Are Capitalists inhumane?

[vba_php]

So if we don't empty OUR pockets for charity, you decry our greedy capitalist tendencies. But the odds are you will try to tell me I don't get the point.

i'm not gonna do that to you richard. but maybe I'll say that your eyes flew right by?? I guess my "intention", not my "point", was to say that the majority of american capitalism (or possibly a little less than majority?) is sourced from large corporations that manipulate or semi-manipulate peoples' emotions and sell them things that they don't necessarily need or want. and that *is* certainly a problem. there's nothing wrong with capitalism, but to give a great example of what is totally not necessary:

=> Does Larry Ellison of Oracle need to own 50 different houses and live in a million acre luxury home just because his product gained worldwide attention and bought the world over for any given reason? of course not. unfortunately, we've gone through so much time in history now where people like that have so much material wealth because they, quote, "busted their ass" to do well and thus they "deserve it", as they feel. but i would tend to bet that those days are over, more or less because they would face so much backlash from the general public. I could be wrong though. My criticism is more about material extremism rather than moderation when it comes to making money. Maybe that will help you out....

as far as the future of a governing system is concerned, if you're a christian and you know christ's words well, you already know what the "system" will eventually end up turning into. or rather, the overall effects of it in the long term. but there's no need to issue panic in this thread.

 

[Jon]

If a capitalist who wants to get rich earns less than a Christian, are they more likely to get through the eye of the needle?

 

[vba_php]

if you have the mindset of "wanting to get rich", you're already in danger of not even getting through the needle. but more than likely, a person like that will fit through just fine. but if you want good proof of a rich man that obviously got through, maybe you should check out Steve Jobs' last words before he lost conciousness for the last time, Jon....??

 

[Jon]

How do we know he got through? Why did God make him sick? Or did he make himself sick?

 

[vba_php]

how would I know, Jon? I'm not a PHD! why don't you read the wikipedia article on him? it says in there what his last words were. it's pretty obvious to me that his hard work, labor and good intentions in carrying on the world by producing items for the future got him a rewarding future for eternity. now *that* is a man that labored rightfully in this place and thus deserves to rest in the light of God.

 

[The_Doc_Man]

...from large corporations that manipulate or semi-manipulate peoples' emotions and sell them things that they don't necessarily need or want.

Adam, you betray your ignorance of the facts yet again. EVERY FRICKIN' BUSINESS that has ANYTHING to sell will try to get you to buy it whether or not you needed it. Do you remember Ron Popiel and his "pocket fisherman" or "perfect patty" or "veg-o-matic" (it slices, it dices, it makes juleinned fries...) kitchen tools? HE wasn't a big businessman UNTIL he successfully manipulated people through his cheesy ads. You are CONSTANTLY putting the cart before the horse on this issue, to the point that I begin to suspect that you know nothing about it.

 

[NauticalGent]

 

[Jon]

Sorry, I misread. You are a PHP. So it doesn't really matter how much wealth someone has then, it is if someone laboured. I want to understand because I thought you believed people who try to make money are unhappy. But perhaps it wasn't you who said that, maybe someone else in my day to day life.

 

[vba_php]

ok Richard. I understand. but that's the true christian coming out in me. maybe I'm not a businessman after all....

that's probably why I'm building the website that I'm building. It will not manipulate anything or anybody.

 

[vba_php]

Sorry, I misread. You are a PHP. So it doesn't really matter how much wealth someone has then, it is if someone laboured. I want to understand because I thought you believed people who try to make money are unhappy. But perhaps it wasn't you who said that, maybe someone else in my day to day life.

well i can't really talk about this stuff with you Jon, because you and I are so different. All I can say is that the Lord does not wish anyone to be put to shame or go downstairs when they exit the earth. but some insist on evil and deception. if you were a catholic like me (or going to be), you would know that souls are sent to hell that do not repent of their imperfection before they depart of the earth. I would tend to guess that people like yourself and any other person out there that wants to make a materialistic-based life for themselves *will* indeed be saved, simply because God saw that human nature many many centuries ago, and probably even longer than that ago. So obviously he understands how people are and what they eventually want. The result of all of that though, will obviously end up in what is called "the day of the lord", and it is called that because on that day God will pour out his wrath on anything and everything that brought the world to its end. but I would also guess that on that day, the only burning that will go on will of those people who are truly evil, deceptive, and manipulative in their hearts. but there are only 2 that know of those intentions in any given situation:

the sinner
the creator (and the son)

but regarding that also, I've told many people in the church this already....as the future rolls on, more than likely it is going to become very difficult to distinguish who is who in terms of who has good intentions in their heart and soul and who doesn't. that's exactly why I don't participate in a lot of corporate BS and people who think too much. because that unhealthy increase in knowledge is becoming dangerous and people who engage in it might just be the ones to turn against each other in the future, near or far off. That's why I stay away from it. But I'm sure you specifically will be fine Jon. I assume this based on every back and forth we've ever had here.

and NO, I'm not a "PHP". I'm a "every language". cuz they're all the same anyway.

 

[Jon]

What did you think of the movie, The Two Popes?

 

[vba_php]

What did you think of the movie, The Two Popes?

are you asking me Jon? I've never heard of it. but according to this , it's a true story about Benedict. I don't know much about Benedict's papacy, but I don't really agree with the fact that the catholic church's leaders are looked upon as Gods by the people in Rome and even in the rest of the world. That's the way a governing body has to be I guess, but that wouldn't be for someone like me, because, as a true follower, which I hope to God I am, the best thing we can do is remain humble, engage in self humility, and show a serious amount of compassion to people who are put down by this world. and yes, that means poor people. That's why I'm such a fan of those cannonized saints I posted in the other thread long ago. all of them were uneducated, poor and held no authority whatsoever in the catholic church. Not coincidentally, just like Christ when he walked the Earth. He sought no recognition, but at the times where he had to show the power of his father and the heavens, he told it how it how it was and was unwavering in his abilities. He showed them accordingly, but always said before doing so:

this is happening not to glorify me, but to glorify my father

(or something like that)

a little off track here. sorry Jon. But to know what faith will do for you, if you are a true believer. His words mean even more to his followers:

I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father