This Blog

I've come to notice something recently. Many people make outrageous claims about the economic and political leanings of the Bible, unsubstantiated claims. Many of these people also attempt to claim the moral high ground for their particular political party. These people are usually right wingers, and often libertarians.

I just came across a chap called Gary North who claims "The Bible mandates free market capitalism. It is anti-socialist. The proof is here: 10,000 pages of exposition, verse by verse". It's basically a libertarian interpretation of the Bible - an interpretation to support his prior political persuasions. It includes the classic characterisation of the political spectrum into two camps that right-wing folk tend to indulge in: Communism/socialism or a free market economy.

It seems there is a dearth of literature on anything but the "Christian Right", and certainly the "Christian Left" does not appear to have quite so many heavyweights listed there.

Is that it though? Is it really only possible to be a free market capitalist, believing in unfettered markets, and a Christian? When I talk about being a Christian, I mean a Bible-believing Christian, and Evangelical, or conservative Christian: Someone who takes the Bible seriously even on the issues where society disagrees.

I believe the answer is no, fundamentally no, and it irks me greatly to see people like Gary North, like Conservative/Republicans claiming the only logical position as an Evangelical Christian is to vote for that party. Hence this blog. I aim to argue using basic economics (the basic economics that all these people ignore in their defence of unfettered markets and subsequent contortion of the Bible).

I hope though not to be as confrontational as these people, as I'd hate to turn into someone who attempted to raise a political party to the higher moral ground. I don't believe Jesus would have been a right winger just as I'm not sure he would have been a leftie either. I think that question is entirely pointless and to try and venture along some kind of characterisation is to wander towards a faith+something else theology.

But simply, a Christian is saved by his belief in Jesus's death and resurrection. Not on which side of the centre ground of economics/politics he happens to stand on.