Please don't misunderstand me. I'm just working through some thoughts on the idea that Capitalism can be very dangerous for those trying to follow Christ.
It seems to me a walk through scripture will give one the feeling that money can be a very enticing danger. I am coming to see many ways this is true for most people, myself included. How can we avoid the intoxicating pull of money and the desire for more?
The reason for the title of this post, and the Capitalism connection, is that money seems to be the driving force of Capitalistic Democracies. If this is so, how do we believers live in the world and participate in commerce, consumption and daily life and not be seduced by it? How can we engage in business without using the advertising tactics of manipulation of the senses to get consumers to buy what we are selling? How can we stay free from these things, as the system is bombarding us with manipulations of all kinds to get us to buy, buy, buy, and then buy even more?
Do you think these are important questions or do they not create a dilemma for us?
Money always seems to be in the mix when you talk about corruption.
The Political system is broken because of the hunger for power and it is bought with money.
Our religious institutes are controlled by power and money.
Corporate America is controlled by money.
Money seems to me to be running the show? How do we keep it from running us?
Where there is money, greed seems to go pretty much unchecked or justified. I had someone tell me the other day that they wanted to have a lot of money so they could really serve the kingdom with it. That seems like a weak argument when Jesus said the poor women who put her last coin in the collection had given more than the one who gave from his abundance. Jesus also said that it is difficult for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
On one hand I see the freedom to self govern our lives as a wonderful thing when it comes to kingdom of the world government style. The only problem with that, is the human heart doesn't seem to be cut out for it. Or at least doesn't in most cases do it well. Consumerism is killing us all. It is robbing us of our peace and any security. Violence breeds here rapidly.
I'm going to continue to try to walk through some of this mostly by asking questions and pointing out some of the dangers we face as followers of Christ living here in Capitalistic Society. How do we use our democratic freedoms as a positive thing for the kingdom of God without getting sucked into what seems like the danger zone of too many choices?
I believe Jesus is the answer for all of these dilemmas. If we let Him get at them. What rules our hearts rules us. This past year, I have seen some of the ways this was effecting me. I want out of it. That is why I am asking and praying about these issues. I want Jesus and life in His kingdom to rule my heart.
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