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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhat Else Does the Bible Teach About Capitalism? By CATHERINE RAMPELL
Earlier this week, The Wall Street Journal published an opinion article by Rabbi Aryeh Spero titled What the Bible Teaches About Capitalism, which argued that Americans should laud Mitt Romneys private equity career. An outline of his reasoning: The United States was founded upon the Judeo-Christian ethos, and within that ethos resides a ringing endorsement of capitalism as a moral endeavor.
The Bible and related Judaic-Christian teaching are pro-capitalist, he argues, because Gods people are told to work and encouraged to be creative (which could be read as entrepreneurial), and because the Tenth Commandment forbids envy (including envy of the 1 percent). Additionally, Rabbi Spero notes, King Solomons thriving kingdom crashed once his son decided to impose onerous taxes.
Deuteronomy 23:19, for example, orders: Do not charge your brother interest, whether on money or food or anything else that may earn interest. Foreigners can be charged interest, however. Exactly who counts as a foreigner has fueled centuries of debate, and at least one Shakespearean play. (That play, The Merchant of Venice was home to the line The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, by the way.)
Additionally, a biblical prohibition against taking advantage of the person on the other side of a sale was interpreted by ancient rabbis to mean that sellers were permitted a profit margin that was no greater than one-sixth of a goods selling price. Any markup beyond that had to be returned to the buyer.
http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/02/what-else-does-the-bible-teach-about-capitalism/?src=tp
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msongs
(67,420 posts)CJCRANE
(18,184 posts)That didn't really show capitalism in a good light.
sinkingfeeling
(51,460 posts)kentuck
(111,104 posts)Thanks!
TexasProgresive
(12,157 posts)There is no basis for them for that in the Bible. It is just like saying Obama is a Kenyan, a Muslim, a Communist and not a natural born U.S. citizen. They just say it and with the internet the Big Lie is a lot easier to say it over and over until it sticks. FAUX or Limpballs or Slanthead says it and bloggers pick it up and then they use each other as references.
"As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly." Proverbs 26:11
demosincebirth
(12,540 posts)much is hard to believe.