Money, Greed and God by Jay W. Richards

I hear liberals speak about money and I know there's a problem with their logic, but I haven't quite determined what the problem is.

It's not just that very rich people are talking about poverty as if they know what it is- everybody that anybody listens to that spiel is successful or pretends to be.  There's something deeper and this book helped me understand some of it.

Don't get me wrong.  Whenever I hear conservatives talk about money I am suspicious too.  But I know why that is, and that is because I wonder how much stock they own in the companies that they are speaking in defense of.

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In Money, Greed and God - Why Capitalism Is The Solution And Not The Problem, copyright 2009, Jay W. Richards has some great points. 

In the introduction, he tackles our perception that Jesus was a Socialist.  Logically, there was no such ideology at the time so therefore no first century person was one, but there is a persistent nagging feeling that Jesus would not have been a good businessman.  Why is the image of a traveling happy-go-lucky hippie so strong?  Hippies didn't exist yet either...  But this is a great question to think about if we think Jesus is an example of how to live, or even, God incarnate.

In Chapter One, the idea that a society can be just is laid to rest.  It sounds so heartless, but let's think about it.  No person is perfect, so therefore no group of people can behave perfectly either.  It is our responsibility to help one another, but not every person will get what they need whenever they need it, and as long as we define our wants as needs, there is by default- no way for everyone to win.

In subsequent chapters, ideas that seem helpful are exposed as incorrect, and actually harmful.

If we shake our fist at what is wrong, it doesn't mean we're incorrect- but what is better?

Trade is not something that requires a loser.  If I give you something you want, and you give me something I want, we both benefit.  I don't understand wealth creation, but it's obviously real.

Business isn't bad.  Money isn't evil.

Now, actually learning how to use money for good is another matter.

But can't we start with the assumption that we're all going to look out for ourselves, and that's the only way we can possibly be of assistance to someone else?