Is God really capitalist?

I was browsing through a Christian bookstore the other day and came across one book meant to teach a "Christian worldview." It basically covered everything: science, social issues, economics, and government. The section on economics really kind of bothered me, because it seemed like Republican talking points supported by choice verses from the Bible. For example, the book said the 10 commandments showed God wants us to respect personal property rights. Arguing against welfare, the book cited Paul's admonition to the Thessalonians that, "If a man will not work, he shall not eat."

But it seemed this book wasn't really teaching the Bible; rather, they were teaching conservative economics and backing it up with Scripture. Now, I don't really have anything against conservative economic theory, but I'm not sure you can nail God down as a capitalist so easily. After all, didn't the early church in the first chapters of Acts share things as they had need?

42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Sounds kind of ... er, socialist to me. And what about the Year of Jubilee described in Leviticus? Every 50 years, God basically commands a leveling out of personal wealth among the Israelites--sold lands must be returned to their original owners, debts are erased, and everyone who has become a slave must be set free. In the same chapter, God also forbids selling food at profit to poor Israelites, and says they must be treated as an alien or temporary resident (which implies temporary residents deserved especially kind treatment ... quite unlike that which Congress is currently debating).

Really ... I think there are some things about the Bible we can be sure of, but there are other areas where we need to step back and re-assess our point-of-view. People allow themselves to get so caught up in current societal and political arguments that they automatically assume God supports their cause. I always try to think of it this way: If a Marsian got ahold of a Bible and could understand it thoroughly, how would that Marsian interpret the text? Open your eyes anew to God's word and read it like a Marsian!