Posted on 04/09/2019 1:51:44 PM PDT by CondoleezzaProtege
Free-market ideas grew in a religious and moral soil. We need to replant them there.
Over the last 30 years, we have witnessed the most significant movement out of poverty in human history. If this trend continues, we will see extreme poverty almost completely eradicated in the 21st century, according to a 2008 report from the World Bank. This historic economic movement was not the result of government programs, the United Nations’ national debt forgiveness, or even Christian charity. It was brought about by the spread of economic freedom and capitalism.
Economic freedom is important because it affects nearly every aspect of an individual’s life...More economic freedom equals improved well-being and a better quality of life. Economic freedom, then, is one measure of what the Bible calls “flourishing.”
Yet, today, free-market economics has come under fire...
Almost everywhere we turn, we can see examples of greed and abuse, which has many asking, “Are the evils of capitalism worth the benefits?”
Enter Kenneth J. Barnes, who dives headlong into this contentious debate in his new book, Redeeming Capitalism. He does not insist on unfettered capitalism, as many free-market supporters do; nor does he want to scrap capitalism for an “alternative economic utopia.” Instead, Barnes proposes “that capitalism, once rooted in a particular religious ethic, long since lost to the moral relativism of the modern era, need not be replaced, but needs instead to be redeemed.”
Far too many Christians have bought into the notion that their vocational work is secular and has little or nothing to do with their faith. They have neglected Paul’s admonition to “do it all for the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31). As a result, they work just like everyone around them and wonder why the culture has become so corrupt...
(Excerpt) Read more at christianitytoday.com ...
That would work for me. An element of evil exists in too many business decisions.
Christians must understand that it was always God’s intent for us to promote human flourishing through our work. This means teaching a new narrative around the purpose of work, wealth creation, and their God-ordained roles in bringing flourishing to God’s creation. Barnes favors an approach that integrates our faith and our work, rejecting the compartmentalization of our current culture, which dictates that work is only a means to an end.
Yes this same principle applies to the arts and culture as well.
The disingenuous term, fiscal conservative, translates:
I am globalist, elitist, and socialist. But I want all your money.
Our governmental and economic systems were designed by and for a morally upright people.
Virtuous Capitalism
I am globalist, elitist, and socialist. But I want all your money.
That said, the system that affords the most self-determinism, liberty, and ability to benefit from your own efforts as an individual will always be preferable to any other.
The world moves forward on the creativity, efforts, and virtue of individuals, not by the achievements of the collective. The collective is almost always left behind.
This isn't about relative worth of people. Everyone is important and everyone matters. It's about allowing each of us as individuals to become our best and achieve our most. This is the best path to obtain the biggest contributions from all of us.
There is only one economic system that allows this. Capitalism. Whether good or bad things happen along the way is not a function of the economic system, but a function of the failings of individuals spiritually, morally, and ethically - as I think this author is saying. I agree entirely.
As a mirror of our current society, just over the past 2.5 years we've had a true coup attempt against a duly elected American President, the ‘buy your test scores and admission into the college of your choice’ scandal, the legislature of a large US state passing a law allowing infanticide, subversion of justice by political connections in the Hillary Clinton private server debacle, the Jussie Smollett case, cases of ‘youths’ beating defenseless older adults and the elderly, etc., etc. When these things are happening, a society has a very big problem with rot, and laws alone, or an economic system alone, won't be enough to fix it.
And greed. Businesses are urged to squeeze every nickle of profit. I read a man who owned a cabinet maker shop would gather and sell the sawdust and scrap wood for extra profit. Then he realized that the money was trivial so he allowed a man and his son to come pick up the shavings and scrap and they sold it.
It is a very old practice called gleaning mentioned in the Old Testament in Ruth where the poor would come after the harvesters and collect overlooked grain. It gives the poor dignity.
Back in the day, blacks would pick cotton by hand after the mechanical picker went through and sell the cotton. Working is beneath too many people’s dignity today.
Well said. I am passing along what you wrote.
Not only is Virtuous Capitalism needed, but so is Virtuous Education.
Unbridled free capitalism good inside the USA but that freedom ends at the border.
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