Recently, Cathleen Falsani, a writer for the Chicago Sun-Times and author of Sin Boldly (which I loved and found to be her something of a kindred spirit), wrote an article for the Washington Post that is worth noting. The article is part of a series entitled 'The Worst Ideas of the Decade,' and Falsani focuses in on the 'Prosperity Gospel.' You can read her article here.
At this point, I agree with Falsani. This incessant need we have to call the American Dream a Biblical idea is more than alarming. The lack of self-criticism of professing Christians and their embrace of 21st century capitalism needs to stop. While there are a great many benefits of America's economic engine and its place in the global economy, calling all things 'capitalism' good and all things 'socialism' bad is too narrow minded. I rather enjoy the fact that Jesus is claimed by Methodists, Presbyterians, Anglicans, Roman Catholics, Baptists, and yes, even capitalists and socialists. Jesus lived his life in such a way that he's difficult to label and modern Christians would be wise to follow suit.
On this note, Falsani follows up with a second post found recently on the Sojourner website.
I think Falsani speaks truth again. Thanks Cathleen, keep up the good work, and if you're looking to send out signed copies of any of your books, my address can be sent out rather easily.
-bo
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The problem is that socialism leads to the next step which is communism (power and greed of politicians will eventually spawn more power and greed). Does anyone remember the millions upon millions slaughtered by Stalin, Che, Mao, Mussolini, Hitler? I'm not saying that capitalism is without greed; it spawned it's own masses of greed.
But what makes this country great is that, in a miraculous birth, the U.S. created something new; we call it exceptionalism; we call it individual liberty; not just freedoms but LIBERTY that socialist/communist nations do not enjoy. Do we not realize how many amazing ongoing charities were created because of this exceptionalism?
I would argue that if we started with rediscovering the masculine heart AND the true feminine heart, getting back our godly family foundations, find TRUE healing of our wounds with Christ's help and help from our fellow Christans, put God first above all, then the majority of things will get back on track. We can live in liberty and be compassionate for those without life's essentials; not put them into a cradle to the grave mentality, but actually help them get on their feet and out from under their plight. For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat." 2 Thess. 3:10
Quite honestly, I'm not even truly arguing pro-Capitalism. What I'm arguing for is that we live by GOD'S will. When we do, we bring balance to the State AND (let me stress AND) the individual! I believe the reason we are in such a big mess is because as a State, as families, as individuals we have walked too far off the path and God is saying (like He does so often in the OT), "Why won't you pick me?? Why won't you put ME first?"
When you read the letters of the founding fathers, you realize how amazingly the majority of them spoke of God. They prayed fervently in Congress. They read scripture before business. God was the foundation of our country. The history books are been destroyed with revisionist history and we forget that with God at the center, both sides are balanced. So let's talk about getting back to God as a nation and families and individuals before we start spouting Marxist rhetoric which always leads to the State being irreligious. Just take a look at Denmark. They claim to be one of the most irreligious countries in the world, but what they forgot was that they are still religious; they simply replaced Christ with the government. [I'm amazed at how often socialism/communism are actually tied directly with evolutionist theology.]
The 23 Psalm of Socialists:
The government is my shepherd:
I need not work.
It alloweth me to lie down on a good job;
It leadeth me beside still factories;
It destroyeth my initiative.
It leadeth me in a path of a parasite for politic's sake;
Yea though I walk through the valley of laziness and deficit-spending,
I will fear no evil, for the government is with me.
It prepareth an economic Utopia for me, by appropriating the earnings of my own grandchildren.
It filleth my head with false security;
My inefficiency runneth over.
Surely the government should care for me all the days of my life,
And I shall dwell in a fool’s paradise forever.
There is o so much to say in response to your response, but I'll limit my comments to one single sentence your wrote: I'm amazed at how often socialism/communism are actually tied directly with evolutionist theology
I must say that, though I can see why you'd write that, let's take a look at socialism vs. capitalism, at least as it applies to the health care debate.
Capitalism: everyone's on their own to find the plan that works best for them, and insurance companies, freed from the intrusive burdens of government regulation are free to cancel insurance, and prohibit pre-existing conditions. These unregulated elements are making insurance increasingly unaffordable, which means that they are affordable to fewer and fewer people. Thus the barista at an independent coffee shop can't afford basic health coverage in the good ol' USA. People must fight each other for slots in university in order to get a good job so that they can get good insurance, so that they won't run the risk of foreclosure on their house if they get cancer. People fighting each other for slots in a university because they recognize the high stakes sounds rather Darwinian to me.
Socialism (at least as it exists in Europe, which I know first-hand) : For the sake of the common good, everyone's covered. Now the person who loves making coffee or framing houses has the same access to basic health care as the white collar professional. There's no competition - no need to make a fortune in order to afford health care. It's available to everyone.
I'm always intrigued when voices from the right (and you're not doing this in your response, but it seems cogent in light of your Darwin comment), raise their voices to protect life in the womb, but fall strangely silent when it comes to the matter of providing education for that single woman who was raped so that she can earn a living wage, and health care for her new born child. Having been protected in the womb, she's now on her own.
Perhaps you can see why I react when socialism, and a concern for the common good, is linked with Darwinism while Capitalism (free-markets; every man for himself) isn't. It seems, at the very least, a misguided generalization.
I love America. I just think we could learn a few things from those nations that take "the common good" more seriously than we do.
yes....I don't disagree that America has lost its way on various fronts, but I also don't immediately equate Evolution or Darwin teaching to a socialism platform. Well put in framing the thought: 'a concern for the common good...'
if we can at least agree that whether we're discussing the founding fathers or contemporary leadership a concern for the common good should be something that Christians are known for, then I think we're moving in a good direction.