Can somebody explain the term "Biblical Capitalism" to me

[rpannier]

A friend of mine who lives in the states is moving from Walnut Creek, CA to a small town in Illinois. They've always sent their kids to private school. He's been out visiting the various private schools in the Quad Cities (IL) area. He went to a Baptist school and the principal told him they teach "Biblical Capitalism" to the students.
All 3 of us (His wife, who's Baptist, my friend and me) are curious. WTF is Biblical Capitalism?

[Hello_Kitty]

1. It's where they take all your money

Because you're a sinner. :eyes:

[Taxloss]

2. Legalised slavery?

There are quite detailed instructions on keeping slaves in the Bible.

[havocmom]

3. Anybody heading to COSTCO?

We're gonna need a BIG barrel of popcorn.

Biblical Capitalism?!? Sounds like one of the things that set Jesus off that day at the temple... ;)

[aquart]

13. Yup. He wanted the moneylenders OUT of there.

However, women are exhorted to get involved with real estate, manufacturing, the rag trade, catering, and pretty much everything involving finance at the end of proverbs. Oh, and they're praised for working all hours and not getting any sleep while doing it.

Maybe that's what they mean.

[havocmom]

24. Good points about female labors

Never understood women following leaders who use their version of god's words to hold them down economically, politically, and socially then blame the same women for sin and all the travails of man.

Just never computed, even when I was a wee lass.

[Nikki Stone 1]

15. Oh yeah! Good response!

:clapping:

[leftofthedial]

4. insane criminality

screw unto others before they screw unto you

[Mme. Defarge]

9. Maybe it refers to

those who practice capitalism in "the Biblical sense"! In other words, free market prostitution.:blush:

[sweetheart]

5. sperm are "kapital" and women are "labor"

Biblical capitalism is rape and patriarchy.

[long_green]

6. Biblical Capitalism is...

steal yourself rich, then retreat under Jesus' skirts when you're caught (in the hopes of mitigating your punishment).

[undeterred]

7. its like "virginal promiscuity"

[stray cat]

8. Capitalism with a safety net to promote a level of equality

Not "Darwinian" capitalism (service and fair play is promoted instead of strict "survival of the fittest")
An example is Anti-trust laws and anti-child labor laws

Basically sounds like a moderate route between strict socialism as viewed by unrestricted handouts and strict capitalism at its worst which stomps on workers.

[ClayZ]

10. You should see the restrooms in those schools.....

[FlaGranny]

11. I don't really know what THEY think it means.

From my reading of the bible, it means that your prices should be fair, you should not cheat on the scale, and you should let the poor have part of your crop. Now, I doubt that they would take it so far as the part that says you should not charge interest on loans.

I'm wondering though, what they actually mean. I'd just come right out and ask them, if it were me.

[Bluerthanblue]

12. and FlaGran, don't forget the year of Jubilee=

that would be something eh?
every seven years isn't it?

[FlaGranny]

14. Yes, indeed, I forgot that.

:-)

[SharonAnn]

18. An pay your employees. "laborer is worthy of his hire"

[Deja Q]

16. Old Testament version or New Testament version?

There's a big difference between the two...

[napi21]

17. If you really care, here's a link to explain at least one guy's version.

http://www.garynorth.com/public/department57.cfm

When Christianity adheres to the specifics of the Bible, it produces free market capitalism.

On the other hand, when Christianity rejects the specifics of the Bible, it produces socialism or some politically run hybrid "middle way" between capitalism and socialism, where politicians and bureaucrats make the big decisions about how people's wealth will be allocated. Economic growth then slows or is reversed. Always.

Capitalism produces long-term economic growth. Socialism and middle-way economic interventionism by the state produce poverty and bureaucracy. If your goal is to keep poor people poor, generation after generation, you should promote socialism. But be sure to call it economic democracy in order to fool the voters.

I don't know anything about this author, but it looks like it might explain what you asked.

[SharonAnn]

19. Oh, Gary North. Right-winger.

[roseBudd]

20. I think it means the practitioners believe if you are poor it's because

you aren't christian enough, so being poor is clearly the poor person's fault, so the nonpoor christians don't need to practice charity.

[GrpCaptMandrake]

21. I've read snippets from time to time

from the likes of Falwell, Dobson and Robertson talking about how capitalism is part of "God's plan." As such, it sounds to me like the principal in question is probably a hateful fundie nutbag of the worst variety.

I'm a recovering Southern Baptist myself, and am well acquainted with their evil mindset.

Here's hoping your friend stays far, far away from the crowd. Sending kids to a school like that rises to the level of child abuse in my book.

:shrug:

[NI4NI]

22. biblical capitalism happens

after some televised faith healer wearing a medallion and a nehru suit jacket completely cures some poor crippled blinded and diseased individual by simply knockin' the afflected poor soul on their forehead: Then rejoicing loudly, "Hallelujah Holy Ghost, Those of you tv veiwers at home pick up your telphones now, have your credit cards ready, and make your donations, today". Hallelujah, Sweet Cheezus!

[rucky]

23. Is that like Franken's "Supply Side Jesus"?

[Lydia Leftcoast]

25. Ask if it's based on the outfit that publishes "Christian Economics"

Basically, they're a bunch of libertarians who have taken the Bible verse "Am I not allowed to do what I want with what is mine?" from the parable of the vineyard and used it to justify rampant capitalism.

Actually, the parable of the vineyard is usually interpreted to mean that those who are life-long religious have no spiritual advantage over those who come to faith late in life, but those silly people at "Christian Economics" take the story literally as referring to a real businessman who pays unfair wages.