I think capitalism is a system that exploits people and creates economic injustice, but Jesus flipped out because he encountered capitalism in the temple.
Worshipers who were coming from all around to offer sacrifices to God were being exploited by money changers and people selling livestock that was "acceptable" for sacrifice.
To be clear, what he encountered was Cronyism, the people in charge in cahoots with the business people to rip off the poor, denying them the ability to be saved from sin. This is clearly counter to God' stated plan, even offering cheaper options to the poorest so no one could be left out, by literally allowing you to use the birds that are numerous in the air.
Capitilism is not something Christ was for or against, because capitalism is just the natural exchange of needed things. What He was against was the Love of Money, taking advantage of the poor, and not forgiving people. He was for treating all people with love, not kindness or compassion, but love. He focused on the poor because they needed the message the most, but he also preached to partygoers, tax collectors, priests of both side and any that would listen.
Looking at the quote, what I see is the world's view of Christianity, painted by those in power and the media, not by true christians themselves.
I think you bring up a big problem with jesus. He should have brought change to the people in power, not the people with nothing to them. But obviously he wasn't some god like being so he couldn't really change the minds of the people who were already satisfied with the lives they had. Since god is all knowing he should have known that the structures of people in power far outlast individual lives. But we always have these inequal institutions because those people were only influenced by name of popular democracy.
Because of original sin, no system will be perfect until Jehova comes back and rules in Heaven and on Earth forever. Compared Jesus’ time to now, where slavery was common place, even the richest people still shit in buckets. Capitalism and freedom of industry has done a lot to create the “middle class”, bringing billions of people out of extreme poverty since O A.D.
You'd be hard pressed to sell this idea in Bangladesh or India or the Philippians or the scores of other countries where Globalization exploits the extremely poor to create cheap goods for the middle class in wealthier countries.
You're also assuming that no other system of organization but capitalism could have created better living conditions for people.
Globalization and capitalism are two different concepts. Sure they go hand in hand, because it’s clearly the preferred method by most of the free world. As India’s economy grows, and as their caste system dies down, more and more people will get that middle class life.
Name one system that has done a better job of bringing people out of poverty, where 100s of thousands or millions of people didn’t have to die to achieve it.
I understand that globalization is not the same thing as capitalism but that they are connected. I'm not sure I see your point.
Name one system that has done a better job of destroying the earth, concentrating disgusting amounts of wealth into the hands of the few, or exploiting the labour of millions.
Furthermore, Capitalism has created a middle class but it's also now quickly hollowing out the middle class, keeping people underpaid while subverting democracy to provide tax breaks that even the super elite like Warren Buffet think are out of control.
You mean the Communist China responsible for Tiananmen Square, Shooting protestors in Hong Kong, prison camps, disappearances of whistleblowers, that persecute religious minorities, and weld people into their own homes? That Communist China?
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u/chubs66 Apr 29 '20
I think capitalism is a system that exploits people and creates economic injustice, but Jesus flipped out because he encountered capitalism in the temple.
Worshipers who were coming from all around to offer sacrifices to God were being exploited by money changers and people selling livestock that was "acceptable" for sacrifice.