During a segment on CNN NewsNight, left-wing commentator and author John Fugelsang sparked controversy by claiming that Democratic New York City mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani’s socialist platform reflects “the actual teachings of Jesus.” Fugelsang argued that Mamdani’s calls to redistribute wealth and expand government control over resources align with Christ’s compassion for the poor, framing the socialist agenda as a modern embodiment of biblical justice. “Mamdani is, in his policies, so much closer to the actual teachings of Jesus than many politicians,” Fugelsang asserted, suggesting that critics of socialism misunderstand Christianity’s message of charity and equality.

Republican strategist Brad Todd quickly countered, emphasizing that Mamdani’s rhetoric about “seizing the means of production” has nothing to do with the gospel. Todd warned that equating Marxist ideology with the teachings of Christ distorts Scripture and confuses spiritual generosity with state-enforced control. The exchange highlights a growing cultural trend in which progressive activists attempt to reinterpret Jesus through a political lens—turning divine compassion into justification for secular power. From a biblical worldview, such claims reveal the widening chasm between man’s kingdom and God’s, where socialism’s pursuit of equality often replaces grace with government and faith with force.

SOURCE: Western Journal