Michael Moore, Capitalism & Christianity
October 5, 2009Most of my readers know that I operate from a conservative viewpoint (see my bio-page). Although I am no partisan, I am not ashamed to be a conservative. I believe the same values that made our nation strong will keep it strong: Freedom, Independence, Liberty for All, Work Ethic, Justice and Fairness (as they are traditionally defined). Capitalism is part of that system as well.
However, I also believe that we need to take spiritual inventory from time to time, as well as appreciate what the “other” viewpoints believe. So I submit the following words from partisan filmmaker Michael Moore. Some of his points are easily refutable. Others are rather potent. I’ll let you work it out in the ensuing discussion that is sure to take place. Feel free to comment.
“Amidst all the Wall Street bad guys and corrupt members of Congress exposed in Capitalism: A Love Story, I pose a simple question in the movie: “Is capitalism a sin?” I go on to ask, “Would Jesus be a capitalist?” Would he belong to a hedge fund? Would he sell short? Would he approve of a system that has allowed the richest 1 percent to have more financial wealth than the 95 percent under them combined?
“I have come to believe that there is no getting around the fact that capitalism is opposite everything that Jesus (and Moses and Mohammed and Buddha) taught. All the great religions are clear about one thing: It is evil to take the majority of the pie and leave what’s left for everyone to fight over. Jesus said that the rich man would have a very hard time getting into heaven. He told us that we had to be our brother’s and sister’s keepers and that the riches that did exist were to be divided fairly. He said that if you failed to house the homeless and feed the hungry, you’d have a hard time finding the pin code to the pearly gates.
“I guess that’s bad news for us Americans. Here’s how we define “Blessed Are the Poor”: We now have the highest unemployment rate since 1983. There’s a foreclosure filing once every 7.5 seconds. 14,000 people every day lose their health insurance.
“At the same time, Wall Street bankers (“Blessed Are the Wealthy”?) are amassing more and more loot – and they do their best to pay little or no income tax (last year Goldman Sachs’ tax rate was a mere 1 percent!). Would Jesus approve of this? If not, why do we let such an evil system continue? It doesn’t seem you can call yourself a Capitalist and a Christian — because you cannot love your money and love your neighbor when you are denying your neighbor the ability to see a doctor just so you can have a better bottom line. That’s called “immoral” — and you are committing a sin when you benefit at the expense of others.”
Gospel According to Matt’s Opinion: Jesus would have been neither capitalist nor socialist. He would have been something else altogether. What say you?
You can read Moore’s editorial in it’s entirity at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-moore/for-those-of-you-on-your_b_308948.html
For someone as opposed to capitalism as Michael Moore claims to be, he sure has benefited quite well from the system. Granted his income depends upon him being him. If he were to ever report everything objectively and factually, he would probably be out of a job! Though he does bring about several though provoking topics and intermixed with all his hype are also valid points. Obviously Jesus was neither a socialist or capitalist. He could drive out money changers from a temple, but have one of his closest followers be a tax collector. Jesus transcends all barriers. Capitalism and Communism both have their pluses and minuses (as most things in life do). I think the real contrast is in two ‘G’ words. God and greed. Either system focused on God could accomplish amazing things. Either one focused on man’s greed can be destructive (e.g. the Soviet Union and the mindset of the 1980s Wall Street….”greed is good”). So perhaps if Michael Moore were truly concerned about the spiritual/religious ramifications of any economic system, he would have focused on the evil of greed and the good of God’s love……but what fun would that be?
I agree with the comment above by Darren that Moore’s hypocrisy over capitalism is too much to bear and so no one takes Moore serious since he is using captialism to make money through a movie attacking capitalism.
However, I think we must be careful about bring Jesus into political debates. Jesus didn’t drive a car. Jesus didn’t watch television. Jesus didn’t fly in airplanes nor take vacations to the mountains. Jesus didn’t stay in hotels. Etc. To ask “What would Jesus do?” concerning capitalism or socialism or other isms misses the point of what He did come to do and that was salvation (Mark 10:45). Regeneration is the issue (John 3:3-7; Titus 3:1-7). The world needs to hear Jesus’ opinion about their sins before they try to find out what He said about socialism (Luke 13:1-5).
Sorry for the mispelled words. In a hurry!
Seeking Disciple: I totally agree about WWJD. There are numerous errors in the whole WWJD concept, not to mention the points you just made–this problem is something that Dr. Jack Cottrell calls the “Christological Fallacy.” Ah, but that’s a topic for another day/blog.
I agree in principle with Michael Moore.
Jesus would not have encouraged such inequality in resources. Jesus turned over the money changers tables in the temple since it was to be a house of prayer. He critiziced the Pharasees for taking widow’s homes and offering long prayers as a pretense for their greed. Jesus disciples in Acts 4 and 5, held everything in common. Jesus did not have a house, or even a place to lay his head so he would not have been much of a capitalist. He was too busy loving people and building God’s kingdom to build wealth.
American’s wealthy, who are given so much and give so little to others, do not have much opportunity to participate in the kingdom of God in their own lives. Jesus would not have encouraged that. He may have told them to give all that they can to the poor, so they may have riches in heaven.
Even if we don’t like it, we need to see Jesus for the radical lover of people that he was. He spoke the truth in love to many powerful people. If Jesus were here today, I am sure he would take our economic system to task for its treatment of the poor.