The Baha'i Studies Listserv Oops. Obviously I mean caring for the poor, not carrying them. ;-}
On 10/27/10, Susan Maneck <[email protected]> wrote: > On 10/27/10, Susan Maneck <[email protected]> wrote: >>> There is difference between means and ends. For example, there are so >>> called >>> social justice passages in the Bible. They refer to religion permeating >>> a >>> society so much that people's charity would be enough to alleviate >>> poverty. >>> Jesus and the prophets talks to ordinary people to give to charity not >>> the >>> gov'ts. Judeo-Christian-Islamic justice implies widespread charity in a >>> society, >>> tithing (10% JC or 2.5-20% I), and voluntary offerings. >> >> Dear Stephen, >> >> I would say this is true in regards to Jesus who was not terribly >> concerned with how governments functioned. According to Acts of the >> Apostles, however, in the early church Christians shared all things in >> common, which goes far beyond charity. In any case, the prophets >> condemned the government and the priesthood for poverty, not people's >> lack of charity. . hey prohibited practices like usury that led to >> such poverty in the strongest terms.Taxations aimed primarily at the >> peasant farmer were condemned as well. Our own bankruptcy laws in this >> country are based on biblical principles although recent laws have >> eroded these >> >> Now, in regards to charging interest Baha'u'llah does annul the >> Biblical and Qur'anic prohibitions and states that a reasonable amount >> of interest may be charged (with the House of Justice deciding what is >> reasonable.) Usury or exorbitant interest charged to the poor is >> still condemned. While the Huqullah is entirely voluntary and cannot >> be coerced, Abdu'l-Baha also spoke of a graduated income tax. I don't >> get the impression that this is voluntary. >> >> At the same time Abdu'l-Baha insist that complete economic equality is >> neither possible or desirable. He recognized that people need >> incentives. >>> >>> >>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alms >>> >>> In Judiasm, Tzedekah means both charity and justice (as well as fairness >>> and >>> righteousness). >> >> Which certainly suggest that justice must include carrying for the poor. >> >>> Who's to say an increase in the job market, more self-employment, more >>> independent contractors, more investors, more business owners isn't the >>> solution? >> >> I'm sure it is part of the solution. One of the reasons industrial >> capitalism was never as exploitive in the US as it was in England or >> Europe is because during the time of the Industrial Revolution >> American workers always had an alternative which their European >> counterparts did not posses. The ready availability of land meant they >> could always had the alternative to be self-employed (as farmers) >> rather than work for the big corporations. Unfortunately that is no >> longer an option for most people. Unbridled capitalism today tends to >> favor the big multi-nationals, not small business and self-employment. >> Also, without affordable health care self-employment is not really an >> option for most people. >> >>> >>> Really, the issue requires us to reflect on how wealth is created. >> >> Contrary to common opinion Adam Smith never saw a 'social welfare' >> state as incompatible with the 'invisible hand' of the free market. >> His protest in the *The Wealth of Nations* was a condemnation of >> mercantilism, which had led to colonialism. If you read his earlier >> work *The Theory of Moral Sentiments.* >> >> Adam Smith vigorously defended such public services as free education >> and poverty relief, >> calling for greater freedom for the those who receives support from >> the state, unlike the >> punitive Poor Laws which existed at the time. He also acknowledged the >> importance of interventions on behalf of the poor and the underdogs of >> society that might result from a free market system He stated the >> following principle:. "When the regulation, therefore, is in favour >> of the workmen, it is always just and equitable; but it is sometimes >> otherwise when in favour of the masters." >> >> Adam Smith, like Abdu'l-Baha supported both the profit motive and >> social values which transcended it. Both believed these values should >> be expressed, not merely in acts of charity but in the policies of the >> state. >> >> >> warmest, Susan >> > __________________________________________________ You are subscribed to Baha'i Studies as: mailto:[email protected] Unsubscribe: send a blank email to mailto:leave-535786-27401.54f46e81b66496c9909bcdc2f7987...@list.jccc.edu Subscribe: send subscribe bahai-st in the message body to [email protected] Or subscribe: http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=bahai-st Baha'i Studies is available through the following: Mail - mailto:[email protected] Web - http://list.jccc.edu:8080/read/?forum=bahai-st News (on-campus only) - news://list.jccc.edu/bahai-st Old Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] New Public - http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]
