Distributing Wealth--10 Virgins

My mother sent me this e-mail story that I found to be a very good analogy for Socialism vs. Capitalism.

Father-Daughter Talk
A young woman was about to finish her first year of college. Like so many others her age she considered herself to be a very liberal Democrat and had grown to be in strong favor of the distribution of all wealth in America. She felt deeply ashamed that her father was a rather staunch conservative, an opinion she expressed openly. One day she was challenging her father on his beliefs and his opposition to higher taxes on the rich & more welfare programs. In the middle of her heartfelt diatribe, based upon the lectures she had from her far-left professors at her school, he stopped her and asked her point blank how she was doing in school. She answered rather haughtily that she had a 4.0 GPA, and let him know that it was tough to maintain. That she had to study all the time, never had time to go out and party like other people she knew. She didn't even have time for a boyfriend and didn't really have many college friends because of spending all her time studying. That she was taking a more difficult curriculum. Her father listened and then asked, "How is your friend Mary?" She replied, "Mary is barely getting by. All she has is barely a 2.0 GPA, and all she takes are easy classes and she never studies." To explain further, she continued emotionally, "But Mary is so very popular on campus. College for her is a blast; she goes to all the parties all the time and very often doesn't even show up for classes because she is too hung over." Her father then asked his daughter, "Why don't you go to the Dean's office and ask him to deduct a 1.0 off your 4.0 GPA and give it to your friend who only has a 2.0?" He continued, "That way you will both have a 3.0 GPA, and certainly that would be a fair, equal distribution of GPA." The daughter visibly shocked by the father's suggestion angrily fired back, "That wouldn't be fair! I worked really hard for mine. I did without, and Mary has done little or nothing; she played while I worked really hard!" The father smiled and said, "Welcome to the Republican Party."

This made me think about the 10 Virgins who couldn't share their oil. They had prepared and had done all they needed in order to be ready for the Bridegroom. I always thought it was rather selfish of them to not share, but then it was explained to me that it was just an analogy for gaining knowledge and making covenants...those were things that could not be shared in the short amount of time that they had before the Bridegroom came. It is up to us to gain all the knowledge we can, and make and keep sacred covenants, AND, while we are here, share what we have with others so they can be prepared for the Bridegroom, too, before it is too late.

I used to think that Socialism or Communism sounded similar to the Law of Consecration, until one very important difference was pointed out to me...The Law of Consecration is VOLUNTARY! Socialism and Communism are FORCED! They go against everthing Heavenly Father wants for us. HE gave us our agency so we can choose to do good or evil. We have been instructed to take care of each other and lift each other, not enable each other. "Teach a man to fish...."

I hope that we, as a Nation, will figure out the difference, and that WE THE PEOPLE will make wise decisions this election year...I'm a little scared.