The true Christian way is, indeed, to care for the poor and needy, both spiritually and physically, by letting God work His purposes through us as we agree with Him and yield to Him – including our purses and wallets. To accomplish these ends, Jesus promoted charitably giving out of our own blessings, time, and production; not forcibly taking from our neighbor and then giving or keeping what is not ours. That isn’t godly no matter what label it’s been accorded; and it certainly isn’t noble or wise. Such methods are neither self-sustaining nor effective. Taking from others without their approval is theft, not charity. Capitalism is a better approach, but it is not Christianity; it is, however, built upon the biblical principles of labor, production, investment, research, initiative, and creativity. These are God’s ways, as He demonstrated throughout Genesis, where we see the dignity and value of work. Capitalism does best in a nation adhering to Christian principles. It’s why America is the greatest land of opportunity and affluence in all history, why peoples the world over are still coming here century after century, and why they rarely go back with their earnings after succeeding here. Capitalism also does best when the means of production are fully in private hands. When government controls and/or owns the means, it is not true capitalism. It’s been labeled corporate fascism because inefficient, greedy, regulation-prone, controlling, reactionary, prejudiced, and unseasoned bureaucrats operate the economy from a myopic fair-share agenda. Ayn Rand exposes this concept effectively in her classic Atlas Shrugged.

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