The New York City mayoral race really turned ugly. While most of the heated rhetoric was focused in the political arena between those who support capitalism and those who want to change America to a socialist system, there is an underlying religious element, as well.
Now the obvious underlying religious element seems like it ought to be between Islam and Christianity – which it is at one level. Zohran Mamdani is the first Muslim to be elected mayor of a major US city, and he advocates beliefs that are very pro-Islam.
But there is another religious level at play that can cause a lot of confusion for Christians – and anyone else who wants to understand what is going on. This second religious dynamic pits Socialism against Capitalism. The religious element that comes into play here is that Socialism (which is Marxist) is built upon a naturalistic worldview foundation that is atheistic – which is in opposition to both Christianity and Islam.
Now here is where it can get very confusing. Linda Sarsour is a Palestinian-American activist who is a hard-core Muslim. At the same time, she is a card carrying Democratic Socialist. While she is an avid supporter of Mamdani and is also a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, her primary interest is to promote Islam. Her socialist advocacy is not because she ultimately wants to see Socialism prevail, but for her it is a means to a greater end of promoting Islam. In fact, she readily acknowledges the fact of Mamdani’s (and her own) contradictory alliance between the Democratic Socialists of America and Islam.
In her own words, “You can’t be a Marxist and a jihadist and an Islamist and a fundamental Muslim, or whatever they call him, all at the same time. You gotta pick a side. Either we’re theocrats (Islamists) or we’re leftists (Socialists). Like these things don’t go together.” And it is clear that she plans to hold Mamdani’s feet to the fire to make sure the Muslim priorities are followed. She has stated that she will not join his administration, but will stand as an outside observer. She continued, “Our job as a movement is we have to hold whoever goes to City Hall accountable.” (You can read about this at https://www.foxnews.com/politics/linda-sarsour-tells-followers-she-hold-zohran-accountable-mamdani-wins-nyc-mayoral-race)
As if that was not confusing enough, Mamdani has made another contradictory alliance – this one with Rev. Al Sharpton. Sharpton is a will known “Christian” religious leader of the extreme liberal persuasion. As he stood side-by-side with Mamdani and endorsed him, he said, “I’m a born-again Baptist, but I embrace the Muslim community to come from the shadows.” The only problem is, Sharpton’s beliefs do not come from biblical theology. Rather, he adheres to Black Liberation Theology – beliefs that are based on a Marxist foundation. He is neither Baptist nor born again Christian based on a traditional understanding of those words. His support for Mamdani is based on his belief that Mamdani will carry out the socialist agenda he has been running on. (You can read about this at https://www.foxnews.com/politics/sharpton-blasts-ugly-islamophobia-nyc-mayor-race-mamdani-attacks-trump-welfare-cuts)
Obviously, as a Christian, I contend that the beliefs of Islam are not true. By the same token, I believe that Socialism is also a false belief system. And to top it off, I believe Al Sharpton’s theological beliefs are not true either. In fact, I don’t believe they are even Christian.
The first two belief systems are pretty easy for Christians, or anybody really, to recognize as false. Islam believes in a God who is very different from the God taught in the Bible. As for Socialism, being atheistic, it promotes beliefs that deny the very existence of God.
That leaves Al Sharpton’s beliefs. He claims to be a Christian, but his interpretation of the Bible totally denies that Jesus’ main purpose for incarnating as a man was to become an atoning sacrifice for the sins of mankind. He theology promotes entirely different beliefs and priorities.
1. Rather than beginning with the biblical text and exegeting it to find the Bible’s central message, he begins with the Marxist principles of Black Liberation Theology and reads those into the biblical text.
2. He conflates faith and works. His emphasis on social justice is a form of “salvation by works” that directly contradicts the core biblical doctrine that salvation is a gift of grace through faith alone, not by works.
3. Liberal theology’s “preference for the poor and oppressed” is contrary to the biblical teaching that God is impartial, and that every person is equally in need of a savior.
Just because a person claims to be a Christian does not mean they actually are. Genuine Christianity is defined by the Bible, and is based on coming to Christ by faith alone. It does not differentiate between different classes of people. Those who claim to be Christians but hold beliefs outside of the Bible’s teachings are, themselves, in need of Christ.