There's an important article inThe Public Discourseby Adam J. MacLeod that explains why capitalism and charities are vital for communities. MacLeod's idea ties in nicely with this commentary by Jim Liske, CEO of Prison Fellowship, regarding Mitt Romney's tax returns and America's little platoons.
MacLeod compares and contrasts America with Cuba, capitalism with communism. Capitalism tempered by faith-based charities greatly benefits society. Here's the really interesting part: Faith-based volunteers, writes MacLeod, "sacrifice in some degree their individual autonomy for the sake of some good greater than themselves. They are, in short, communal beings who act through communal means for common goods."
In an aside, I like the term free market better than capitalism because it comes with less baggage. Also, as BreakPoint Blog commenters have pointed out, the term social justice carries baggage too.
Keith Miller, the author of The Taste of New Wine, a revolutionary Christian book, has died at the age of 84. His book has sold millions of copies and has been continuously in print since its publication in 1965. Here is his family blog, where news of his passing is posted.
I remember when I became a Christian in 1968, just as I was going into college. I had little Christian background and had not spent spent more than a few dozen hours inside a church in my life. Most of church life seemed stale then, but there was a new Christian counterculture arising in America, in bits and pieces, which, when examined, had far more exciting ideas than the other new ideas coming into popular culture (and there were many in those days).
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Just for fun
By: Gina Dalfonzo|Published: January 25, 2012 3:58 PM
Kim's excellent post yesterday brought something to mind: As usual when Christians are taking a stand on a moral issue, there's a right way and a wrong way to go about it.
To my mind, the right (grace-filled) way is to gently and politely refuse when asked to buy Girl Scout cookies. The wrong way is to harshly lecture the Girl Scout and/or parent at your door. I'm sorry that it's even necessary to mention this, but unfortunately, too many of us have shown a tendency to do things like this in the past. And it usually comes back to bite us.
One day, years from now, we could be dealing with a generation telling us that they felt pushed away from Christ by the nasty Christians who yelled at them about cookies. Let's see if we can avoid that. READ FULL ARTICLE »
Cookies, Anyone?
By: Kim Moreland|Published: January 24, 2012 4:15 PM
A scandal of major proportions is happening at Girl Scout headquarters. They're more interested in pushing policies and ideas that ultimately hurt girls, than in teaching them helpful survival skills.
Sadly, some of the profits from cookie sales are being used to promote abortion via Planned Parenthood. READ FULL ARTICLE »
If the facts don't work, try hysteria
By: Gina Dalfonzo|Published: January 24, 2012 10:43 AM
It seems Tennessee legislators are trying to carve out a path that would both prevent bullying and protect students' rights to freedom of speech and religion.
But -- as you'll see if you Google "license to bully bill" -- once the professional hysterics seize control of the narrative, the battle is pretty much over. READ FULL ARTICLE »
The Traveling Exhibit: Passages
By: Kim Moreland|Published: January 23, 2012 4:25 PM
This, I've got to see, so I hope Hobby Lobby president Steve Green has authorized this exhibit of biblical antiquities to be shown in the nation's capital. Among the treasures is "the oldest portion of the book of Romans known, dating to middle second century." READ FULL ARTICLE »
