Josh wrote:Capitalism means using capital to make even more money. A rich person in a capitalist society can never work, yet have plenty to eat.
Sounds like the opposite of what the Bible says.
I use capital to make money all the time. I haven't figured out how to do it without working, though...
That's because you're mostly using labour, not capital.
The whole premise of capitalism is that capital itself can produce more capital, and labour is just viewed as a line item expense, rather than something worthy and good of its own right.
Josh wrote:Capitalism means using capital to make even more money. A rich person in a capitalist society can never work, yet have plenty to eat.
Sounds like the opposite of what the Bible says.
Not sure where you are getting your definition. Can you share some scriptures to show how it is opposite?
I would like to keep this focused on the connection or lack of connection with theology. After another day of keeping a little tighter focus, I am happy to let it run.
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Try hard not to offend. Try harder not to be offended.
Just because you are paranoid, doesn't mean they are not after you.
I think I am funnier than I really am.
Josh wrote:Capitalism means using capital to make even more money. A rich person in a capitalist society can never work, yet have plenty to eat.
Sounds like the opposite of what the Bible says.
Not sure where you are getting your definition. Can you share some scriptures to show how it is opposite?
I would like to keep this focused on the connection or lack of connection with theology. After another day of keeping a little tighter focus, I am happy to let it run.
The Bible doesn't define capitalism, though, and it was written before anyone really defined such terms or had a worldview influenced by the idea of capitalism.
temporal1 wrote:an observation, and a question for the discussion:
1. the U.S. is not a purely capitalistic country, presently, somewhat of a hybrid;
2. are there any existing purely capitalistic countries?
Ruth 2:2-3
And Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi,
"Please let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain after one in whose sight I may find favor." And she said to her, "Go, my daughter." So she departed and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers; and she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz ..
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Most or all of this drama, humiliation, wasted taxpayer money could be spared -
with even modest attempt at presenting balanced facts from the start.
Josh wrote:
The Bible doesn't define capitalism, though, and it was written before anyone really defined such terms or had a worldview influenced by the idea of capitalism.
Correct. Scripture does not define many modern day things. This is why I was asking people to post scriptures that supported their view on capitalism. By doing so, we will be discussing theology, not politics.
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Try hard not to offend. Try harder not to be offended.
Just because you are paranoid, doesn't mean they are not after you.
I think I am funnier than I really am.
Josh wrote:The Bible doesn't define capitalism, though, and it was written before anyone really defined such terms or had a worldview influenced by the idea of capitalism.
Correct. Scripture does not define many modern day things. This is why I was asking people to post scriptures that supported their view on capitalism. By doing so, we will be discussing theology, not politics.
That almost guarantees that we will read our own opinions back into Scripture, and not the other way around. The Bible isn't about capitalism.
People have managed to read socialism, capitalism, libertarianism, feminism, and just about every other ism back into the Bible.
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Is it biblical? Is it Christlike? Is it loving? Is it true? How can I find out?
Josh wrote:The Bible doesn't define capitalism, though, and it was written before anyone really defined such terms or had a worldview influenced by the idea of capitalism.
Correct. Scripture does not define many modern day things. This is why I was asking people to post scriptures that supported their view on capitalism. By doing so, we will be discussing theology, not politics.
That almost guarantees that we will read our own opinions back into Scripture, and not the other way around. The Bible isn't about capitalism.
People have managed to read socialism, capitalism, libertarianism, feminism, and just about every other ism back into the Bible.
Capitalism, like socialism, isn't necessarily sinful of itself. However, very few people are able to handle the temptations that handling large amounts of capital brings with it. So I think we need to go to passages about the misuse of money, and the misuse of power, etc.
For instance, the love of money is the root of all evil. Etc. My wife just bought me Randy Alcorn's book entitled, Money, Possessions and Eternity. I haven't read it yet, but it seems to have some fairly interesting thoughts on dealing with this.
JimFoxvog wrote:The Bible doesn't talk about capitalism, per se, but speaks of situations that are often connected to capitalism.
[bible]James 5,1-6[/bible]
Hasn't this abuse occurred under all kinds of economic systems including capitalism, socialism, feudalism, etc?
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Remember the prisoners, as though you were in prison with them, and the mistreated, as though you yourselves were suffering bodily. -Heb. 13:3
Bootstrap wrote:
That almost guarantees that we will read our own opinions back into Scripture, and not the other way around. The Bible isn't about capitalism.
People have managed to read socialism, capitalism, libertarianism, feminism, and just about every other ism back into the Bible.
I guess you did not read the OP very well.
Money is spoken about often in the OT and NT. It was a very real issue. Lots to look at and draw from.
We also do the exact same for many of the things we define as Christian, dress, talk, culture.
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Try hard not to offend. Try harder not to be offended.
Just because you are paranoid, doesn't mean they are not after you.
I think I am funnier than I really am.
