-out epithets like,You're a Nazi or You're a Hitler. Usually, it are those who are Marx and Stalin's types that cry the insults! Because there are innocent sheep in the herd, some of them cry out (bleat) with the leader. The herd cries "wolf" each time they disagree with others.
According to the Bible, the Beast will come soon. The Beast is the Antichrist who will be a harlot disguised as righteous Jesus. He will be the epitome of a wolf or a lion in the Lamb's clothing. Many will not recognize him for what he is. So many antichrists - those against Christ - have came that when the false Christ comes, few will recognize him. I believe that The Antichrist will be Isa - Islam's "Jesus" and the "religion" a socialist/communist government ruling with Sharia Law. (I have written of that many times, but today that is not the point I'm making.)
It is in vogue for "progressives" to call Donald Trump, "Hitler," and for the right to accuse socialists of Nazism. To be forthright, neither is true. Nationalism is merely patriotism and ethnicity is merely prideful of identity. For the "thought policemen," black pride is acceptable but white pride is not because of the nation's history. I submit that both are acceptable as long as they are not used to hurt others or to belittle them. Patriotism and ethnicity is not Hitlerarian. Many before him, good people, were proud of their heritage and race!
Calling Trump and his supporters, "Hitler" is like the boy who cried wolf. When the real wolf or lion comes, they will not hearken unto the cry. The Beast is coming and if every shadow behind a tree is a beast, how will he be recognized?
On the other hand, progressives are not wolves either. They do, however, see themselves as saviors although what they feed is poisonous fodder. The naïve herd will not recognize the real Wolf or Lion when he comes. They busy themselves so much "crying wolf' that they don't recognize the lupine behavior in themselves! They cry "big bad wolf, Donald Trump," when the wolf is within themselves. Progressivism/socialism/communism is the ideology of the Beast. Progressives have taken the nature of the Beast and think that they are the gentle lambs! They are the Eves in the World, who just as Eve, buy into the lies of the Serpent.
There is an identifiable trait in National, Soviet, Chinese, Cuban, Venezuelan, and even Nordic Socialism to some degree; (1) none trust God for prosperity - they trust their governments, and (2) none respect the sacredness of life. A socialist can always be recognized by who kills the innocent, and no brand of socialism is less evil than the other; their victims are merely different.
Who is Trump killing? No one! Who are the progressives killing? The most innocent of the innocent - the unborn. "Progressivism" (sic) has killed more people and with greater speed than both Hitler and Stalin, yet they have the audacity to call civilized people, "Hitlers!" That brings to mind what scripture says:
Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? (Mat 7:1-3)Jesus warned not to cry wolf by comparing the barbarism of others as worse than your own. I often attack doctrine but try to never attack the person. (Admittedly, sometime in anger I do that.) Everyone has killed a Jew! Everyone has murdered! "Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him" (1 John 3:15). Everyone hates somebody, so everyone is a murderer. That person who cries "Nazi" and "Hitler are haters and murderers and are much like Hitler!
What Jew did we all kill? We all killed the Jewish man, called Jesus. He died for everyone because he loved us. Sin is inflicting a wound on the very flesh of God. Hitler killed Jews, and they, like us, deserve to die, as we all deserve death. However, the Jew - Jesus - was innocent on all counts, yet we helped kill Jesus. I know... he is already dead, but he died for the sins of future sinners as well!
People are so ready to condemn; judging harshly is condemnation: "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned" (Luke 6:37). Who is it that wants you to hate? Who is it that wants you to cry wolf or call people "Hitlers" or "Nazis?" Those who do, do the will of their father the Devil (John 8:44), but think they are the righteous ones! All are little boys crying "wolf."
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