“The question really should be, in the light of Jesus’s teaching how should we live?”

As usual you are asking the right questions, and I am with you - my problem is with the answers I am hearing: socialism, communism, forceful redistribution of income, etc.

I have watched an excellent series on Chuch Colson’s work and he should be someone we should all look at for an example. We do need to break the mold since both sides are not getting the message of the Kingdom in my opinion, and we can do so by delving into the first century story and at least attempt to understand it as much as we can. I think the lifestyle back then was greatly dictated by the pending parousia and the coming of the Kingdom to earth - the greater question for me therefore is: what now that the Kingdom is here and the parousia is a reality? It’s one of the most difficult questions I have encountered in my journey so far.

There is evidence that we can all work together, so trying is the best thing we can do. :)