The following column was written in response to guest columnist Jon Huer’s Sept. 12 column “Christianity and capitalism in conflict.”
Recently, a prominent local pastor posted a very joyous photo of the groundbreaking of his church’s new multimillion-dollar campus building online. This is a pastor that has obvious liberal Democrat leanings and whose son proudly labels himself online as “anti-capitalist.”
But, that pastor’s wealthy church is full of capitalists and he needed their money to build that new building.
That’s the dichotomy. Capitalism lifts up those Americans who participate and engage. It provides hope that a person can become more successful and secure today than they were yesterday. Capitalism motivates anyone to learn a skill or trade that will help them successfully provide for their family. Stories abound of immigrants working two or three jobs to help their children get a great education and life. Conversely, capitalists are often the ones society — and Christianity — depends on for charity, emergency/crisis support and most of the taxes that support schools, community resources and public services.
It is trendy to attack “millionaires and billionaires,” although ironically many sports stars, as well as politicians fall into this category. Why do I always feel there is a political agenda when an “educator” pronounces the incompatibility of Christianity and capitalism?
In fact, if you tear down capitalism and the good works it brings, can Christianity ever thrive? Can you name one country that has full scale socialism and also has thriving Christianity?
In short, it is hypocritical to attack the one system that can supercharge an individual’s aspiration to be better, smarter, and more skilled as greedy and anti-Christian. Socialism’s goals are to meet everybody’s needs, but it simply keeps everybody down at the lowest level. With no hope for the future.
It is a flimsy generality to characterize capitalists as worshipping money or possessions over faith. Claiming that all capitalists want to monopolize, crush the competition, conquer all or destroy and dominate shows a shallow lack of understanding about business. These comments could only be made by a lifetime academic very far removed from the business world.
Are there cases of fraud or unethical behavior in business. Sure. Is this the case more than any other area of society, including religion? I don’t think so.
But, capitalism at it’s best lifts people up, creates a new product, service, innovation or efficiency. Free market capitalism discovers new drugs, new technologies and makes millions of lives more comfortable, productive and connected. Businesspeople add value to raw materials to provide necessary products in our lives. Whenever there is a crisis anywhere in the world, it is capitalist countries that take the lead in providing assistance.
Recently a lot has been made of college or graduate school graduates not being able to pay back loans. It is true that colleges charge high prices whether a student learns or doesn’t learn a skill that will be valuable in our capitalist society. There are no refunds for those who either don’t achieve a high level of academic proficiency in their chosen field or study in a field with little economic demand.
Something tells me the same professors attacking capitalism are the same ones leaving their graduates woefully unprepared to compete in today’s economy.
Jesus preached against the sinfulness of loving money above all else. But capitalists provide resources for wonderful, charitable initiatives in society every day. It is political and disingenuous to say that Christianity solely focuses on the “bliss of the soul” and capitalism solely focuses on the “pleasure of the flesh above all things?”
Bank of America Chairman/CEO Brian Moynihan recently gave a speech at the World Affairs Council in Charlotte, North Carolina about the world’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While not touching on religion or Christianity, Moynihan stressed that capitalists have the obligation and power to help achieve these SDG goals.
“Why does capitalism have to deliver (society’s) SDGs and the progress? Well, it’s simple. Capitalism has the money. Capitalism has the talent. Capitalism has the innovation behind it. And, yes, it has a profit motive,” Moynihan said.
And it’s true. Whether an entrepreneur is launching a local automotive or air conditioning repair shop or is the CEO of Bank of America, capitalism is the engine that can lift all boats. You can pursue profit and “the bliss of the soul.” Christianity and capitalism are compatible. Never in history has socialism provided prosperity and thriving Christianity in a large, diverse country like America.
Dan Owens is a Christian and businessman who lives in Charlotte, North Carolina.