HisHolyChurch

 

Everyone seems to have a solution for the economic problems facing the country and the world. The problem is not new nor is the solution out of our reach. Examining the whole problem will require us to step back far enough to see our own part in it. Solving the problem requires us to step back a lot further than most people will want to go.

To solve the present and future dilemma people will be required to reexamine their own relationship with the economy, government, and God.

Because of the present precarious state of the economy I have been regularly asked about the dangers and frailty of capitalism and its tendency to boom and bust. The present situation in the United States is not the result of capitalism.

We often think of capitalism as the antitheses of communism, but what is often called capitalism today is has more in common with the Communist Manifesto than anything resembling pure capitalism. While Capitalism or Communism may both lend themselves to corruption their moral outcome is dependent not upon the structure of each system, but upon the character of its members.

Communism is a “system of social organization based on the holding of all property in common, actual ownership being ascribed to the community as a whole or to the state.”¹

Pure communism demands an altruistic nature in its members in order to function successfully. For communism to work, its members must diligently desire to labor for the benefit of their neighbors as much as they desire to labor for themselves, understanding what benefits the whole benefits themselves.

Communism is a grand concept, but it does not work without a reversal in the human character.

If people are basically selfish or slothful they will be willing to take advantage of their neighbor by taking advantage of the system. That power will weaken the people and corrupt the offices of government. Communist governments often obtain an unlimited power to extract the contributions of the people by force, therefore its public ministers will be men who often love power more than service, and the people will love their benefits more than freedom.

Capitalism, on the other hand, is a “system in which investment in and ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange of wealth is made and maintained chiefly by private individuals or corporations².”³

Pure capitalism also demands an altruistic nature in its members in order to function successfully. For capitalism to work, its members must diligently desire to labor for the benefit of their neighbors as much as they desire to labor for themselves, understanding what benefits the whole benefits themselves.

Capitalism is a grand concept, but it does not work without a reversal in the human character.

America has been on a continuous journey away from capitalism at least since the Civil War, with major leaps taken in 1916, 1933, 1964, 1971 etc. Since the Federal Reserve type banks and fractional reserve banking systems became the pervasive economic means of conducting business in the “world” all so called “investment capital” has become nothing more than the evidence of debt loaned into circulation. Capital is defined as “any form of wealth employed or capable of being employed in the production of more wealth.” What US citizens and their government use as money are actually debt notes or credit entries. Therefore the more notes in circulation, or the more credit entries on the “books” the more every member of that system is in debt.

The present economy is not based on “investment in and ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange of wealth” but upon debt. No citizen of the United States has a right to the ownership of the “beneficial interest” or right to the “use” of the property by the very definition of “legal title”.⁴ All property of record has steadily become collateral for debt through a process of registration and hypothecation and they are therefore required to pay a “use tax”.⁵

There is another kind of capital a man may, own, use or invest.

“American labor, which is the capital of our workingmen.” ⁶

If you must pay a use tax or excise tax on your labor then you do not truly own the use of your labor either. Since 1933 citizens who apply for certain benefits of government are classified as “employees”. They are given a Federal Employee Identification Number and they only work for people who have a Federal Employer Identification Numbers. They are not only part of a corvee⁷ or statutory labor force,⁸ but are literally collateral for all debts, both public and private.⁹

When a nation owns nothing but debt there is no capital.

Where there is no capital there can be no capitalism.

The problem with both Communism and Capitalism is that people are by their nature selfish. Man’s altruistic image of God is an expression of hope and faith in a nature that is unselfishly concerned for the welfare of all. But the story of Adam and Eve, or Cain and Able, tells of a fallen nature with a less than altruistic nature.

“Under Capitalism man exploits man;

Under Socialism the process is reversed.”

The problem is, and has always been, that mankind has constantly exploited other men for personal gain and benefit. Men are consistently devising schemes to bind others to their own will and service. These systems involve giving consent¹⁰ through application, participation, and some form of contractual or statutory agreement¹¹ whereby by people go under the power of others¹² for what they believe will be a benefit and a gain, usually at the expense of others.

Plutarch said it, “The real destroyers of the liberties of the people is he who spreads among them bounties, donations, and benefits.”

When the people desire their own comfort and personal prosperity before that of others they are easily seduced into praying for benefits even when those benefits are supplied at the expense of our neighbor. All history has warned us.¹³ Jesus said it.¹⁴ King David said it.¹⁵ Proverbs said it.¹⁶ Paul said it.¹⁷ Peter said it.¹⁸ Yet! “A man void of understanding striketh hands, [and] becometh surety ….” Pr 17:18

Christ and the early Church told us not to pray to these government rulers who ‘call themselves benefactors’¹⁹ but ‘exercise authority’. They told us not to swear oaths²⁰ or make any contracts or agreements with those unbelievers who sought to exercise authority. The early Church provided all the social welfare of a well organized, grass roots, self disciplined Christian community living by faith, hope, and charity and the perfect law of liberty despite the availability of extensive government sponsored welfare programs available through Rome or the government of the Pharisees.

The state of their economy depended entirely on the state of their own hearts, and in their heart was the Kingdom of God and His righteousness

The solution for their times and ours was and is to seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all else will be provided.

Brother Gregory

 

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This entry was posted on Sunday, October 19th, 2008 at 2:11 am and is filed under The Economy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.