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Scriptures and Economy: Economic Theories of the Bible
Posted by Christian on April 17, 2010 at 1:42pm in Forum
Does the Bible outline any economic or financial theories?
http://www.cai.org/bible-studies/bible-study-socialism-and-bible
" Many people say that the Bible outlines no specific economic system for
society to follow. Many church bodies are involved in promoting
communism or various forms of socialism, even to the point of giving
material aid to revolutionaries who are attempting to bring communism
to their lands. It should be no surprise that the church bodies
involved in these activities have long ago given up the biblical
teachings about creation and adopted evolution. As this month's WORLD
VIEW makes so clear, one's views on creation, and therefore the nature
of man, work and wealth, will determine how one thinks about the value
and practice of one's labour in relation to others. The adversarial
view which comes out of evolution is naturally found in socialism
because of socialism's materialistic view of the world. The cooperative
view of work (as regards man) and the thanks offering attitude of work
(toward God) is naturally a result of the biblical view of creation and
man.
...Read EXODUS 20:15. What do we call this section of Scripture from EXODUS 20:2-17? What is forbidden here? What situation is assumed in this commandment? If God did not allow the private ownership of property, would this commandment make any sense? Read DEUTERONOMY 22:1. What is again assumed here? How does this relate to EXODUS 20:15? What would it be called if you allowed someone else's ox or sheep to go astray? What would God hold you responsible for if you let this happen? Read LEVITICUS 19:35-36.
What is forbidden here? Does this specific command of God assume
ownership of private property? What would you be doing if you used
unfair weights or balances in selling goods?"
Extremely interesting article, compelling arguments. I truly believe the Torah mandates laissez-faire capitalism and preaches spefic economic theories, although it has it's own unique socio-economic twists, such as the Jubilee year return of familial land, etc. I believe the Scriptures clearly preach against the self-avowed Atheist economic thinking inherent in Communism and Socialism, and the ungodliness it causes.
Some more links of similar nature:
http://www.garynorth.com/public/department57.cfm
"When Christianity adheres to the judicial specifics of the Bible, it produces free market capitalism.
On the other hand, when Christianity rejects the judicial specifics of the Bible, it produces socialism or some politically run hybrid "middle way" between capitalism and socialism, where politicians and bureaucrats make the big decisions about how people's wealth will be allocated. Economic growth then slows or is reversed. Always.
Free market capitalism produces long-term economic growth. Socialism and middle-way economic interventionism by the state produce poverty and bureaucracy. If your goal is to keep poor people poor, generation after generation, you should promote socialism. But be sure to call it economic democracy in order to fool the voters.
The Bible is an anti-socialist document. Socialist propagandists for over four centuries have claimed that the Bible teaches socialism, but we have yet to see a single Bible commentary written by a socialist. If the Bible teaches socialism, where is the expository evidence?"
http://www.acton.org/publications/randl/rl_article_442.php
"The
Bible’s teaching on wealth and economics was set in an ancient economic
system that was quite unlike the system of today. That does not mean
that the
Bible has nothing of relevance for today’s economic world, only that we
must use the Bible carefully when applying its general principles of economic
life to current times. As many biblical scholars have suggested, a direct application
of many biblical commands relating to economic life would be impossible today,
because the system to which those commands were addressed has dramatically changed.
Rather, we are seeking from Scripture general principles or norms that govern
economic life and can be applied to different economic arrangements. Of course,
some commands apply directly, for which the differences between the ancient
world and today’s society do not affect the application of the text. For
example, the repeated admonitions of Scripture to take care of the poor remain
directly applicable, even though the means by which that is done may have changed.
By contrast, the Old Testament commands the people of God to keep the Sabbatical
year, in which the land was to lie fallow for one year in seven (Lev. 25:1-7),
the year of Jubilee, in which on the fiftieth year all land was returned to
its original owners (Lev. 25:10-17), and the right of redemption, in which property
had to be returned to an impoverished family member in order to give him or
her the opportunity to make a living (Lev. 25:47-55). These principles cannot
be directly applied today, because they were written to a society that revolved
around subsistence agriculture, not a modern information age economy in which
very few people are tied to the land to make their living. Rather, we must glean
a general principle from each of these commands that can be applied to the different
setting of today. "
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Reply by Lev/Christopher on April 18, 2010 at 1:11am
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Reply by Christian on April 18, 2010 at 3:54am
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Reply by Christian on April 19, 2010 at 8:10am
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Reply by Lev/Christopher on April 19, 2010 at 12:50pm
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