Isaiah 58: "loose the chains of injustice"

My college career resumed in the early 1980's at THE University of Central Florida. Resuming my politcal science studies led to the American politics class of Mark Stern

His comments in some lectures taught me tons about Judaism and the Old Testament, mainly the Jewish tradition came first in espousing the worth of the individual, even the poor, widows and orphans.

By forgiving debts every seven years, allowing widows to glean in the fields, promoting kindness to foreigners in Jewish lands, and other examples, the Jewish nation showed a sense of social justice for the first historical time on earth.

So thus did a lad raised in a Lutheran household by christian parents going to church in his matching shorts, coat, clip-on tie, and hat learn later the Bible part 1 had more than the angry old white dude with a beard in the sky and Psalms.

So Sunday past when my friend read the Old Testament lesson from Isaiah 58, memories came back on how my life led make back to church, to the Gospels and minor prophets like Amos.

So for family, friends, naysayers and nabobs who think me too liberal, you may have rightly judged.  Nevetheless, the bible supports social justice with words like these:

[5 Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,
only a day for people to humble themselves?
Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed
and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast,
a day acceptable to the LORD?
6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;]

Socialism, because the Bible told me so.

God bless you, Mark Stern.