Re: USURY...The Forgotten Evil
Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2014 7:10 pm
Philip:
Drug addicts have choices too....
What world view elevates "choice" to some noble or virtuous status? Where are all these wise people..when most are lost and don't know God?
In my world view....shelter is a need...just like food. Most people are not Christian = most people are unwise...so a system that relies heavily on people's choices...eg...democracy, capitalism...etc.... is inherently....unwise...and unsustainable....boom...labor....capital....bust....labor....boom... bust...drought..China..capital....corruption....debt...slavery..death...
Is that how Joseph ruled Egypt?....No he had a plan...inspired by God....this is not America...this is not "free market"....no Joseph COMMANDED...people to save the
wheat.....very wise....very Un...American...Un...democratic...Un....capitalistic....any questions?
Can't you understand....that it's NOT about the system...it's Whether Or Not Almighty God is behind that system.....?
Your world view seems to be....State =bad...people's choices=good
...and world history does not support your view.
Any system can be propped up with debt.....Castro's Cuba could fare pretty well with the recent 100% public debt/GDP ratio...like the U.S currently enjoys...while Cuba's is usually only 19%
The proof is that unwise and horribly overpaid people ...speculatively.....overpay for houses, lands,etc. and hoard them....and inflate the dumb market....and...this is a major reason why almost all those renting are "forced to" economically...and of course....rents are set at dumb market rates.....and then you have underpaid people paying 50 - 75%..of their income for shelter....
...and nothing is left for God's work and the economy....it's a cycle of corruption, perpetual madness and vanity.
......and those who are unwise cannot discern that wealth earned through market manipulation....is not genuine...and is moth-eaten...even if looks good on television and sells that fake, proud, nationalistic image of "success"....
So...instead of more money for God in the offering.....it's going to someone's "investment"....in the world.....not the Kingdom.....
It is clear in Deut. 8:18....."But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.
....not a stupid, blind market that pays entertainers...thousands % more than teachers...regardless of their value....and has created a indebted culture of slaves to shelter and college degrees...
If usury was capped at 5%...and progressive real estate taxes were in place to curb real estate inflation, and everyone was paid in 1964 wages.....and we had a real economy that actually produced equitable results we could see a lot more people being able to save up to $60,000+ ....and home prices would be about 40% less...
....the above scenario could not happen...because America's system is: unwise majority voting for a corrupt, polarized Congress...passing many unjust laws....that are compromised and arbitrary.
The only Hope is Eternal Life....that is knowing the true God and Jesus Christ....John 17:3
People that love and know God through Jesus Christ......are the salt of the earth and are lights in the world....not corrupt economic systems in materialistic cultures....
...that give selfish "choices" to people.....for selfish and vain reasons.....
In a country where...we are "forced" to drive giant, heavy, overly powerful, overly expensive, wasteful vehicles....that can only safely and legally drive about one third of speed capacity....because the corporations tell us....what to drive....
Where "choice" would actually be useful; eg...to custom order a reasonable, single-driver center-seated car....the corporations continue to "tell us what to drive"...and continue to blindly churn out bloated, dual front passenger left side driver only...wastemobiles...
.....or a very small less than 500 sq ft......detached home......(not mobile)
...again...in America....it's not about people's choices....where it needs to be......and where individual choice should not even be in the picture....that's the American way....
I don't understand why any Christian would spend time defending and applauding the world..eg America..and the systems of the world..eg. capitalism.....
There is nothing noble or virtuous about this boasting.... ...I can name hundreds of reasons why this culture is offensive and offer a better system ...than the unsustainable intoxicated one U.S. citizens are "forced" to endure with.
...in light of...Phil. 2:15..."so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world"....
I was crucified as well as my U.S. citizenship.....it only has temporary legal usefulness.....If I was a Christian in Havana Cuba....I would still be crucified to my citizenship....and my God shall supply all my need according to His riches in Christ Jesus.....
...not according to one's limited understanding of corrupt, passing away...US style economics.
The audacity of a people and a document that equates...."all men are created equal"........INTO "all men are wise enough to vote their government into place....and decide the value of men's labor.......is the folly of U.S. history....equating wisdom and justice....with materialism and might......JC Goodman
But...how well do we know Him...and the Power of His resurrection?......Gasp!
Where is the proof that...." people have choices, and most will naturally pursue reasonably priced housing and products. They don't HAVE to buy"?
And what "system" might that be? "Greedy speculation?" Yes, that exists. But it is mostly a stereotype. Why? Because people have choices, and most will naturally pursue reasonably priced housing and products. They don't HAVE to buy exorbitantly priced houses or anything else. People doing so aren't willing to prudently live within their means. And those building a house can't wait until most people have the cash to pay for it. So how are people able to afford what they need now (housing) without having the money NOW? They must borrow - which is also a service with a cost. And a person's cost is going to be far more with renting as opposed to buying - over the long run. So if one can gradually (over 20-30 years) be allowed to live in a property BEFORE they pay it off - ALSO FOR 20-30 YEARS - then I'd say that is a good deal. Encouraging people to get a mortgage on a reasonably priced house that they can afford is "madness?" Hardly! Owning has MANY benefits.
With capitalism, the market sets the price. No one is forced to buy a ridiculously over-priced housing - as that is THEIR choice. If housing in one area is outrageously priced (often due to excessive regulatory and taxation issues), then one has the right to go to a market/geographic area in which pricing is much more affordable. I can tell you that landlords are also easily and often greedy - owning/buying is the far better alternative. In fact, highly overpricing ANYTHING is not a smart business move. Everyone in business has overhead costs. And everyone in business MUST make a reasonable profit or they won't REMAIN in business very long. People that offer products, houses - or ANYTHING - at reasonable pricing will always be far more successful.
And words like "system" are merely the parameters within how business can be legally done. Businesses are run by PEOPLE - in every system, some that are fair and some that are greedy. And the alternative to capitalism, government/system-wise, is that the state sets pricing and controls all. And we can see how inept and corrupt that can quickly become - with a only a king, head of state or a few elites telling everyone else how they must transact business. Capitalism also offers freedom to being as personally generous with one's pricing as they see fit. Other forms of government dictate EVERY aspect of a transaction - cost, everything - a terrible system. A system in which the state asserts to know what it thinks (and DEMANDS) is best for everyone. In such systems, you can't be generous, as you must sell for what the state says is whatever they want it to be. In fact, in such systems, that everyone has the same costs is key to propping up the economics of that system. And without a reasonable profit motive, the quality of everything dramatically erodes.
Drug addicts have choices too....
What world view elevates "choice" to some noble or virtuous status? Where are all these wise people..when most are lost and don't know God?
In my world view....shelter is a need...just like food. Most people are not Christian = most people are unwise...so a system that relies heavily on people's choices...eg...democracy, capitalism...etc.... is inherently....unwise...and unsustainable....boom...labor....capital....bust....labor....boom... bust...drought..China..capital....corruption....debt...slavery..death...
Is that how Joseph ruled Egypt?....No he had a plan...inspired by God....this is not America...this is not "free market"....no Joseph COMMANDED...people to save the
wheat.....very wise....very Un...American...Un...democratic...Un....capitalistic....any questions?
You are decrying the very system that God used at that time.A system in which the state asserts to know what it thinks (and DEMANDS) is best for everyone.
Can't you understand....that it's NOT about the system...it's Whether Or Not Almighty God is behind that system.....?
Your world view seems to be....State =bad...people's choices=good
...and world history does not support your view.
Any system can be propped up with debt.....Castro's Cuba could fare pretty well with the recent 100% public debt/GDP ratio...like the U.S currently enjoys...while Cuba's is usually only 19%
The proof is that unwise and horribly overpaid people ...speculatively.....overpay for houses, lands,etc. and hoard them....and inflate the dumb market....and...this is a major reason why almost all those renting are "forced to" economically...and of course....rents are set at dumb market rates.....and then you have underpaid people paying 50 - 75%..of their income for shelter....
...and nothing is left for God's work and the economy....it's a cycle of corruption, perpetual madness and vanity.
......and those who are unwise cannot discern that wealth earned through market manipulation....is not genuine...and is moth-eaten...even if looks good on television and sells that fake, proud, nationalistic image of "success"....
So...instead of more money for God in the offering.....it's going to someone's "investment"....in the world.....not the Kingdom.....
It is clear in Deut. 8:18....."But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.
....not a stupid, blind market that pays entertainers...thousands % more than teachers...regardless of their value....and has created a indebted culture of slaves to shelter and college degrees...
If usury was capped at 5%...and progressive real estate taxes were in place to curb real estate inflation, and everyone was paid in 1964 wages.....and we had a real economy that actually produced equitable results we could see a lot more people being able to save up to $60,000+ ....and home prices would be about 40% less...
....the above scenario could not happen...because America's system is: unwise majority voting for a corrupt, polarized Congress...passing many unjust laws....that are compromised and arbitrary.
The only Hope is Eternal Life....that is knowing the true God and Jesus Christ....John 17:3
People that love and know God through Jesus Christ......are the salt of the earth and are lights in the world....not corrupt economic systems in materialistic cultures....
...that give selfish "choices" to people.....for selfish and vain reasons.....
In a country where...we are "forced" to drive giant, heavy, overly powerful, overly expensive, wasteful vehicles....that can only safely and legally drive about one third of speed capacity....because the corporations tell us....what to drive....
Where "choice" would actually be useful; eg...to custom order a reasonable, single-driver center-seated car....the corporations continue to "tell us what to drive"...and continue to blindly churn out bloated, dual front passenger left side driver only...wastemobiles...
.....or a very small less than 500 sq ft......detached home......(not mobile)
...again...in America....it's not about people's choices....where it needs to be......and where individual choice should not even be in the picture....that's the American way....
I don't understand why any Christian would spend time defending and applauding the world..eg America..and the systems of the world..eg. capitalism.....
There is nothing noble or virtuous about this boasting.... ...I can name hundreds of reasons why this culture is offensive and offer a better system ...than the unsustainable intoxicated one U.S. citizens are "forced" to endure with.
...in light of...Phil. 2:15..."so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world"....
I was crucified as well as my U.S. citizenship.....it only has temporary legal usefulness.....If I was a Christian in Havana Cuba....I would still be crucified to my citizenship....and my God shall supply all my need according to His riches in Christ Jesus.....
...not according to one's limited understanding of corrupt, passing away...US style economics.
The audacity of a people and a document that equates...."all men are created equal"........INTO "all men are wise enough to vote their government into place....and decide the value of men's labor.......is the folly of U.S. history....equating wisdom and justice....with materialism and might......JC Goodman
But...how well do we know Him...and the Power of His resurrection?......Gasp!