Politics

I think both Republican and Democrat have Christian attributes if each removed non-Christian attributes.

By removing the non-Christian attributes, you will see the actual listing of Christian attributes.

This is interesting when you do research like this. The Puritans and Democratic Principles Before America was born, Puritan devotion to democratic principles by having town meetings in their church that every church member had the right to speak, and decisions were made by majority rule. The Puritan devotion to democratic principles had an important effect on American life. The very first Republican President was Abraham Lincoln. The Republican Party was established in 1854 by a coalition of former Whigs, Northern Democrats, and Free-Soilers who opposed the expansion of slavery and held a vision for modernizing the United States.

Politics are not the problem. Its PEOPLE. Christians, non-Christians, Extremists, Liberals, Conversatives and the list is so long. Politically eveyone is so divided. We ALL are Christians first and everything else after that is secondary including political party. We must careful not to identify the gospel with any political parties because Jesus Christ have HIS OWN Party which is HIS KINGDOM. Christ stands alone, above and outside of every ideology of any political parties. Jesus does not and will not join any of our parties. I am having a major problem with people today using God for their own interests into man-made political issues. Jesus said "My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence" (John 18:36). Christ have not given us a political agenda, but a spiritual mandate to proclaim the Gospel and disciple the nations (Matthew 28:19-20). Politics and ideology have come in the form of the separation in our minds of "sacred vs. secular". I am what some of my relatives and friends called "Liberal Republican" or you can say "Conservative Democrat".

Therefore, Christ has NO political agenda. There are Christians' views are so far "right" because they view differently while Christians' views are so far "left" because they view differently. Neither of them is right or wrong. My wife is a registered democrat and I am a registered republican. In reality, we both agree down the middle which basically means I am a "Liberal Republican" or she is a "Conservative Democrat".

I do believe very much in being a responsible Christian citizen. But that responsibility is defined for the Christian by the Bible, not by university professors or political scientists or campaign advertisements or any other humanism reasoning. As good testimony to outsiders, Christians can work with non-Christians (& government) in attempting to promote justice and civic peace because it is good for all people, not just Christians (Galatians 6:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:15). To love God is to treat people lovingly. (Leviticus 19:18, I John 3). Christ taught us to love our enemies, instructing us that war, both within and without, is sin and an expression of human failure. (Matthew 5, James 4). As Christians, we can commit ourselves to work more actively for public policies that reduce militarism, war, and political and economic inequities. We must work persistently and faithfully for a more peaceful and equitable world community. That means we if we do not like what the Government is doing, GET INVOLVED and make it change (if God is willing).

Political Economic System
No Economic system will solve anything. No Government system will solve anything. No Church/Denomination will solve anything. Only GOD will solve anything. We are created in the image of God and able to control the economic system however at the same time, human beings who are sinners and tend towards greed and exploitation. The governments have been finding ways to change people's view on money from the inside out which therefore, Marxists (Socialist) believe that people will be changed from the outside in by being equal materialistically. Socialism economic systems ignore the biblical definitions of human nature. We all have some kind of specific needs which usually means commercial or mercantile activity engaged in as a means of livelihood in terms of commercial or sometimes an industrial enterprise in transactions especially of an economic nature. Free market capitalism produces long-term economic growth. Socialism by the state produce poverty and bureaucracy. Economic's chief purpose is to discover and refine just and loving means of creating, distributing, and consuming wealth to overcome poverty and to increase the material and spiritual prosperity of people. In a sin-filled world, economics—like all other activities of life in this world, cannot be perfect.

Another issue of the paradox the fact that socialists need capitalism in order to survive because they don't practice free markets to provide the economic system to work.

Wealth is permissionable as long as we gain wealth with honesty and without cheating and stealing. Throughout the Old Testament, there were lists of people who were wealthy and in fact the Book of Proverbs wrote who we use our wealth. Economic system is stewardship. Economic is a system rather than beliefs. All produce, commodities, and money are to follow just weights and measures as described in the Bible: Lev. 19:35-36; Ezek. 45:10-14.

1 Samuel 2:7 The LORD sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts.

Proverbs 10:4 Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.

Proverbs 13:7 One man pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.

Proverbs 22:4 Humility and the fear of the LORD bring wealth and honor and life.

Proverbs 28:8 He who increases his wealth by exorbitant interest amasses it for another, who will be kind to the poor.

Free market capitalism produces long-term economic growth. Socialism by the state produce poverty and bureaucracy. If your goal is to keep poor people poor, generation after generation, you should promote socialism. Economic's chief purpose is to discover and refine just and loving means of creating, distributing, and consuming wealth to overcome poverty and to increase the material and spiritual prosperity of people. In a sin-filled world, economics—like all other activities of life in this world, cannot be perfect.

Through the Puritans, Economics Capitalism was adopted by following Puritan work ethic in form of stewardship and that economics are called for efficiency and productiveness of common sense and a strong sense of disiring to be a good steward of God’s gifts. The Puritan attitudes towards money that their conviction that money is a social good, not a private possession and that the economic main purpose is the welfare of everyone in society, not the personal pleasure of the person who happens to have control over it.

Quote:
“The question is how they (Puritans) use that which they labour so hard for, and save so sparingly. If they use it for God, and for charitable uses, there is no man taketh a righter course.” (Richard Baxter (1615-1691)

Without Capitalism personal computers would not here, Medical Technologies would not advance, automobile would not advance, most technologies would not advance, technologies & devices for the disable would not be here, and I can go on and on.

I don't know if we can call this a blessing or thankful that it is a system that benefits everyone even though some will still live in poverty. In this country, people have equal opportunity to be successful but not everyone would be successful. Just as everyone have the equal opportunity to excel in sports and make millions but only 2% of the population have the talent and gifts to play.

Quotes by: Benjamin Franklin “The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself.”

“Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.”

“How few there are who have courage enough to own their faults, or resolution enough to mend them”

My final thoughts on the political economic system: Capitalism (or socialism or any other economical system) is NOT the problem... its PEOPLE...... If I had a choice, I would pick capitalism because without it, creation of wonderful things such as microwave would not be here.

Oh yeah.... without capitalism, Microsoft or Mac would not make personal computers.