NY Times: ‘Christian Economics’ Meets the Antiunion Movement

[alp227]

For today's edition, The New York Times profiled former Ron Paul aide Gary North, who's engaging in Christian economics and is aiding union-busters. Reporter Mark Oppenheimer called North "the leading proponent of “Christian economics,” which applies biblical principles to economic issues and the free market."

He reports further:

“Not only do Reconstructionists believe that public employees should not have the right to organize, they believe that almost all of them should not be public employees,” writes Julie Ingersoll, of the University of North Florida, in the Web magazine Religion Dispatches. “Most of the tasks performed by those protesting the Wisconsin state budget would, in the biblical economics of North,” be privatized.

These “Reconstructionists” are believers in Christian Reconstructionism, the philosophy of R. J. Rushdoony, who died in 2001. According to Reconstructionism, a Christian theocracy under Old Testament law is the best form of government, and a radically libertarian one. Biblical law, they believe, presupposes total government decentralization, with the family and church providing order. Until that day comes, Reconstructionists believe the rights to home-school and to worship freely at least provide the barest conditions of liberty.

Mr. North, who is Mr. Rushdoony’s son-in-law but was not on speaking terms with him from 1981 until Mr. Rushdoony’s death, focuses on how that biblical libertarianism applies to economics. He concluded that the Bible forbids any welfare programs, is opposed to all inflation, and requires a gold-coin standard for money.

“God has cursed the earth,” Mr. North writes, alluding to the Book of Genesis in his 1973 book “Introduction to Christian Economics.” “This is the starting point for all economic analysis. The earth no longer gives up her fruits automatically. Man must sweat to eat.” Mr. North writes that no form of government assistance “will escape the ethical limits” of the Apostle Paul’s dictum, in II Thessalonians, that “if any would not work, neither should he eat.”

[RandomThoughts]

1. Yea they like to pick that verse.

Probably the only one not blocked to them.

very sad.

I wonder if they even thought about that verse.


I further state, that there are thousands maybe millions doing bad works, with more then they need, that refuse to work for me, or even to send me beer and travel money, should they all starve?

See how that works. (Side note, I don't expect them to work for me, but can that person say the same?)


And don't forget the servant doing the better work of learning.

[baldguy]

2. If Jesus hadn't been a preacher he would've been a union organizer, not a disciple of Ayn Rand.

[SpiralHawk]

3. Ahhh, the anti-Christ Crystyuns (R)

They know they have but a short timeth...

[Wilms]

4. "...must sweat to eat.” ? Then tell them to turn off the air conditioner.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_KzMvlbM7m-w/TB4IptfiMKI/AAAAAAAAEs8/MB7-EDuW1fA/s1600/Sweden+celebrates+as+princess+marries+her+personal+trainer+in+biggest+royal+wedding+for+decades+14.jpg

[Taitertots]

5. "Christian economics" makes me LOL

The case is not hard to make that the modern financial system is engaged in Usury. Why do so many people become believers of only the politically expedient?

[spedtr90]

6. CHRISTIANS want to live under OLD Testament law?

This is where they lose me every time. Drives me nuts. Everything the Christian right pushes has nothing to do with Christ or the New Testament, the new law to love one another as you love yourself. They follow Ayn Rand's sociopathic philosophy of selfishness at worst and literal interpretation of the Old Testament at best. Christ is in neither of these. Christ was not anti-government (Give to Caesar...) The "Christian" right worships their leaders like false gods. They lie without batting an eye (literally for Bachmann) and never apologize for anything they say or do.

Below is Acts 32-35. This is who they should be, but it is what they hate. They can't justify hating it, and they don't even try. They just blindly, stupidly, hate it. It leaves me stunned.

32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. 34 There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.