Now, I am not one to blog about politics, because I don’t want to virtually get attacked. In fact, this is my first sort-of-political blog—as most of you frequent readers know (mom and dad) I mainly just blog about gospel applications. So without further ado, let me make a clear DISCLAIMER: this is a blog about politics and theology—therefore, you have to take it with a mountain of salt.
No, I am not a politician. No, I am not an economist. And no, I am not even a reader on the subjects. But I am a writer of my own thoughts, so that gives me enough justification to write on my personal blog. If you want to continue scrolling, do so with that humble context, acknowledging that it’s now not fair to hotly machine gun me down—haha, I know my thoughts aren’t bulletproof. I’m just scripting my ideas about how policy, economy, and theology work in my mind. *Taking a deep breath* So here we go:
I have friends on both sides of the political spectrum: the democrats and the republicans, the blue and the red. And while I will not address ethical and moral arguments typically characteristic of each side, I will narrowly address how each sides’ views on economy doesn’t fundamentally create the utopian society that each side would like to theoretically imagine.
Let’s start by discussing the core economic ideologies that undergird each political side, addressing their relative strengths, weaknesses, and aims. Of course, this is what I personally believe:
A democratic ideology on economy does not work to stimulate the American market, but it does aim to alleviate the social problems of poverty. A capitalistic ideology on economy, however, does work to stimulate the American market, yet does so at the expenditure of creating a socioeconomic divide of rich and poor.
Democrats try to fix this divide of economic inequality by increasingly taxing the rich. The rich hate them for it. And who couldn’t hate that?
Yet, the rich want to abolish the unequal divide by creating more job opportunity for the poor. The poor will take jobs instead of rely on doles, learn how to work hard, invest, and become financially independent. This is good and, mind me, biblical.
However, I primarily think that in some cases, opportunity can be more effectively created not by policy, but by generosity.
For instance: the guy who can’t get a job because he has only has one pair of clothes and no money to afford any more. The woman who has a need that prevents her from getting a job. I.e., such examples with similar circumstances.
Opportunity, it seems, is not, in many cases, given primarily because of new policy but because of prior generosity.
Where does this generosity come from? Where does the distribution of extra resources come from that can be given with relatively low-economic-impact to the giver and relatively high-economic-impact to the receiver?
This generosity to the less fortunate can be afforded from the wealthy—whom the capitalist ideology creates more of but whom the socialist society suppresses.
The rich won’t be generous if they are already being brashly taxed. (Did you know that the American Revolution in part ensued because the British raised taxes on tea and other goods by only 1%?). Slashing their money bags will only make them want to slash back at you. You might just be welcoming a revolution.
But giving them freedom creates the potential to give—and not coerced by begrudging obligation, but from the heart—which is where the intent to help comes from all along; indeed, in the long run, this will be an investment to help and not merely a heavy tax that rips away all desire to give a penny more—to anyone or anything.
One side: “But they’ll never give!! Those greedy, oppressive, self-indulgent, aristocratic snobs!!!!”
The other side: “Nonsense!!! We work hard, learn, and earn it all! You just sit around on your bum all day and expect to get money, thinking you deserve to receive our earnings! I don’t think so!!”
Yep. I agree. You’re right. People are that way by nature; though, maybe some nice people will give. Nonetheless, this is where theology comes in.
Theology compels generosity. Politics do not.
Democratic institutions declare financial equality by creating a system of economy that ties the wealthy’s hands of achieving higher economic opportunity and ultimately suppresses personal incentive to succeed. It does not stimulate economy; rather, it predisposes it to flatline, just like a dying heart on an EMG. The opportunity that America has always been renowned for might become not as opportune.
Sidenote: since when was the ability to make a lot of money morally wrong? If it is, then explain to me why God made King Solomon the Rockefeller of his day. Just as having the opportunity to go to Harvard is not morally wrong, so also is having the ability to make much money morally wrong. It is when you make those good things God-things—attributing ultimate worth to money and opportunity that only God deserves—that it becomes idolatrous. Giving money and opportunity a God-like status will never solve the problem of socioeconomic divides or flat economies nor will ever compel generosity.
Back on track: if not a liberal view, then capitalism?
Not exactly: a capitalist ideology is an imperfect one too in the sense that it creates a financial gap between people’s income.
Thus, with these two things in mind, it seems that the economic solution that every Democrat desires cannot be met by their own ideology in the long term—but can be met where a capitalist economic system is motivated by a powerful sense of generosity, where the wealthy charitably aid the less fortunate.
Where does this other-worldly generosity come from though?
This theology of generosity is the gospel of Jesus Christ. He, who had all the riches of reality and who is Lord over all things gave them up in order to save a misfortunate people, poverty stricken in their sins for eternity and damned in debt for hell. He took that poverty upon himself so that we would not have to endure it—all the while giving us the opportunity to inherit all that is his—the abundance of his riches for now and eternity.
This gospel, though spiritual in essence, is directly applicable to finances. Indeed, if one believes this undeserving gift of grace for his soul, how can’t he also allow this truth that saved his soul to be reflective in his wallet, the economic opportunity he has personally, and can give to others generously?
With the political debate over which side best nourishes American economy, generosity is the key. Politics do not compel generosity. Theology does. A right understanding of what Christ has done for us spiritually will allow us to do rightly for others financially.
If Christ was generous to me at the greatest cost to himself when I was most undeserving, then how much more should I be generous to others who are just like me, now that I am saved?
Let’s abandon the “I deserve” bullcrap mentality when it comes to money. The only thing the Bible says we deserve is hell. But we get heaven undeservedly and gracefully in Christ. So, then, for those who have little—you don’t deserve more just because others make more. And for those who have much—you don’t deserve more just because you can make more than others.
The gospel enables the not-as-fortunate to be content because it gives you an eternal treasure in Christ, an identity and security that isn’t in bondage to your 401k, and a freedom to sympathize and love others that flows from our most basic need for a Savior. And the gospel enables the fortunate to be generous because it gives you an eternal treasure in Christ, an identity and security that isn’t in bondage to your 401k, and a freedom to sympathize and love others that flows from on our most basic need for a Savior. The gospel promotes humility on both sides of the political spectrum and instills contentedness and generosity in the human hearts regardless of income.
Stop pointing fingers and be content and be generous in light of Christ. Work hard, create opportunity, and repeat—be agents of economic restoration like Christ was the agent for all restoration. The gospel enriches the soil of economy for these things to grow and produce fruit. Water it with grace.
That will stimulate a better economy.
Of course, this is a blog, and I am merely just throwing my 2 cents of thought into the deep pit of trillions of dollars of national debt, knowing it won’t help. Nonetheless, my penny loafers will walk with a lighter step. Ayyyeeee.
“Everything without God is pathetically inferior to God without everything.”
