Re: Money is a tool. A Message to Redistributionists

This was my argument at the begining of the debate. I think we need to look individually at each person and actually get out there and interact with them because it's my view that many poor have problems that need solutions that do not have their roots in money and therefore money will not solve it. You can see it on TV all the time. There was a show on TV where these two guys go around and talk to people on the street and get to know them and their problems then offer to give them help for addictions, ect. With a socialist system we would just tell everyone that your problem is money and leave it at that. I didn't see Jesus tossing a few coins to the people that he came to that were in need and telling them that should solve everything. It seems like a very simple and cold solution to a problem that I think is complex and different for each person.

~Matt

  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Donald Perrett (E-mail)
  To: 'Pim van Meurs'
  Cc: ASA Discussions (E-mail)
  Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2006 10:50 AM
  Subject: RE: Money is a tool. A Message to Redistributionists

  I see the Jubilee occur every month or so. I see it in even non-Christian, though American, institutions. People and organizations that go out and collect up items and money to help the poor. Even if there is no big emergency like 9/11 or Katrina we see this on a fairly regular basis in this country. Whether it is an ad on TV for Save the Children Fund or some other NPO. Why must the Jubliee by stolen and raped by some artificial wannabe-human organization known as government. When a person of poverty gets help from those in his community, he feels grateful that there are those that care for him. When a person gets his welfare check and food stamps does he say thank you to the tax payers or even the government? Where is the personal human love that is expressed in the giving and sharing of the biblical jubilee? Dehumanize all you want into a globule of mass corruption, but this will not change the condition of the human need to be loved and cared for by his fellow man. Only through the fellowship gained by the personal sacrifices made by one man for the sake of another can peace, love and human kindness be increased.

  May the Lord work through each of us to increase our brothers wealth and dignity

  Don P
    -----Original Message-----
    From: asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu [mailto:asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu]On Behalf Of Pim van Meurs
    Sent: Thursday, March 09, 2006 01:01
    To: asa@calvin.edu
    Subject: Re: Money is a tool. A Message to Redistributionists

    Interesting response, but missing the point again. My comment is one of wonder why Christians seem to be unwilling to implement some biblical teachings while adhering to others. Do we as Christians get to chose what part of the Bible we like or dislike? Is that your attitude towards the Bible or am I missing something?

    I am not sure where you got your idea about imposing my religious conscience on others, I am merely asking about how others interpret the Jubilee and why it seems to be totally ignored.

    Perhaps it's time for Janice to read more carefully before responding? But at least we seem to agree that imposing religious belief onto others is the wrong approach.
    The real question for me however is how Christians deal with the concept of the Jubilee and why it seems to have been mostly ignored? But perhaps my reading of the bible is too literal :-)

    Janice Matchett <janmatch@earthlink.net> wrote:
      At 11:58 PM 3/8/2006, Pim van Meurs wrote:

        How sad. The wealth gap is real and I wonder why Christians seem to be unwilling to apply the concept of Jubilee to rectify these inequities.

      @ I suggest that you get together with a bunch of other legalistic-minded professing Christians and put that idea into practice among yourselves.

      But don't think that anyone is going to allow you to obtain enough power and control to impose your religious conscience on the rest of us. -- which, like Pat Robertson, et.al., you would do in a heartbeat if you had the chance.

      ~ Janice

        So why do you love it Janice since I find few redeeming Christian aspects in the message, other than perhaps 'apologetics'

        Janice Matchett <janmatch@earthlink.net> wrote:

          I love it. ~ Janice

          "Money is a tool. And wealth, accumulation of money, is a bunch of tools. Now when one person, a carpenter for instance, has a bunch of tools, we don't say to him, "You have too many tools. You should give some of your saws and drills and chisels to the guy who is cooking the omelets." We don't try to close the tool gap."
Received on Thu Mar 9 14:40:22 2006