Saturday, June 16, 2012

JESUS IS A CAPITALIST

Jesus is the only man who rose from the dead. As a consequence of this a religion was founded called Christianity. Christianity takes many forms and consists of varied belief systems. However, one thing that seems to stand out is people who advocate communism and socialism tend not to be believers in the resurrection of Jesus.

Jesus is often touted to have preached socialistic values. This is because Jesus appears to have scorned the wealthy. Jesus told stories like that of the rich man who died the very night he decided to retire and live it up after having spent years acquiring possessions and wealth. Jesus told a rich young ruler that he if he were to obtain eternal life, the rich ruler needed to sell all his possessions and give the money to the poor.

Then there is the story of Lazarus and Dives. Dives was a rich man who refused to help Lazarus the beggar out. But while Dives luxuriated in wealth in this world and Lazarus subsisted in misery, after death the tables were turned. Dives experienced suffering, and Lazarus, comfort and luxury.

Jesus was not preaching socialist values; rather Jesus was pointing out that every person has a degree of responsibility for what they have in life. What they do with what they have is the important issue.

The rich retiree died before he could enjoy his wealth. The young rich ruler could have used his wealth to advantage the poor and educate them to do the same. Dives enjoyed his wealth only to realize the consequences for those who lack compassion for the less fortunate.

Jesus speaks of those who do good like the Samaritan, who has compassion on the suffering stranger who has been robbed and beaten. He speaks of those who sell their goods and distributing them to the poor and then doing the will of God receiving a hundred-fold more material than what they had in the beginning. And in the parable of the talents, Jesus praises those who trade and double the capital they were originally trusted with.

Jesus endorsed capitalism. Jesus did not endorse socialism. Socialism is a human concept and not something, that has its origins in the Creator of life. Socialism is a soul-destroying philosophy. It provides no hope. Capitalism, on the other hand, provides hope. Where there is no hope, there is no future; where there is no future there is no incentive to produce anything of value or to increase the value of what one already possesses.

Capital is the very essence of being. Capital is not money as many people like to think. Money of itself is useless. Money only becomes useful when it has true economic value. Economic value is dependent upon people utilizing their own resources to create value and wealth.

Jesus was a capitalist and taught that we all have intrinsic human capital, which needs to be enhanced so we might discover our true worth in life.


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