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Exploring Christianity
Why are Christians so often politically conservative?
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<blockquote data-quote="leftrightleftrightleft" data-source="post: 60064046" data-attributes="member: 246343"><p>I never said communism was the answer. Nor do I think the communist systems in East Germany worked very well. Nor do I think that an authoritarian, power-hungry regime bent on making its populace helpless is the best form of government either (as seen in North Korea). </p><p></p><p><a href="http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/02/income-inequality-in-america-chart-graph" target="_blank">It's the Inequality, Stupid | Mother Jones</a></p><p></p><p>How is a system that promotes and sustains the degree of inequality in the above link said to be a good system? I think that there could be a <em>better</em> system; I don't think everyone should be equal, I just think there should be mechanisms in place that keep inequality lower than it is now.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>The above link indicates that trickle down economics is a failure.</p><p></p><p>However, while I did say capitalism is bad at re-distributing wealth, I never said that it isn't a very functional system. It works very well <em>because</em> it hinges on a human vice: greed. But just because a system <em>works</em> doesn't mean it is <em>good</em>. The inappropriate contentography industry hinges on human lust and it works wonderfully, does that make it good?</p><p></p><p>I think there can be, should be and must be a better system that can be devised that does not so woefully depend on human greed. Why would a Christian in one breath say that Acts 2 is the best way to live and then continue supporting a system that advocates the opposite of Acts 2?</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>That's the way the system works, but that doesn't mean its good. I'm fine with people doing it because thats the way the capitalist system works, but then you can't claim that we live in a meritocracy where everyone has equal opportunity. Everyone has opportunity and can work to get to the top, but it ain't equal.</p><p></p><p>For example, my dad was an engineer who worked at an oil company. Before I was even born he had set up some sort of trust fund for me. He pays for my university education. He pays my rent. He already has money set aside for my first downpayment on my first house. My best friend's dad works some blue collar job. My best friend has to pay for his own school, his own rent and will leave university with debt rather than a downpayment on a house. I went to a better school than him, I had greater opportunities in sports and leisure growing up, I lived in a better neighbourhood, went to a nicer high school with better teachers. We have both worked two different jobs the past two summers and I have made double than him at both jobs. Why? Because my dad knows people in white-collar industries while his dad doesn't. My dad knows the manager who can get me the high paying desk job. I will probably get out of school and earn perhaps double, if not triple, what my best friend earns <em>and</em> I won't have debt. What have I done to earn this? And what has he done to deserve his lot? I will be richer than my friend likely for years to come purely because I have my dad's blood and he doesn't. Its unfair and its not a meritocracy. And my friend did not have the "equal opportunity" that I did.</p><p></p><p>But its just how the system works. Right wingers have such a problem with government hand-outs, but people get hand-outs all the time. I got a lot of handouts. And it feels unfair that I get hand-outs while others don't. </p><p></p><p>I don't have solutions, I don't think communism is correct and I'm not even sure that government hand-outs make things better. But I think we should be collectively working towards a more just, equitable and fair society and I feel like government is the best vehicle we have for that at the moment. Why would I vote for a system that, at its heart, seems to be founded on un-Christian principles of greed, material wealth and inequality? </p><p></p><p>If the world could be run by voluntary donation, I'd be down. I've got into this debate with right wingers before and we basically agree that there are two evils: greed and forced taxation. The right winger thought that forced taxation outweighed greed but I think the evil of greed outweighs the evil of forced taxation.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="leftrightleftrightleft, post: 60064046, member: 246343"] I never said communism was the answer. Nor do I think the communist systems in East Germany worked very well. Nor do I think that an authoritarian, power-hungry regime bent on making its populace helpless is the best form of government either (as seen in North Korea). [url=http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/02/income-inequality-in-america-chart-graph]It's the Inequality, Stupid | Mother Jones[/url] How is a system that promotes and sustains the degree of inequality in the above link said to be a good system? I think that there could be a [I]better[/I] system; I don't think everyone should be equal, I just think there should be mechanisms in place that keep inequality lower than it is now. The above link indicates that trickle down economics is a failure. However, while I did say capitalism is bad at re-distributing wealth, I never said that it isn't a very functional system. It works very well [I]because[/I] it hinges on a human vice: greed. But just because a system [I]works[/I] doesn't mean it is [I]good[/I]. The inappropriate contentography industry hinges on human lust and it works wonderfully, does that make it good? I think there can be, should be and must be a better system that can be devised that does not so woefully depend on human greed. Why would a Christian in one breath say that Acts 2 is the best way to live and then continue supporting a system that advocates the opposite of Acts 2? That's the way the system works, but that doesn't mean its good. I'm fine with people doing it because thats the way the capitalist system works, but then you can't claim that we live in a meritocracy where everyone has equal opportunity. Everyone has opportunity and can work to get to the top, but it ain't equal. For example, my dad was an engineer who worked at an oil company. Before I was even born he had set up some sort of trust fund for me. He pays for my university education. He pays my rent. He already has money set aside for my first downpayment on my first house. My best friend's dad works some blue collar job. My best friend has to pay for his own school, his own rent and will leave university with debt rather than a downpayment on a house. I went to a better school than him, I had greater opportunities in sports and leisure growing up, I lived in a better neighbourhood, went to a nicer high school with better teachers. We have both worked two different jobs the past two summers and I have made double than him at both jobs. Why? Because my dad knows people in white-collar industries while his dad doesn't. My dad knows the manager who can get me the high paying desk job. I will probably get out of school and earn perhaps double, if not triple, what my best friend earns [I]and[/I] I won't have debt. What have I done to earn this? And what has he done to deserve his lot? I will be richer than my friend likely for years to come purely because I have my dad's blood and he doesn't. Its unfair and its not a meritocracy. And my friend did not have the "equal opportunity" that I did. But its just how the system works. Right wingers have such a problem with government hand-outs, but people get hand-outs all the time. I got a lot of handouts. And it feels unfair that I get hand-outs while others don't. I don't have solutions, I don't think communism is correct and I'm not even sure that government hand-outs make things better. But I think we should be collectively working towards a more just, equitable and fair society and I feel like government is the best vehicle we have for that at the moment. Why would I vote for a system that, at its heart, seems to be founded on un-Christian principles of greed, material wealth and inequality? If the world could be run by voluntary donation, I'd be down. I've got into this debate with right wingers before and we basically agree that there are two evils: greed and forced taxation. The right winger thought that forced taxation outweighed greed but I think the evil of greed outweighs the evil of forced taxation. [/QUOTE]
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