Was Jesus a socialist?

I've heard many claim that Jesus was a socialist. I don't think he thought politically, but, if he did, it wasn't socialism. So before I launch a discussion of what I think were Christ's politics, I'd like a clear explanation why y'all think Jesus was a socialist. Cite whatever you like as justification, but I'd like clarification because, well, I'm not satisfied with unjustified declarations. It's like claiming someone is a racist, but no one offers their justification. "He/she just is." Sorry, that's not good enough. But, this string is not about anyone else. Keep your focus on Jesus and his own words.

Jesus was a Jew

Yes, but "Jew" is not a political stripe, it is a familial [of the House of Judah] and/or religious [practitioner of Judaism] stripe. However, in the vein of comparison of politics/family/religion, I will, later, be discussing my own preferred "political" stripe, and it is not a common one. In fact, I may be its only advocate by its name, which I will not yet reveal, but is not the typical D/R we have in the US.

Ya but we all know what Hitler said about the Jews

Trying to ascribe ancient people with modern political systems is misguided at the start. There are many mercantilists that people might try to cry "capitalist" about but it is wrong as mercantilism, while similar in some ways, is different from capitalism. This is also the case with basically every other person and every other political philosophy. Sure, you might find similarities of beliefs, but it will never be the case that they would fall under the political philosophy (unless said philosophy encompasses the ancient political philosophy said person would have believed in).

Socialism is an economic theory, not a political system but +1 for criticizing the application of industrial age reaction to ancient Roman religious figures.  Misguided is the correct analysis.

I meant to put 'political/economic', but the point still comes across alright I think.

One could make a case either way. It's easy to argue Jesus was not a socialist by pointing out he commanded people to help the poor; he did not say government should forcibly redistribute wealth or demand collective ownership of property. He was pro charity. 

On the other hand Jesus did recognize the utility of the state, and valued collective ideals over greed or excess. A few popes have used Jesus' words to advocate for better conditions for workers. So if one believed that Jesus supported government authority to implement his values, I could see making a case for him being a socialist.

He'd probably be more of a hippy activist that conservatives just hated and made fun of though. 

It would be a mistake to call Jesus a socialist or a capitalist.

These are materialistic worldviews that have very little to do with the Christian worldview.

"My kingdom is not of this world" as Christ said.

Clearly a Theocrat.

He also had disdain for taxes. So a splash of libertarian maybe.

Why was Jesus a Jew?

Are you saying that GOD is a Jew?

One for the conspiracy theorists perhaps.

Pie may have a different view, but mine is that God the Father is a different generation that human mortality on Earth, that God's mortality [yes, he had one] pre-dated the House of Judah, and, in fact, Jacob, Issac, Abraham... Adam. More to the point, the House of Judah has the seeds of God's mortal generation. After all, "God" is a title, not a name. His name may have been Bill, for all we know, or maybe Obi-wan Kenobi, of the House of Jedi. This humanity bit has been going on far longer than the Ancient of Days [Adam].

Dude he literally said that to avoid paying taxes.

Dude read the context. Don't just pick out the one verse [it's Matthew 22: 21]. Read the context, Begin with verse 1 and read the entire chapter. Context is king, not just content. Does Jesus say anywhere that paying taxes [rendering to Caesar] should be avoided? No, he acknowledges the obligation. Public works requires public money to do the work, yeah? And don't argue that paying a tithe is wrong because it is paid, today [in the US, anyway] by the image of Presidents and such on coinage and currency, and should have nothing to do with the church. However, tithing is not merely a payment of money. It is a sacrifice - that is the payment to God. In the meantime, there are also "works" necessary to conduct in the church -  building buildings and maintaining them is one obvious need. But, in ancient and modern time, tithing was and is more than money. Offering of goods; product of the field, for example, is also tithing. Read Malachi 4: - again, the whole chapter - you'll get one of the best essays on tithing that exists in scripture.

He certainly didn't claim the 5000 loaves of bread he produced on his w-2 form.

No. The production fed 5,000, but the origin was 2 fish and 5 loaves. Besides, since the miracle feeding 5,000 [not including woman and children, so it was actually much more] was donated as charity, and it was deductible, if there was even taxation on such miraculous production then. Come on, you know this stuff. Stop straining at gnats.

Jesus is lucky Eliott Ness didn't nab him.

Agree.

I lie to refer to the GOD principle as BOB.....BOB the Builder.