Comments on: Capitalism and Colossians http://catholicexchange.com/2008/06/25/112552/ Catholic News, Catholic Articles, Catholic Apologetics, Catholic Content, Catholic Information Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:46:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.2 By: mrteachersir http://catholicexchange.com/2008/06/25/112552/comment-page-1/#comment-32112 mrteachersir Sat, 28 Jun 2008 21:45:47 +0000 http://www.newcesite.com/2008/06/25/112552/#comment-32112 A couple of points: 1) Adam Smith's discussion of capitalism inferred that the entrepreneur would seek to help society out (a virtue) by fulfilling a need in the most efficient way possible. Obviously this isn't happening today. If all entrepreneurs thought of this, the business climate would change. I work for a retailer, and our manager has attempted to instill an attitude in the associates that we are providing a service for the customer. This has truly changed the way some of the associates have viewed their work. If the money-makers also viewed this, perhaps wages would be the first thing to cut when times got rough. As Uncle Screwtape suggested, changing the mere idea about something (in this cases capitalism is about making money, not freely providing a need) the entire system becomes pleasing to Satan. 2) The prologue to teh film version of the Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring points out that what men desire is power. This is why socialism is so devestating, and why we are leaning toward socialism. Barack Obama was questioned about the high price of gas...he commented that it wasn't high enough (to discourage energy consumption), and that what was needed was government enforced redistribution of wealth. A couple of points:

1) Adam Smith’s discussion of capitalism inferred that the entrepreneur would seek to help society out (a virtue) by fulfilling a need in the most efficient way possible. Obviously this isn’t happening today. If all entrepreneurs thought of this, the business climate would change. I work for a retailer, and our manager has attempted to instill an attitude in the associates that we are providing a service for the customer. This has truly changed the way some of the associates have viewed their work. If the money-makers also viewed this, perhaps wages would be the first thing to cut when times got rough. As Uncle Screwtape suggested, changing the mere idea about something (in this cases capitalism is about making money, not freely providing a need) the entire system becomes pleasing to Satan.

2) The prologue to teh film version of the Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring points out that what men desire is power. This is why socialism is so devestating, and why we are leaning toward socialism. Barack Obama was questioned about the high price of gas…he commented that it wasn’t high enough (to discourage energy consumption), and that what was needed was government enforced redistribution of wealth.

]]> By: Dave http://catholicexchange.com/2008/06/25/112552/comment-page-1/#comment-32081 Dave Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:42:57 +0000 http://www.newcesite.com/2008/06/25/112552/#comment-32081 I start off by stating the obvious ... human traditions aren't sacred. Not sure anyone is challenging that. Nor is capitalism evil. It's agnostic to this point. But what I firmly believe is free enterprise is the fairest, and most balanced economic "ism" for mankind. Wrap this around democracy and free speech .. and you have a model that if allowed to work (read minimize gov't meddling, dont' abolish gov't), can not only provide the means for society to succeed, but bring greater peace to the world (trading partnes rarely begin wars), and adjust to societies ups and downs more efficiently and effectively than "central planning". But I disagree with some of Mark's capitalistic conclusions .... those same evils that he points to can and do exist without capitalism. I'm a dreaded capitalist, though I'm far from rich ... and money is not my sole motivation. When practiced within a free enterprise landscape, corrections .. checks and balances ... are more readily available. I start off by stating the obvious … human traditions aren’t sacred. Not sure anyone is challenging that. Nor is capitalism evil. It’s agnostic to this point. But what I firmly believe is free enterprise is the fairest, and most balanced economic “ism” for mankind. Wrap this around democracy and free speech .. and you have a model that if allowed to work (read minimize gov’t meddling, dont’ abolish gov’t), can not only provide the means for society to succeed, but bring greater peace to the world (trading partnes rarely begin wars), and adjust to societies ups and downs more efficiently and effectively than “central planning”. But I disagree with some of Mark’s capitalistic conclusions …. those same evils that he points to can and do exist without capitalism. I’m a dreaded capitalist, though I’m far from rich … and money is not my sole motivation. When practiced within a free enterprise landscape, corrections .. checks and balances … are more readily available.

]]> By: mbecher http://catholicexchange.com/2008/06/25/112552/comment-page-1/#comment-32041 mbecher Wed, 25 Jun 2008 22:46:32 +0000 http://www.newcesite.com/2008/06/25/112552/#comment-32041 It's a good point that people have a tendency to view their pet traditions & ideologies as "sacred." However, I think it's important to remember that the Church has actually spoken about capitalism, communism, etc., in the social encyclicals. As I understand these encyclicals, they vigorously defend private property as the best way for fallen humans to handle material goods. Private property (& private enterprise) is the cornerstone of "private capitalism," the economist's term for what most simply call "capitalism." Of course, these encyclicals also speak of the rights of the worker, and of the government's obligation and limited right to protect the individual from abusive capitalism. In short, while capitalism is indeed not a "necessary part of the Faith," I think that this article seems to ignore the fact that the Church hasn't been silent on the issue. It’s a good point that people have a tendency to view their pet traditions & ideologies as “sacred.” However, I think it’s important to remember that the Church has actually spoken about capitalism, communism, etc., in the social encyclicals. As I understand these encyclicals, they vigorously defend private property as the best way for fallen humans to handle material goods. Private property (& private enterprise) is the cornerstone of “private capitalism,” the economist’s term for what most simply call “capitalism.” Of course, these encyclicals also speak of the rights of the worker, and of the government’s obligation and limited right to protect the individual from abusive capitalism. In short, while capitalism is indeed not a “necessary part of the Faith,” I think that this article seems to ignore the fact that the Church hasn’t been silent on the issue.

]]> By: poustinik http://catholicexchange.com/2008/06/25/112552/comment-page-1/#comment-32034 poustinik Wed, 25 Jun 2008 15:34:13 +0000 http://www.newcesite.com/2008/06/25/112552/#comment-32034 Twenty years ago we thought of Communism as the greatest evil of the 20th Century. Clearly the devil's hand was behind all the death and misery it left in its wake. But, as much as he revels in such things, I believe Satan had an much more diabolical motive behind it. Because it was so undeniably evil, we assumed that whatever was the opposite to Communism must be, at least in some measure, righteous. The result was that we enshrined and canonized Capitalism. As we can see today, that serves Satan's purposes far better than Communism ever could. Communism could destroy lives, but with Capitalism, we are lining up to sell our souls. Twenty years ago we thought of Communism as the greatest evil of the 20th Century. Clearly the devil’s hand was behind all the death and misery it left in its wake. But, as much as he revels in such things, I believe Satan had an much more diabolical motive behind it. Because it was so undeniably evil, we assumed that whatever was the opposite to Communism must be, at least in some measure, righteous. The result was that we enshrined and canonized Capitalism. As we can see today, that serves Satan’s purposes far better than Communism ever could. Communism could destroy lives, but with Capitalism, we are lining up to sell our souls.

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