Socialism or Capitialism Preference Poll

[B.B. Hemingway]

29 minutes ago, funhusker said:

Are you saying Sweden makes it impossible for its Citizens to be creative and driven?

 

Impossible? No.

 

Incentivize? Also, no.

[Moiraine]

9 hours ago, teachercd said:

Has anyone ever met one person that has moved to Norway, Denmark or Sweden?

 

I have known people that have moved to Austrailia, New Zealand (for a job) and Vietnam (to teach English) and Mexico...but in my life I have never met a person that was planning on moving to one of those 3 happiest places on earth.

 

 

I'm pretty sure it's really difficult to move to those places.

[teachercd]

8 hours ago, Moiraine said:

 

 

I'm pretty sure it's really difficult to move to those places.

Like to get citizenship?  It probably is.

[Moiraine]

6 minutes ago, teachercd said:

Like to get citizenship?  It probably is.

 

 

Ya

[TGHusker]

Ken Boa, of Reflection Ministries, gives a 3rd option - a faith based economics model. It comes from his series on Biblical economics and finance on his website.   Of course this model won't work for the country as a whole but for those of us in the church, it demonstrates how we can be investors (seek gain) while at the same time consider the needs of the disadvantage and also reduce dependency on govt. 

He also states why the Acts 2 model of Christians 'having all things in common' was not a model for socialism.  

 

His article:

https://kenboa.org/living-out-your-faith/biblical-economics-finance-part-3/?inf_contact_key=d3254b29f7af161d8e87ac4e880a23f1

 

The problem wt a demand driven (consumption driven) economic model

https://kenboa.org/living-out-your-faith/biblical-economics-finance-part-4/

 

NOTE RELATED TO THE ABOVE or TOPIC but a personal recommendation:

I've had great respect for Ken over the years.  If I could only keep one book besides my Bible, it would be his book "Conformed to His Image" which is a great handbook on the Christian life, discipleship and spiritual development.  I highly recommend it. 

 

The book on Amazon:

 https://www.amazon.com/Conformed-His-Image-Practical-Approaches/dp/031023848X

 

One person's review sums up the book nicely:

Quote

Conformed to His Image" is the most comprehensive synthesis of Judeo-Christian Spirituality that I have encountered. I have spent decades savoring classics that speak to individual facets of the walk of faith, but this is the first work I have read that presents a such a circumspective understanding of these elements of spirituality, their inter-relatedness, and the critical importance of balance among them to spiritual health and wholeness. The way this academic "textbook" manages to convey so beautifully what it means to follow Christ just blows me away! At many points, Boa's prose reads like poetry.

Whether a Christ-follower, someone yet to believe, or an academic simply seeking understanding of the Judeo-Christian perspective, I could not recommend this book highly enough! Those familiar with systems thinking will appreciate the depth of praise when I call Kenneth Boa "the Peter Senge" of Christian life and thought!

And a more detailed review:

Quote

Kenneth Boa's prayer in is that a result of reading this book you will:

- develop a greater appreciation for the unique way God has made you;
- become aware of a wider array of options for your spiritual journey;
- get out of a possible spiritual rut;
- desire to experiment with other facets of the faith
- appreciate the manifold legacy that has been bequeathed to us by those who have gone before us;
- expand your horizons and be encouraged to move out of your comfort zone
- have instilled in you a greater passion for Christ and a greater desire to participate in his loving purposes for your life.

Does Boa succeed in the above? A resounding "yes." I have used this book one on one; in small groups of 7-14 people; and larger groups of 20-40 people. In every case the book has proven to be effective in helping all involved to grow in Christ like qualities, and behavior. Boa has masterfully written a very practical theology of the spiritual disciplines by comparing these disciplines to facets of the gem that we are ultimately becoming in Christ:

Facet #1 - Relational Spirituality: Loving God Completely, Ourselves Correctly, and Others Compassionately.

Facet#2 - Paradigm Spirituality: Cultivating an Eternal versus a Temporal Perspective

Facet #3 - Disciplined Spirituality: Engaging in the Historical Disciplines

Facet #4 - Exchanged Life Spirituality: Grasping Our True Identity in Christ

Facet #5 - Motivated Spirituality: A Set of Biblical Incentives

Facet #6 - Devotional Spirituality: Falling in Love with God

Facet #7 - Holistic Spirituality: Every Component of Life under the Lordship of Christ

Facet #8 - Process Spirituality: Process versus Product, Being versus Doing

Facet #9 - Spirit-Filled Spirituality: Walking in the Power of the Spirit

Facet #10 - Warfare Spirituality: The World, the Flesh, and the Devil

Facet #11 - Nurturing Spirituality: A Lifestyle of Evangelism and Discipleship

Facet #12 - Corporate Spirituality: Encouragement, Accountability, and Worship

This book is written as a textbook - it is well organized with outlines, introductions, charts, and each chapter closes with questions for discussion and personal application. I think it is one of the most helpful books out there in bridging the typical gaps between books that consider the multi-dimensional aspects of what it means to be human and made and conformed to the image of Christ. Boa weaves biblical theology, human personalities, psychology, etc., to help us see our blind spots and how we can keep chiseling away at what is not like Christ, so we can become the multi-faceted gems that God is working in us to become - through His working and our responsibly working to become like Jesus (Eph. 2:10 and Philippians 2:12-13). I Highly recommend this book - it's definitely a resource you will use for the rest of your life - individually and corporately.