rjb@akgua.UUCP (R.J. Brown [Bob]) (08/01/85)
Hutch writes in reply to me >>Just to throw a spanner into this one ... >> >>In the book of Acts you will note that the early church "held all things >>in common" and this is an early and clear support of communism. >> >>(NO, not Marxism, they're NOT the same.) >> >>So what does it mean for us to grab at parts of scripture and use >>them as justification for what we already want to do? >> >>Hutch >> Dear Hutch, Please read the entire article again and note that I said in this very short article >However, there is definitely no support in the Book that I can see >for the Land Raping, Robber Baron stereotype of capitalism and >certainly the Book of Acts shows us the early church as >communal living at its best. Perhaps I was too subtle ( a rarity for me), but the point of Christian communism is acknowledged here, however, the propensity of Scriptural teaching is leaning toward a free enterprise or at least individualism in the economic realm. So what does it mean for us to grab at parts of ARTICLES and use them as justification for what we already believe ?? Bob Brown {...ihnp4!akgua!rjb}
hutch@shark.UUCP (Stephen Hutchison) (08/13/85)
<Blessings on thee little bug > In article <1617@akgua.UUCP> rjb@akgua.UUCP (R.J. Brown [Bob]) writes: >Hutch writes in reply to me > >>>Just to throw a spanner into this one ... >>> >>>In the book of Acts you will note that the early church "held all things >>>in common" and this is an early and clear support of communism. >>> >>>(NO, not Marxism, they're NOT the same.) >>> >>>So what does it mean for us to grab at parts of scripture and use >>>them as justification for what we already want to do? >>> >>>Hutch >>> > >Dear Hutch, > >Please read the entire article again and note that >I said in this very short article > >>However, there is definitely no support in the Book that I can see >>for the Land Raping, Robber Baron stereotype of capitalism and >>certainly the Book of Acts shows us the early church as >>communal living at its best. > >Perhaps I was too subtle ( a rarity for me), but the point of >Christian communism is acknowledged here, however, the propensity >of Scriptural teaching is leaning toward a free enterprise or >at least individualism in the economic realm. > > >So what does it mean for us to grab at parts of ARTICLES and use >them as justification for what we already believe ?? > > >Bob Brown {...ihnp4!akgua!rjb} Bob, I did NOT intend to start up a futile argument picking out bits and pieces of your article and throwing back proof texts to show what slime you are. If you find it offensive that I pointed out that some people grasp at Scripture for justification for their sins, then it follows that you think I am saying this about you. If you believe I am unjustly accusing you here, I will freely tender my apology for my clumsy wording. I was not trying to accuse you personally, merely to point out that there are flaws in your (expressed) reasoning. Yes, I believe it is sin, specifically blasphemy, to consume the lives of other people and then profane the Word of G-d by claiming that His commands support the injustice. I did not say that you are doing this. However, standard capitalism definitely does this, by paying an unfair wage to the laborers. This is condemned through both old and new testaments. Becoming wealthy, and doing so without harming others, is a pleasant enough side effect to living a moral life obedient to the Lord. This wealth may take the form of worldly riches, or it may take the form of spiritual riches. Seeking after wealth for wealth's own sake is idolatry of money, and indicates that the person so engaged has neither trust that the Lord will provide their needs, nor the will to hear Him. Seeking after wealth because it is the most reasonable way to be steward of the gifts of wealth G-d gives in trust is closer to obedience, but there is a danger all along that it will become the idolatry which is to be avoided. Remember that it is harder for the rich to get into heaven, than to fit a hawser through the eye of a needle. Yet, with G-d all things are possible. Hutch