"But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." (John 4:14)
These words were uttered by Jesus to an anonymous woman who lived in the city of Sychar, Samaria. They represent a very important truth about God's purpose. He is not content with simply providing salvation for us. He wants our spiritual lives to be rich and engaging.
Jesus pressed his disciples to come here in spite of some silent misgivings on their part. There was friction between Jews and Samaritans. The woman put voice to those concerns in her answer to Jesus' request for water. He ignored her and immediately began some metaphoric comments comparing water from the well to the Spirit of God. She didn't get it. But Jesus persisted and soon the conversation came around to the heart of the matter. The woman said: "I know the Messiah cometh-when he comes he will declare unto us all things." Jesus' reply was succinct, "I that speak to you-am He!" The truth of that statement hit the woman like a bolt of lightning.
She hurried away, past the recently returned disciples. Minutes later she was back-followed by the entire town! In that short span of time she convinced them someone special was at the well. They begged him to stay, which he did. Two days later they approached the woman and said, "Now we believe, not because of your speaking, but because we have heard for ourselves, and know that this is indeed the savior of the world."
How was it possible for this woman to create such a reaction? Because the Spirit that Jesus mentioned comes instantly into the believer with unlimited power. This is Spiritual Capitalism.
Spiritual Capitalism is the direct result of a right relationship with God. It is powered by Grace and brings freedom to our souls. What is most interesting is that there is some relationship between soul and body we of the earth-bound variety do not fully understand. God however, does. Jesus did not preach to the woman, nor did he present her with a list of things to do. He gave her no instructions and no laws. She did what came naturally out of a full heart.
And the results were electrifying.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Candidate of the Apocalypse
Episode 3: Year: 2036 Early October
It would be another three days before the teacher got back around to Charles' story. One class day was entirely devoted to singing. He wanted his charges to understand the importance of joy and gratitude in everything they did. He was not much of a musician, and there were no materials. Yet his students showed a remarkable ability to put word to note. Singing seemed as natural to them as breathing. Next, he followed his usual rotation and went back to science and mathematics.
Flashback: June, 2010
Charles was frustrated.
He had been pouring everything he had into the last few months with little results. Doubts began to form in his mind. Maybe it was a fool's errand after all. It was perhaps an idea whose time had not come. But, he was not quite willing to give up. Those concerns were never publically disclosed. They were resigned to moments when he was alone. He did get a boost early on when the health care bill passed. Most of his meetings were on video. Only a few were face to face.
He still had a couple of more get togethers, but inside he had already decided that if nothing changed in the next few weeks - it simply wasn't meant to be.
Flashforward to 2036:
"And," the teacher reminded them, "Like many people who have striven to accomplish great things; Just after all seems hopeless- something changes. In this case it was in what used to be Texas, Abilene, if I am not mistaken. Now, up to this point he would usually fly into town, do a meet and greet- speak, answer questions, and head back to the airport. Now, in this instance it happened that Charles had a couple of hours before his return flight. He was actually looking forward to spending the time by himself. This, he thought, would be his last trip.
Flashback to 2010:
When Charles finished answering questions his host, the owner of the company, walked over and shook his hand. "Charlie, he began, "Thanks again for coming. I really think your ideas are on the mark. I know you've got a little time before your return flight...." Charles thought he was going to give him a tour of the town. Instead. ".... a good friend of mine is just a mile or so up the road. His people would like to hear you too. Do you think you could pay them a little visit before you go?" "Sure." This new business was huge, and more than doubled the previous crowd. It seems that the two men had a conspiracy of sorts. If the first guy liked Charles, he would recommend him to the other. It was at this business that Charles got his first applause. It was so exciting he almost forgot his discouragement completely. It was more than enough to keep him going.
His next trip began with an interview at a local radio station. His host, after a short introduction asked Charles how much money he had spent on his campaign so far. Charles coughed and replied, "Well, I started a web site, which cost a little, and I pay my campaign manager some too. He doubles as my web guy too, so I've sort of got a two for one deal going." The radio jock jumped in, "So you're not some super millionaire who's going to run for office using his own money." Charles shook his head, forgetting momentarily that he was on the radio. His host continued, "And this is what makes your campaign so different, refreshingly so, I believe. Most guys who are not of the super rich variety start a political action committee and immediately begin fleecing us to moo-la. I always wonder if they're actually running or just trying to make a profit on the deal. But you, you're got something that is entirely different. Tell me about it."
The result of this interview was immediate. His web site enjoyed an upward swing in hits. Also, requests for personal appearences were increasing rapidly. He had to change the minimum audience from 20 to 50. Something had happened. He had no idea what.
His campaign had turned a corner.
It would be another three days before the teacher got back around to Charles' story. One class day was entirely devoted to singing. He wanted his charges to understand the importance of joy and gratitude in everything they did. He was not much of a musician, and there were no materials. Yet his students showed a remarkable ability to put word to note. Singing seemed as natural to them as breathing. Next, he followed his usual rotation and went back to science and mathematics.
Flashback: June, 2010
Charles was frustrated.
He had been pouring everything he had into the last few months with little results. Doubts began to form in his mind. Maybe it was a fool's errand after all. It was perhaps an idea whose time had not come. But, he was not quite willing to give up. Those concerns were never publically disclosed. They were resigned to moments when he was alone. He did get a boost early on when the health care bill passed. Most of his meetings were on video. Only a few were face to face.
He still had a couple of more get togethers, but inside he had already decided that if nothing changed in the next few weeks - it simply wasn't meant to be.
Flashforward to 2036:
"And," the teacher reminded them, "Like many people who have striven to accomplish great things; Just after all seems hopeless- something changes. In this case it was in what used to be Texas, Abilene, if I am not mistaken. Now, up to this point he would usually fly into town, do a meet and greet- speak, answer questions, and head back to the airport. Now, in this instance it happened that Charles had a couple of hours before his return flight. He was actually looking forward to spending the time by himself. This, he thought, would be his last trip.
Flashback to 2010:
When Charles finished answering questions his host, the owner of the company, walked over and shook his hand. "Charlie, he began, "Thanks again for coming. I really think your ideas are on the mark. I know you've got a little time before your return flight...." Charles thought he was going to give him a tour of the town. Instead. ".... a good friend of mine is just a mile or so up the road. His people would like to hear you too. Do you think you could pay them a little visit before you go?" "Sure." This new business was huge, and more than doubled the previous crowd. It seems that the two men had a conspiracy of sorts. If the first guy liked Charles, he would recommend him to the other. It was at this business that Charles got his first applause. It was so exciting he almost forgot his discouragement completely. It was more than enough to keep him going.
His next trip began with an interview at a local radio station. His host, after a short introduction asked Charles how much money he had spent on his campaign so far. Charles coughed and replied, "Well, I started a web site, which cost a little, and I pay my campaign manager some too. He doubles as my web guy too, so I've sort of got a two for one deal going." The radio jock jumped in, "So you're not some super millionaire who's going to run for office using his own money." Charles shook his head, forgetting momentarily that he was on the radio. His host continued, "And this is what makes your campaign so different, refreshingly so, I believe. Most guys who are not of the super rich variety start a political action committee and immediately begin fleecing us to moo-la. I always wonder if they're actually running or just trying to make a profit on the deal. But you, you're got something that is entirely different. Tell me about it."
The result of this interview was immediate. His web site enjoyed an upward swing in hits. Also, requests for personal appearences were increasing rapidly. He had to change the minimum audience from 20 to 50. Something had happened. He had no idea what.
His campaign had turned a corner.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Candidate of the Apocalypse
Episode 2: Year: 2036 Late September
Three days later they met again. The teacher tried to mix up the short time they had for class. On alternating days he would teach different subjects. One day would be devoted to the hard sciences including all disciplines associated with mathematics and engineering. Next time he would concentrate on literature, language arts and history. He referred to these as 'higher' subjects because his objective was to inculcate reasoning and critical thinking skills in his students. Teaching in these areas was challenging. Often he would have to make do with his memory: (Prodigious as it was.) particularly with regards to history. Textbooks were non-existant.
His students, of course, remembered his introduction from last time and pressed him to begin.
He nodded: "Let me see, this was quite a while back, Has it really been twenty six years? I haven't spoken his name in quite a while, it was...."
Flashback to March, 2010
"Charles? Are you ready? I'd like to hit lunch a little early. Got a one o'clock today."
The man he was addressing hung up the phone and stood, shaking his head. Reaching for his jacket-it was raining outside-he left the office and fell in step behind his friend.
"Who's driving?" His friend asked.
"You are. I'm paying."
A few minutes later they were sitting at a small diner waiting for their food. Charles was still agitated.
"That's the third vendor in the last month who has bailed on me."
"You have others don't you?"
"Of course, I have about fifty vendors, but that's not the point. This downturn is hitting everyone pretty hard."
From that point on the conversation turned to an oft-referred subject of late: politics. Both men had a strong feeling that the current economic situation was a symptom of worse conditions that the usual ups and downs of commerce. Every economic forecast was pessimistic. Business were shutting down at an alarming rate, and no new ones were forthcoming. The government, instead of helping things was exacerbating the problems. Something far more sinister was behind it all. To top things off, they were dissatisfied with the performance of both parties. No one seemed to be standing for the little guy.
Charles was speaking, "You know Abner, there's got to be something I can do, you know?"
His friend nodded, knowing Charlie was not the kind of guy who just let things go. "Well, you could run for office yourself. Wait, you're not wanting to get into politics, are you?"
"Actually I might, I'm seriously considering it. But..." It seemed an impossibility for a private individual. "How would I go about it? Politics is something I've steered away from all my life."
"The question is, how would we go about it. Let's think a little bit. There is a little more than two years to the next presidential election, so now is the time to act. People will need time to get to know you and decide. Promoting you will not be too hard. We can start with a web site to test the waters and if the response is positive you're on your way. We can learn as we go. If not, we can chalk it up as an idea whose time has not come."
"I guess that makes you my campaign manager as well as business partner."
"Looks that way"
The two men shook hands on the deal right there.
Flash forward to 2036
"And so," the teacher said, "this candidacy was a test, almost a joke really, considering the political climate of the day. It served to answer an obvious question. Could a single-minded individual with the right message and using the right tools take on the powers that be and survive?"
A week later a new site appeared on that used to be the World Wide Web. Charles introduced himself, explained his concerns, asking for like-minded people to respond. He also posted an article giving his take on current events in Washington and what he thought should be done. At the bottom of the page there was a note saying he would come to any group of 15 or more and speak to them personally, with no conditions except a request that they arrange transportation and lodging for him.
"Did people respond?" A student asked.
"Well, yes and no. He did get a fair number of supporters, But no requests to speak for more than three months."
"I guess that was the end of it for him."
"On the contrary, it was just the beginning. Now, I'm afraid we will have to continue this next time."
The bell was ringing. School had to be dismissed for the day.
Three days later they met again. The teacher tried to mix up the short time they had for class. On alternating days he would teach different subjects. One day would be devoted to the hard sciences including all disciplines associated with mathematics and engineering. Next time he would concentrate on literature, language arts and history. He referred to these as 'higher' subjects because his objective was to inculcate reasoning and critical thinking skills in his students. Teaching in these areas was challenging. Often he would have to make do with his memory: (Prodigious as it was.) particularly with regards to history. Textbooks were non-existant.
His students, of course, remembered his introduction from last time and pressed him to begin.
He nodded: "Let me see, this was quite a while back, Has it really been twenty six years? I haven't spoken his name in quite a while, it was...."
Flashback to March, 2010
"Charles? Are you ready? I'd like to hit lunch a little early. Got a one o'clock today."
The man he was addressing hung up the phone and stood, shaking his head. Reaching for his jacket-it was raining outside-he left the office and fell in step behind his friend.
"Who's driving?" His friend asked.
"You are. I'm paying."
A few minutes later they were sitting at a small diner waiting for their food. Charles was still agitated.
"That's the third vendor in the last month who has bailed on me."
"You have others don't you?"
"Of course, I have about fifty vendors, but that's not the point. This downturn is hitting everyone pretty hard."
From that point on the conversation turned to an oft-referred subject of late: politics. Both men had a strong feeling that the current economic situation was a symptom of worse conditions that the usual ups and downs of commerce. Every economic forecast was pessimistic. Business were shutting down at an alarming rate, and no new ones were forthcoming. The government, instead of helping things was exacerbating the problems. Something far more sinister was behind it all. To top things off, they were dissatisfied with the performance of both parties. No one seemed to be standing for the little guy.
Charles was speaking, "You know Abner, there's got to be something I can do, you know?"
His friend nodded, knowing Charlie was not the kind of guy who just let things go. "Well, you could run for office yourself. Wait, you're not wanting to get into politics, are you?"
"Actually I might, I'm seriously considering it. But..." It seemed an impossibility for a private individual. "How would I go about it? Politics is something I've steered away from all my life."
"The question is, how would we go about it. Let's think a little bit. There is a little more than two years to the next presidential election, so now is the time to act. People will need time to get to know you and decide. Promoting you will not be too hard. We can start with a web site to test the waters and if the response is positive you're on your way. We can learn as we go. If not, we can chalk it up as an idea whose time has not come."
"I guess that makes you my campaign manager as well as business partner."
"Looks that way"
The two men shook hands on the deal right there.
Flash forward to 2036
"And so," the teacher said, "this candidacy was a test, almost a joke really, considering the political climate of the day. It served to answer an obvious question. Could a single-minded individual with the right message and using the right tools take on the powers that be and survive?"
A week later a new site appeared on that used to be the World Wide Web. Charles introduced himself, explained his concerns, asking for like-minded people to respond. He also posted an article giving his take on current events in Washington and what he thought should be done. At the bottom of the page there was a note saying he would come to any group of 15 or more and speak to them personally, with no conditions except a request that they arrange transportation and lodging for him.
"Did people respond?" A student asked.
"Well, yes and no. He did get a fair number of supporters, But no requests to speak for more than three months."
"I guess that was the end of it for him."
"On the contrary, it was just the beginning. Now, I'm afraid we will have to continue this next time."
The bell was ringing. School had to be dismissed for the day.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Moving Day Checklist
A moving truck pulls up to an apartment where a bunch of people are expectantly waiting. The driver jumps out of the truck and runs to the back. Just before opening the door, he turns and says:
"All right! Glad you are all here! Before we begin, let me ask a few questions:
Have any of you had any kind of a back injury in the last 6 months?
Is anybody taking any pain medication?
What about medication for high blood pressure?
Diabetes?
Restless leg syndrome?
Did you all get at least 7 hours of sleep?
Have you taken your vitamins?
I have protein bars in the truck.
Do any of you have any qualms about lifting more than 70 lbs?
Have any suffered from depression or thoughts of suicide?
Great! Now once I've got your doctor's release forms, we'll begin!"
"All right! Glad you are all here! Before we begin, let me ask a few questions:
Have any of you had any kind of a back injury in the last 6 months?
Is anybody taking any pain medication?
What about medication for high blood pressure?
Diabetes?
Restless leg syndrome?
Did you all get at least 7 hours of sleep?
Have you taken your vitamins?
I have protein bars in the truck.
Do any of you have any qualms about lifting more than 70 lbs?
Have any suffered from depression or thoughts of suicide?
Great! Now once I've got your doctor's release forms, we'll begin!"
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
God Economics: Is God a Capitalist?
The question we would like to consider today: Is God a Capitalist? Let's see. A working definition (from Wiki) says Capitalism is: "....an economic system in which the means of production are privately owned; supply, demand, price, distribution and investments are determined mainly by private decisions in the free market, rather than by the state through central economic planning or through democratic planning; profit is distributed to owners who invest in businesses and wages are paid to workers employed by businesses." The short answer is: Yes.
The longer answer comes from personal experience. You see, I had ten oak trees in the yard of my old house. Not as many as some of my neighbors, but enough to create a fair amount of work for me every fall. Besides having to deal with leaves, I wound up with piles of acorns. Every spring thousands of little trees would begin to sprout-their new greenery looking very much like poison oak. Squirrels loved my yeard. I have since found out that acorns contain high quality protein and are a favorite of deer as well. Bugs of various kinds will also devour them and microscopic creatures supervise their final demise.
Why am I talking about oak trees? Because they are profit-making entities. Oh, they do not have to balance their books every year. Their 'profits' are measured in the wealth of nutrition they create and disseminate to creatures great and small in the forest. If we take a look at the above definition we will find elements of capitalism, the trees are not owned by anyone, or regulated by any agency, yet their fruit is distributed around by the actions of animals. Squirrels, for example make off with acorns and bury them, some of which become trees, others will be eaten or simply decay. The fallen leaves ultimately become part of the soil too. This is part of a natural free market system that works remarkably well.
Nature was designed to work that way. A quick look at the first chapter of Genesis will uncover phrases like, 'trees bearing fruit', 'grass bearing fruit', along with descriptie terms like the waters 'swarm (or teem) with living creatures'. God sums up His creative acts with a command: "Be fruitful and multiply." And they do. Every living thing in this world produces far more than it needs to survive. The excess of that process, (profit) is beneficial to other creatures in the ecosystem. God did not make anything with just enough resources to reproduce and that's it. He places His own stamp of approval on His Creation: "God saw that it was good."
Who was put in charge of this activity? No one. Each living thing belongs to itself and simply does what it was designed to do. This is a great model for the highest form of life - us. When people are allowed to be free and live, they create and exchange things of value.
There are a couple of lessons that our current politicians would do well to learn. The most important is that profits are good things. The reason is because rich business people do not stuff their mattresses with money. (Well, some are doing that right now.) What happens to the profits? They are turned around and used to build nice homes, buy good cars and start new enterprises. Many people benefit from these expendetures. Rather than criticizing the rich as many liberal/progressive types do, they should be happy. The more rich people the better! Why don't we try and make everyone rich? Wouldn't that be cool. The other factor is that governments cannot and do not create things of value or jobs. Rather they restrict economic growth by taxation and excessive regulation. Studies show that every 1% increase in taxation reduces economic growth by 2-3%. The most obvious way to stimulate the economy would be a reduction in taxes. This is the exact opposite of what they have done in the last couple of years. And our country is soon going to be hit with not one, but two tax increases that will affect every American.
Unfortunately this wrong headed approach seems to be the norm in national politics. It would be far better to have representatives who understand these two simple truths and will take the steps necessary to engender growth rather than hinder it.
The longer answer comes from personal experience. You see, I had ten oak trees in the yard of my old house. Not as many as some of my neighbors, but enough to create a fair amount of work for me every fall. Besides having to deal with leaves, I wound up with piles of acorns. Every spring thousands of little trees would begin to sprout-their new greenery looking very much like poison oak. Squirrels loved my yeard. I have since found out that acorns contain high quality protein and are a favorite of deer as well. Bugs of various kinds will also devour them and microscopic creatures supervise their final demise.
Why am I talking about oak trees? Because they are profit-making entities. Oh, they do not have to balance their books every year. Their 'profits' are measured in the wealth of nutrition they create and disseminate to creatures great and small in the forest. If we take a look at the above definition we will find elements of capitalism, the trees are not owned by anyone, or regulated by any agency, yet their fruit is distributed around by the actions of animals. Squirrels, for example make off with acorns and bury them, some of which become trees, others will be eaten or simply decay. The fallen leaves ultimately become part of the soil too. This is part of a natural free market system that works remarkably well.
Nature was designed to work that way. A quick look at the first chapter of Genesis will uncover phrases like, 'trees bearing fruit', 'grass bearing fruit', along with descriptie terms like the waters 'swarm (or teem) with living creatures'. God sums up His creative acts with a command: "Be fruitful and multiply." And they do. Every living thing in this world produces far more than it needs to survive. The excess of that process, (profit) is beneficial to other creatures in the ecosystem. God did not make anything with just enough resources to reproduce and that's it. He places His own stamp of approval on His Creation: "God saw that it was good."
Who was put in charge of this activity? No one. Each living thing belongs to itself and simply does what it was designed to do. This is a great model for the highest form of life - us. When people are allowed to be free and live, they create and exchange things of value.
There are a couple of lessons that our current politicians would do well to learn. The most important is that profits are good things. The reason is because rich business people do not stuff their mattresses with money. (Well, some are doing that right now.) What happens to the profits? They are turned around and used to build nice homes, buy good cars and start new enterprises. Many people benefit from these expendetures. Rather than criticizing the rich as many liberal/progressive types do, they should be happy. The more rich people the better! Why don't we try and make everyone rich? Wouldn't that be cool. The other factor is that governments cannot and do not create things of value or jobs. Rather they restrict economic growth by taxation and excessive regulation. Studies show that every 1% increase in taxation reduces economic growth by 2-3%. The most obvious way to stimulate the economy would be a reduction in taxes. This is the exact opposite of what they have done in the last couple of years. And our country is soon going to be hit with not one, but two tax increases that will affect every American.
Unfortunately this wrong headed approach seems to be the norm in national politics. It would be far better to have representatives who understand these two simple truths and will take the steps necessary to engender growth rather than hinder it.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Candidate of the Apocalypse
Episode 1: Year: AD 2036 Late September
"All right class: that will do for math today." The three students who stood at the blackboard now walked back to their seats while the teacher continued talking. "I can tell from the shadow on our floor sundial it is almost time for dismissal." The students signaled their approval at this. "We don't have time for history right now (Again, sounds of approval.) but in review, who can recall what we talked about in our last lesson."
One student near the back offered: "We were discussing the last days of the United States of America, before the Great Darkness."
"But it is forbidden to talk about the Great Darkness!" Another student, a girl piped up.
The teacher shook his head. "I know it is forbidden and we will respect that law. However, there are many people who say the USA fell because of the Great Darkness. This is incorrect. I am going to show it fell before these events began, and it may have precipitated the descent." He smiled. "And I am going to teach this part of the history in narrative form!"
"What?" A younger student said.
"I am going to tell you the story, a true one, and we will discuss its relationship to the events of that era. OK? We can even ask some hypothetical, 'What would you have done' types of questions." Heads were nodding all over. "This might be a lot of fun." He thought to himself.
Just then the bell started ringing. It was not actually a bell. More like a piece of iron pipe that one of the townspeople was hitting with a mallet. This was the signal for school to end. The students were needed for chores. All twenty of them jumped up and started chattering at once as they filed through the opening that served as a door.
The teacher watched his charges leave with a slight smile on his face. He admired them to no end. Exceptional students were they every one. His depth of feeling rested more than in the mere fact of academic accomplishments. He loved them too. Oh, they could be exasperating! (They were teenagers.) All the same, he felt the same kind of joy any diligent parent would feel. He sighed deeply and started coughing. The fit lasted only a few seconds but it was enough to leave him slightly light-headed. In a moment the dizziness passed and he bent over to soak a rag in the small bucket of water on the floor near the board. There were no erasers, and the board had to be washed several times a day. It was impossible to get completely clean. The best he could do is reduce the writing into swirls of yellow streaks.
Finishing that task, he closed the shutters on the windows and wiped the students' desks down. He took his time performing this. There was a lot going on in his mind and he needed to calm it down a little. "You've only got so much time left." He told himself. If anything drastic were to happen then no one would ever know. It really wasn't much of a big secret, but he felt compelled to tell the story one time, even if no one would care in this new age. The old had passed away for sure. But he determined these students would know some small part of what once was.
From habit he reached into his pocket and pulled out a photograph. It was very old and creased. Five people could be seen in the fore while others were milling about behind. In the center was a much younger version of himself with his arm around another guy who was smiling broadly. They were in the midst of a celebration. Two women, also smiling were standing on either side of them. The woman next to him had one hand on his shoulder and the other on the shoulder of a blond-haired boy. The boys head was tilted slightly to one side as he looked up at the others.
He stared at the photo and felt the pain of remembrance while blinking away tears. Then, the picture was returned to the safekeeping of his pocket. Stepping outside he slid the gray sheet of plywood across the opening. After securely fastening it in place he turned toward his one-room abode, walking briskly for someone of his age and showing only a faint limp.
"All right class: that will do for math today." The three students who stood at the blackboard now walked back to their seats while the teacher continued talking. "I can tell from the shadow on our floor sundial it is almost time for dismissal." The students signaled their approval at this. "We don't have time for history right now (Again, sounds of approval.) but in review, who can recall what we talked about in our last lesson."
One student near the back offered: "We were discussing the last days of the United States of America, before the Great Darkness."
"But it is forbidden to talk about the Great Darkness!" Another student, a girl piped up.
The teacher shook his head. "I know it is forbidden and we will respect that law. However, there are many people who say the USA fell because of the Great Darkness. This is incorrect. I am going to show it fell before these events began, and it may have precipitated the descent." He smiled. "And I am going to teach this part of the history in narrative form!"
"What?" A younger student said.
"I am going to tell you the story, a true one, and we will discuss its relationship to the events of that era. OK? We can even ask some hypothetical, 'What would you have done' types of questions." Heads were nodding all over. "This might be a lot of fun." He thought to himself.
Just then the bell started ringing. It was not actually a bell. More like a piece of iron pipe that one of the townspeople was hitting with a mallet. This was the signal for school to end. The students were needed for chores. All twenty of them jumped up and started chattering at once as they filed through the opening that served as a door.
The teacher watched his charges leave with a slight smile on his face. He admired them to no end. Exceptional students were they every one. His depth of feeling rested more than in the mere fact of academic accomplishments. He loved them too. Oh, they could be exasperating! (They were teenagers.) All the same, he felt the same kind of joy any diligent parent would feel. He sighed deeply and started coughing. The fit lasted only a few seconds but it was enough to leave him slightly light-headed. In a moment the dizziness passed and he bent over to soak a rag in the small bucket of water on the floor near the board. There were no erasers, and the board had to be washed several times a day. It was impossible to get completely clean. The best he could do is reduce the writing into swirls of yellow streaks.
Finishing that task, he closed the shutters on the windows and wiped the students' desks down. He took his time performing this. There was a lot going on in his mind and he needed to calm it down a little. "You've only got so much time left." He told himself. If anything drastic were to happen then no one would ever know. It really wasn't much of a big secret, but he felt compelled to tell the story one time, even if no one would care in this new age. The old had passed away for sure. But he determined these students would know some small part of what once was.
From habit he reached into his pocket and pulled out a photograph. It was very old and creased. Five people could be seen in the fore while others were milling about behind. In the center was a much younger version of himself with his arm around another guy who was smiling broadly. They were in the midst of a celebration. Two women, also smiling were standing on either side of them. The woman next to him had one hand on his shoulder and the other on the shoulder of a blond-haired boy. The boys head was tilted slightly to one side as he looked up at the others.
He stared at the photo and felt the pain of remembrance while blinking away tears. Then, the picture was returned to the safekeeping of his pocket. Stepping outside he slid the gray sheet of plywood across the opening. After securely fastening it in place he turned toward his one-room abode, walking briskly for someone of his age and showing only a faint limp.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
God Economics: Robin Hood verses King Solomon
We've all heard the story of Robin Hood. He's the guy who lived with his merry men in Sherwood Forest and generally made life miserable for the evil Sheriff of Nottingham. His credo was to 'steal from the rich and give to the poor.'
There is no question this is the political model for many of our representatives today. Every kind of tax policy and regulation they have enacted in recent months shows their contempt for our rich and the desire to make them poor; along with everyone else - except government employees.
But should this be the correct model? Is there a better one? Of course there is. Steal from no one. Let them keep their money and use it as they see fit. If they want to give some to the less fortunate, fine! This is a simplistic idea and to the left-leaning crowd does not deserve merit. They would say the free market capitalists are insensitive to the needs of others. I disagree. I am going to compare our present model with one that is more effective and has been around for more than 3,000 years.
We'll start with Robin Hood. The best illustration I have seen of his method is this: I and a friend are walking down the street. A guy comes up and asks my friend for some money. He reaches into his pocket and gives him a $10 bill. That is benevolence, or charity.
If we modify that scenario a little the error is seen. Suppose the same thing happens, except my friend reaches into my pocket, pulls out one of my $10 bills to give to the man. That is stealing. It would be even worse if I objected to my friend pawing at my wallet and he pulled out a gun and took my money by force. I may reconsider believing him to be a friend. But wait! Doesn't he have a good motive? It really doesn't matter, does it? His motive has become suspect because of his actions.
This is a case of 'the end justifies the means.' If that were true why should not everyone steal as much as possible? The end result is evil and anarchy. Let's take a closer look at Robin Hood. A good friend recently reminded me that he was not stealing in order to give to the poor. He was stealing. Period. Giving to the poor is a ruse he uses to make people think he is somehow on their side. It is a smoke screen for his criminal activity. Further, the ones he gives to become dependent on his false benevolence and he has to keep stealing in order to maintain the ruse. This encourages his merry men to do the same and so the environment for criminal activity permeates all. They will rationalize their wrong doing in several ways. For instance they might say, "Well, the rich are greedy!" "They have an abundance so what I take is small potatoes to them." "Their insurance will pay for it." and so on.
Solomon said this about such people in Proverbs 6:30-31: "Men do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger when he is starving. Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold, though it costs him all the wealth of his house." While Robin Hood may cut a dashing figure in mythology and movies for our entertainment, at bottom he was not noble at all. He was a petty thief with delusions of grandeur.
Now let's take a look at a better model. Leviticus 19 says: "...When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. Nor shall you glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather the fallen fruit of your vineyard: you shall leave them for the needy and for the stranger...." (9,10) At first glance some would say this is the same thing as Robin Hood, isn't it? Not even. There are a couple of significant differences. Notice there is no penalty meted on non-participants. No one takes the fruit of their labor by force. This is a voluntary service performed on behalf of the poor. Also, the actual work is done by those in need. If they want to eat they go out into the fields in the same way the owners had to. Nothing is simply given to them. They do not necessarily become dependent. They do not have to commit a crime in order to eat. At the same time skills are being learned. A good view of the rich is maintained. With this model everybody wins. And who administrates this? No one. It is done at the personal level.
For many years our legislators have been stealing from us under the smoke screen of "Helping the ______(Insert designation here)". They are not actually interested in helping. The real purpose is to create dependency. On them. That way they can continue in power. The fact is this hinders our economic opportunities and serves to create tension between honest hard working individuals and a government with dubious intent. In order for the ruse to continue the government must steal more and more lest it run out of money and their dependents rebel.
The day of reckoning is here. The schemes they have proposed have done little to help and they have bankrupted our country. It's time for a big change. We have the opportunity to un-elect a number of delusional thieves and replace them with rational leaders who believe in the limited role of government and the rule of law. The time is now.
There is no question this is the political model for many of our representatives today. Every kind of tax policy and regulation they have enacted in recent months shows their contempt for our rich and the desire to make them poor; along with everyone else - except government employees.
But should this be the correct model? Is there a better one? Of course there is. Steal from no one. Let them keep their money and use it as they see fit. If they want to give some to the less fortunate, fine! This is a simplistic idea and to the left-leaning crowd does not deserve merit. They would say the free market capitalists are insensitive to the needs of others. I disagree. I am going to compare our present model with one that is more effective and has been around for more than 3,000 years.
We'll start with Robin Hood. The best illustration I have seen of his method is this: I and a friend are walking down the street. A guy comes up and asks my friend for some money. He reaches into his pocket and gives him a $10 bill. That is benevolence, or charity.
If we modify that scenario a little the error is seen. Suppose the same thing happens, except my friend reaches into my pocket, pulls out one of my $10 bills to give to the man. That is stealing. It would be even worse if I objected to my friend pawing at my wallet and he pulled out a gun and took my money by force. I may reconsider believing him to be a friend. But wait! Doesn't he have a good motive? It really doesn't matter, does it? His motive has become suspect because of his actions.
This is a case of 'the end justifies the means.' If that were true why should not everyone steal as much as possible? The end result is evil and anarchy. Let's take a closer look at Robin Hood. A good friend recently reminded me that he was not stealing in order to give to the poor. He was stealing. Period. Giving to the poor is a ruse he uses to make people think he is somehow on their side. It is a smoke screen for his criminal activity. Further, the ones he gives to become dependent on his false benevolence and he has to keep stealing in order to maintain the ruse. This encourages his merry men to do the same and so the environment for criminal activity permeates all. They will rationalize their wrong doing in several ways. For instance they might say, "Well, the rich are greedy!" "They have an abundance so what I take is small potatoes to them." "Their insurance will pay for it." and so on.
Solomon said this about such people in Proverbs 6:30-31: "Men do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger when he is starving. Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold, though it costs him all the wealth of his house." While Robin Hood may cut a dashing figure in mythology and movies for our entertainment, at bottom he was not noble at all. He was a petty thief with delusions of grandeur.
Now let's take a look at a better model. Leviticus 19 says: "...When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. Nor shall you glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather the fallen fruit of your vineyard: you shall leave them for the needy and for the stranger...." (9,10) At first glance some would say this is the same thing as Robin Hood, isn't it? Not even. There are a couple of significant differences. Notice there is no penalty meted on non-participants. No one takes the fruit of their labor by force. This is a voluntary service performed on behalf of the poor. Also, the actual work is done by those in need. If they want to eat they go out into the fields in the same way the owners had to. Nothing is simply given to them. They do not necessarily become dependent. They do not have to commit a crime in order to eat. At the same time skills are being learned. A good view of the rich is maintained. With this model everybody wins. And who administrates this? No one. It is done at the personal level.
For many years our legislators have been stealing from us under the smoke screen of "Helping the ______(Insert designation here)". They are not actually interested in helping. The real purpose is to create dependency. On them. That way they can continue in power. The fact is this hinders our economic opportunities and serves to create tension between honest hard working individuals and a government with dubious intent. In order for the ruse to continue the government must steal more and more lest it run out of money and their dependents rebel.
The day of reckoning is here. The schemes they have proposed have done little to help and they have bankrupted our country. It's time for a big change. We have the opportunity to un-elect a number of delusional thieves and replace them with rational leaders who believe in the limited role of government and the rule of law. The time is now.
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