Forkbender a dit:
About the Christianity and Capitalism thing, of which I still don't understand how you can combine those within one worldview.
Capitalism thrives on interest and scarcity. Interest, however is creating debt, enslaving people just as much as you think 'liberal ideologies' do. It makes people who owe money work harder than those lending it did in the first place. It is some sort of punishment from the top to the bottom. Combined with scarcity this creates hyperinflation, resulting in a complete system meltdown, because the value of a market doesn't change with the amount of dollars available and this latter amount grows and grows because people need to work off their interest-payments.
Jesus chased moneychangers from the temple, showing that earthly matters and his views don't mix. Making other people work harder than you is lazyness, which is actually promoted in capitalism.
If Christ wants you to 'dominate the earth in abundance', this means that there should be abundace, while Capitalism has only provided us with more versions of cheap rip-off, because money is more important than customer satisfaction, health and sanity.
Your thoughts?
My view of capitalism reflects incentive. For instance, in the building industry, a worker can get paid by the hour, or 'piece work', in which he gets paid by the amount done. Guess which way produces more product? People who work for others 'by the clock' don't have nearly the incentive of a shop owner who stays late and puts in long hours because he is making more that way. Most shop owners I know work more than 8 hours a day.
About Christianity and capitalism, I believe God wants us to prosper and be benevolent to our fellow man. The Bible teaches that one should give 10% to the poor, or charity. The more you make, the more that 10% becomes. And of course, the Church (in my view) is a lot more efficient/better at distributing money and things to the needy than Big government. There will always be the greedy, the scofflaw, but there surely is in government as well. I believe that free-markets should determine the price of things and the less government intervention the better. However, again, no system is perfect. You would need to ensure that no monopolies form and cronyism does not prevail.
Now about the interest and scarcity thing, it gets a little complicated. People ask for credit, it is not forced on them. Someone once said to me regarding those 'evil' record companies, (back in the 70's & 80's when they wielded immense power over the artists), where else could you in essence get a 'loan' on future records, before they are sold or made, and with no money put down of your own, and end up wealthy? I believe it also says something in the Bible about charging a fair rate 10% for a loan. Loans in themselves are not bad. To some people it is like dope and they can't seem to get out from underneath it. Things quickly compound, and they find themselves over thier head.
If capitalism is allowed to operate unfettered, I believe it still is the best system there is. Warts and all.
'Dominate' may have been a strong word, but it is mastering your available resources. Of course you shouldn't over-harvest, or rape the land. Some people have no clue, however, and greed takes over. If people showed a bit more fortitude, they would not buy from this type of seller voluntarily, and he would soon be out of business and someone who respects the earth would prosper.
I use the 'small child' analogy to demonstrate effective 'domination'. Here in the USA, it is considered totally off limits to spank your children. They claim that beating on your kids isn't cool. To the point where you can be arrested if you do it in public and someone sees (or 'think' they see) you beating your kids. You're not 'beating' your kids. If you do, you should be arrested. You are 'spanking' them. ( or should be). It is the humiliation, not the pain, that is supposed to humble them into 'submission' (strong word noted).
I hope I have presented this in a clear and unbiased way.
