Income Inequality?

[Zymologist]

Sins under the category of avarice; I do not find wealth, in itself, to be necessarily sinful (though it can be the case that merely having wealth is sinful).

I thought so, I just wanted to clarify.

[Sam]

I thought so, I just wanted to clarify.

Gimmie another five or ten years before I go full-on Marx. Still too young to be comfortable rocking that big a beard.

[Cow Poke]

Sins under the category of avarice; I do not find wealth, in itself, to be necessarily sinful

Yeah!

(though it can be the case that merely having wealth is sinful).

Other than ill-gotten gain, what would make having wealth sinful?

[Zymologist]

Gimmie another five or ten years before I go full-on Marx. Still too young to be comfortable rocking that big a beard.

I can't even grow that big a beard, let alone rock it.

[Spartacus]

Other than ill-gotten gain, what would make having wealth sinful?

Interestingly enough, Anderson has something to say about that passage-- an alternative interpretation based on (what else?) linguistic ambiguities. It's not that the wealth is gotten dishonestly, but that the wealth itself is dishonest, unreliable. You can trust in your earthly treasures, which will fail you in a time of crisis, or you can invest (via almsgiving) in the Heavenly treasury that has God as its guarantor (c.f. Proverbs 11:4).

I'd have to dig through the text a bit to find the exact argument, but it's something like that.

[Cow Poke]

Interestingly enough, Anderson has something to say about that passage-- an alternative interpretation based on (what else?) linguistic ambiguities. It's not that the wealth is gotten dishonestly, but that the wealth itself is dishonest, unreliable. You can trust in your earthly treasures, which will fail you in a time of crisis, or you can invest (via almsgiving) in the Heavenly treasury that has God as its guarantor (c.f. Proverbs 11:4).

I'd have to dig through the text a bit to find the exact argument, but it's something like that.

OK, but does the unreliability of wealth make it a sin, if you fully understand it's not reliable?

[Sam]

Other than ill-gotten gain, what would make having wealth sinful?

Hoarding, irresponsible and excessive spending, disregard for the poor, excessive love of wealth . . . I'm sure our imaginations as to how having wealth can be sinful are no more limited than our imaginations as to how having sexuality can be sinful.

[Spartacus]

OK, but does the unreliability of wealth make it a sin, if you fully understand it's not reliable?

It's sinful insofar as it means defying God's desire that we take care of the poor, and stupid insofar as it's stupid to invest in something that isn't ultimately reliable. It can be both sinful and stupid, you know

[Jedidiah]

Sounds very much like wealth can lead to sinful behavior not that wealth is sinful. Can you guys clarify?

[Sam]

Sounds very much like wealth can lead to sinful behavior not that wealth is sinful. Can you guys clarify?

I think most, though not all, of the folks here would argue that something like homosexuality -- as an orientation -- isn't sinful but can lead to sinful behavior. If you agree with this concept, what's the difference between homosexuality and wealth?

Even just broadly comparing sexuality and wealth leads to the same problem: if you can provide "input" regarding the country's treatment of various sexual behaviors and mores, you can provide input regarding the country's treatment of various economic behaviors and mores.

[Spartacus]

I think most, though not all, of the folks here would argue that something like homosexuality -- as an orientation -- isn't sinful but can lead to sinful behavior. If you agree with this concept, what's the difference between homosexuality and wealth?

Even just broadly comparing sexuality and wealth leads to the same problem: if you can provide "input" regarding the country's treatment of various sexual behaviors and mores, you can provide input regarding the country's treatment of various economic behaviors and mores.

These are the pelvic issues. The Left wants freedom for the inside of the pelvis, the Right for the outside (where the wallet is kept).

[Darth Executor]

Death to freedom.

[Cow Poke]

It's sinful insofar as it means defying God's desire that we take care of the poor, and stupid insofar as it's stupid to invest in something that isn't ultimately reliable. It can be both sinful and stupid, you know

Or it can be jealousy.

[Spartacus]

Or it can be jealousy.

Envy, like avarice, is a deadly sin. What's that you were saying earlier about false dichotomies?

[Pinoy]

Here is why i think is the difference of gay marriage and business

Engaging in Gay Marriage is already an act that is in the process of committing a sin per se. While when you enter into a business you are not in the process of committing a sin per se.

On another note, who will judge what if fair. Those you harvest in the morning, at noontime and at dawn earn the same copper coin - is that unfair?