More on ideology changes
For quite some time, the Western world has had a free market economy and ideology. This was to be the best way to encourage innovation and efficiency and would provide growth and wealth. It was also supposed to even take care of those at the bottom by having money ‘trickle down’ to them. Countries put varying controls on the ‘invisible hand’ depending on their ’socialist’ leanings. The ultimate goal: this would provide food and meaning and happiness for everyone.
And the Christian church said little in the words of critique. There was no consistent reminder that there is sin in the world and that it would always work to mess things up; and that ‘invisible hand’ is not the hand of God.
We have not eliminated poverty. The gap between rich and poor is growing, and is staggering in its disparity. We are polluting our environment and affecting our health. There is still widespread oppression of other people.
It seems the Western world is now being invited to embrace a new type of ‘economics’. One where the environment, nature, is our necessary ally. If we are able to work within the constraints of the laws of the world, that ‘harmony’ will eventually help us to live in peace with others, working towards a common goal of justice and life and happiness for all.
Same refrain. What’s going to happen? It is not going to be successful. There is still sin in the world and it will still be working to mess this up.
The church need to hold up the good things of this new ideology: care for the earth, restraint of greed and short term thinking and others.
And it also needs to critique the missteps. Humanity will not be able to continue to work good for humanity and there will be discontent. Justice needs to be defined in God’s terms. Disagreements between different religions does not get solved by being tolerant.
There are more goods and more missteps. The church needs to work to identify and grapple with them.
Comments(1)
Sadly the churches are not real bastions of God’s word. Matthew 5:42 bears that out. when my daughter and I became the vicitms of crime we turned to the churches, thinking God’s people would help us. Yet they do the bidding of the IRS and Governments. They all turned us away saying they don’t give to individuals. We went to every non profit we could find, still no.
I now understand why Jesus communed with the lowly, he knew they cared and would share from their need, while others could not share from their abundance.
God uses us not only to help one another, but to test where each other stands. I will never give a dime to any organization or church, but I will give to real individuals in need.
I am temporarily homeless, and I work hard and pray daily, hourly and I know that each of us has the potential to be the open door that God can send help to another. Sadly many in our world today, close that door. They are so attached to the physical paper we call money, and not to the creater of our wealth.
I do believe that the best way to eradicate poverty is to see as Jesus told us, “see the field white for the harvest.” Hold the vision that everyone is already fed, clothed and healthy.
That is step one. Step two, build as if it were already so. And that includes building the world we want to live in, not building what we do not want.
My family originated in France and into Canada and then to America. Lately I wish I lived in Canada.