Somehow the ancient Bible writers recognized that people always live in some sort of community setting. It is a part of human nature we share with most other species. It is the way the world works, the way God created us (Genesis 1:27).
The rest of the Bible tells stories about our relationships with each other and with the communities in which we live. The stories contain elements of both incredible evil as well as of kindness. According to Genesis 3, the ancients place both evil (represented by Satan) and good (represented by God) as forces outside of us, even outside the universe. I think most modern scientists now lean in the direction that good and evil depend mostly on our nature as well as our nurture. Whether we behave one way or the other is under our control and can be learned as well as unlearned.
I also think most can agree that Utopia, the Kingdom of God or some other imagined, hoped for, perfect place does not exist anywhere on Earth. For most, their reality is the exact opposite.
The hope is that enough communities around the world recognize the power of community and are attempting to show the rest of us that the Kingdom of God is possible. For starters, they have abolished private ownership of property. They have everything in common. Their purpose in life is to be stewards of the abundance of the Earth making sure there is no needy person among them. They recognize that we all bear the image of God and deserve to be treated as such and therefore must also treat everyone else that way.
I think everyone can understand this, but some choose not to. I don't think the antiquated language of the Bible is the obstacle. The obstacle is the persistent, false teaching that our condition depends solely on our own effort. I say community is the answer to all the suffering in the world.
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