What Else Does the Bible Teach About Capitalism? By CATHERINE RAMPELL

[tabatha]

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 Romney’s 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 God’s 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 Solomon’s 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 good’s 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]

1. if you walk around a town and blow a horn, the walls collapse and u get all the goodies inside? nt

[CJCRANE]

2. What about MAMMON the demon that represented wealth and greed...

That didn't really show capitalism in a good light.

[sinkingfeeling]

3. You cannot serve both God and mammon. - Matthew 6:24

[kentuck]

4. Good read!

Thanks!

[TexasProgresive]

5. Typical wingnut stuff that they vomit and return to

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]

6. That's why I stick with the New Teatament. Too much "fire and brimstone" in the Old Testament and

much is hard to believe.