Theology, Politics & Economic Meltdown
Government Intervention or Free Market Solutions? WWJD?_____________________________________________________“From each according to (her) abilities, to each according to his needs.” -Karl Marx-
“If you want to inherit the Kingdom of God, go and sell all you have and give to the poor.” -Jesus of Nazareth to the “Rich Young Ruler”-
“If you took all the money away from the rich and gave it all to the poor, within ten years the rich would be rich again and the poor would be poor.” -Unknown-
“Go shopping!” President George W. Bush to America after 9/11
“If you have two coats, give one to he who has none.” -Jesus of Nazareth-
“If you give someone a fish you feed them for a day; if you teach them to fish you feed them for a lifetime.” -Unknown-
“The poor will always be with you.” -Jesus of Nazareth-
The quotes listed above represent a typical cross section of our society’s thinking and beliefs about poverty: its nature, and its solutions. This thinking spans the spectrum of political ideology and economic theory. At first glance it appears to be a dialectic between socialism and capitalism or between faith and materialism, but a deeper analysis reveals more complexity than that. Is it possible that all of these statements, when taken in context are equally true?
The problem with economics and finance is that it’s not about math. I’ve written that before. Why do I repeat myself? Because it bears repeating. People don’t get it. Financial success is not about math. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. That’s not about math either. Is it possible that neither the chicken nor the egg came first? How could it be? It is very possible if we forget about math for a moment.
Do you find it interesting that almost all credible economists, from the right to the left are in essential agreement that the solution to our current economic crisis is for the government to spend its way out? Now think about that. The crisis is a result, most people would agree, of excessive debt, excessive spending with no regard for how the bill would be paid, and yet the only solution we’re given by our wise men and women is to spend more and take on even more debt (as a nation, at least; as a government). How can that be? How can that work?
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