Well, we are now one week away from the big day. Who's excited?! If you are like me, you probably just muttered, "Eh." I'm getting pretty apathetic about the election. It's so discouraging to see the same old partisan, mudslinging politics over and over again. I can't even watch debates. Is anyone else sick of it?
I think I get my hopes up every two or four years for something different. Six months ago, when the primaries were starting to thin out the candidates, and it was beginning to look like a McCain/Obama matchup, I got pretty excited. I think I expected more out of these two. I was hoping for a cordial campaign where we were really exposed to the candidates' policies. Instead we were given the same past-dredging cat fights that have defined politics for the past ten years. I do blame the media for much of it, but the American people love a scandal. Even worse is the fact that this election has turned into a contest between Palin and Obama. What happened to the actual Republican candidate for PRESIDENT?
I suggest a stronger third party. I know we have the Green Party and Libertarian Party, but they haven't proven capable of changing the face of American politics. While I may not necessarily agree with the platforms of these parties, strengthening them will force representatives in the government to work together. If you are forced to gain the support of another party to promote a policy, you cannot constantly play the us vs. them game that promotes negative politics.
On a side note, as the future looks ever-more ominous for the Republican party, I'm not sure how bad of a thing that is. While I consider myself an Independent, I am obviously conservative leaning due to moral convictions. For at least two years out of the last eight years, the government was controlled by Republicans (House, Senate, White House). They had two years to accomplish what many Americans elected them to accomplish, yet we are still killing babies in this country. Maybe playing the underdog for a while can rally this party to get back to what is truly important.
In the meantime, even if you are as discouraged as I am, you had better get out and vote next Tuesday. Men and women died to give you (and to preserve for you) that right.
October 28, 2008
October 8, 2008
#4 - 'Communism' and the Apostolic (1st Century) Church
I found it interesting that just as I decided that I should read through the book of Acts the 
economic crisis in our country is climaxing. I've always been struck by the incompatibility between true capitalism and the first Christian Church. With what is going on in our nation now (and with me happening to read the first couple of chapters of Acts), I've really been thinking about it.
I've always been taught that our nation is the best. It has the best system. More importantly, it has the best economic system. I wouldn't call myself a product of the Cold War (I was 11 when it really ended), but my parents and most of the people I learned from were. I learned that Capitalism was good; Communism was bad. Those were fundamental truths. As I got into high school, college, and graduate school, I learned about the 'Protestant Work Ethic', and how it is arguably the foundation of Capitalism. I figured since I was a protestant, capitalism must be good. Then I really paid attention to what I was reading in Acts...
Acts 2:44-45 reads "And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need." Acts 4:34-35 reads "Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need."
The commentary in the Life Application Bible claims that this was not communism because it was voluntary; it wasn't government mandated. I wonder if that comment was a product of the Cold War. The only communism we have seen in practice is the government controlled systems of the old Soviet Union, China, and other smaller nations.
Is unregulated capitalism really a good thing? I argue that it is not. Human nature is greedy. Can we really trust the 'Capitalists' (big businesses) to have the best interests of the entire nation in mind when they make decisions. By putting full trust in the capitalist system, we are essentially making that assumption. That assumption sounds ridiculous to me. I don't know these men and women. I don't know their hearts. How can I put that trust in them? We are called to put our trust only in God and His son Jesus. If the direct students of Jesus thought having all things common was a good thing, why do we shudder at the thought?
Disclaimer: I am not a communist, because I do not believe that we could establish a government with enough truly godly people to make that system work. I merely question the fear of anything remotely anti-capitalist. Also, I love my country, and I only wish to see every one in it come to know the Lord and live a happy and fulfilling life.
economic crisis in our country is climaxing. I've always been struck by the incompatibility between true capitalism and the first Christian Church. With what is going on in our nation now (and with me happening to read the first couple of chapters of Acts), I've really been thinking about it.I've always been taught that our nation is the best. It has the best system. More importantly, it has the best economic system. I wouldn't call myself a product of the Cold War (I was 11 when it really ended), but my parents and most of the people I learned from were. I learned that Capitalism was good; Communism was bad. Those were fundamental truths. As I got into high school, college, and graduate school, I learned about the 'Protestant Work Ethic', and how it is arguably the foundation of Capitalism. I figured since I was a protestant, capitalism must be good. Then I really paid attention to what I was reading in Acts...
Acts 2:44-45 reads "And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need." Acts 4:34-35 reads "Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need."
The commentary in the Life Application Bible claims that this was not communism because it was voluntary; it wasn't government mandated. I wonder if that comment was a product of the Cold War. The only communism we have seen in practice is the government controlled systems of the old Soviet Union, China, and other smaller nations.
Is unregulated capitalism really a good thing? I argue that it is not. Human nature is greedy. Can we really trust the 'Capitalists' (big businesses) to have the best interests of the entire nation in mind when they make decisions. By putting full trust in the capitalist system, we are essentially making that assumption. That assumption sounds ridiculous to me. I don't know these men and women. I don't know their hearts. How can I put that trust in them? We are called to put our trust only in God and His son Jesus. If the direct students of Jesus thought having all things common was a good thing, why do we shudder at the thought?
Disclaimer: I am not a communist, because I do not believe that we could establish a government with enough truly godly people to make that system work. I merely question the fear of anything remotely anti-capitalist. Also, I love my country, and I only wish to see every one in it come to know the Lord and live a happy and fulfilling life.
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