Quiet Peace-Godly Dignity

Talk about money and ears perk up! Remember the movie Jerry Maguire, when the star football player shouts at his agent, "Show me the money!". How about Gordon Gekko in Wall Street as he utters the classic line at a stockholders' meeting: "Greed is good." There is a large sign east of Lake Crystal, Minnesota, which has a 30ish male, hard hat, white T-shirt, arms crossed, saying: "I go to work so I can fund the bribes, bail-outs, corruption, and illegals. (Signed) Angry American Voter". What is the purpose of money? It seems if we understand money's purpose we would know better how to treat it, use it, and therefore how to make it our servant rather than our master.

I think it boils down to JUSTICE. God's justice wills EVERYONE to have enough money. When everyone has enough, there will be a quiet peace and godly dignity.

Revolutions nearly always begin with the poor and oppressed. They can't take it anymore. They are the living examples of INJUSTICE. The wealthy have something to "conserve" so they do not cater to a revolution or pose a challenge to the middle class. Furthermore, democracies do not attack each other. In both of these situations, money plays a pivotal role: In the first there is not enough for everyone. In the second scenario there is no need for a revolution because those in power are wealthy and do not want to disturb the status quo. So, when everyone has enough, there will be less violence and democracies can continue living in peace! "Enough" is the operative word.

The prophet Amos writes about those who " trample on the needy" and "bring the poor to ruin". Amos clearly sees these situations as gross "injustices". It is the wealthy or at least those who have "enough" who do the trampling and create the ruin. Those who do not have "enough" get trampled and ruined. Again, "enough" is the operative word. Further on, it is the wealthy who cheat the poor and needy. In the end, Amos tells them that "God will remember their ways", giving the wealthy a glimpse into the future judgment of God.

It is no accident that the United States is in economic trouble since 1:7 people are now living beneath the poverty line, that unemployment is near 10%, and that people are losing their homes. Economic trouble exists because there are a significant number of people who do not have enough money to live on. Hence, anger and fear, and the growing "Tea Party" movement.

How can we create a money environment where everyone has enough? My suggestions are: 1) Significantly cut the defense budget and expect other nations to foot their fair share of defense needs; 2) Get rid of all off-shore tax havens for corporations; 3) Go full-bore on a national energy policy to design and build alternative energy sources; 4) Invest fully in education on all levels, plus making college education more affordable; 5) Make banks lend money for start-up businesses; 6) Majorly tax CEO bonuses; 7) Institute "workfare" programs for the hard core unemployed and pay a fair wage; 8) Increase the minimum wage to at least $10 an hour; 9) Increase taxes on the wealthy; 10) Incentivize corporations to stay in the United States; 11) Cut down on credit card use; 12) Increase the limit on which you pay Social Security taxes and stop taking money out of the SS Trust Fund; 13) Urge people to live more simply with less stuff, to enjoy friends and family more, to find greater joy in volunteering; 14) Commit ourselves to enhancing the quality of life for all people; 15) Design programs to rebuild America's infrastructure.

When people have "enough" money, they will lead more quiet and peaceful lives with much more godly dignity. Wealth must be created. Wealth must be shared. Everyone must have enough.
Everyone is our brother and sister.

Peace!
Ron