Christian Economics. Dale Anthony Pivarunas

favor the seller over the buyer. Businesses can charge whatever price they want and the consumer is forced to pay it. False is the proposition that the consumer does not have to buy. The consumer has to eat, the consumer has to have heat in the winter, the consumer has to have electricity, the consumer has to go to work, the consumer has to seek healthcare when they are sick or injured.

      Consumers are at the mercy of Big Business and Big Finance, yet Big Business and Big Finance are merciless. The economy is out of order and out of balance because of these prices. Is there not someone or something that can bring prices back into control? Is there not someone or something that can bring fairness and justice to prices? Is there not someone or something that can save the majority of Americans from financial hardship and perhaps a hundred million Americans from financial ruin because of these prices?

      If Christians applied Christian principles to their business lives and helped modify the strategies and policies of the businesses that they own or work for in such a way that justice and morality is factored into every business decision and action, then most of the prices of goods, services and money would become just and fair. Unfortunately, not all people will accept the principle of just and moral business practices. So, besides Christians bringing Christian principles to business, it is necessary for the government to oversee prices. The government needs to help the economy realize it’s objective of satisfying the needs and desires of all people for the basic necessities in life through price oversight and price management. The majority of people have no problem with police officers. The majority of people have no problem with traffic signals or traffic laws. The majority of people have no problems with laws which regulate people’s extreme and unsafe behavior. The majority of people have no problem with government oversight of the practice of medicine, law, electrical work, plumbing, etc. The government controls how fast a person can drive, how much alcohol a person can consume, and how much a truck can weigh. The vast majority of people, the 315 million working class people, would have no problem with government oversight and management of prices. Obviously, the wealthy minority would do all in their power to prevent this from happening. In spite of the denial by the wealthy minority, government oversight and management of prices is good and essential for a balanced, equitable, and growing economy which benefits all Americans.

      Balance and justice need to be restored to the economy, and Christians are probably the only ones capable of bringing this about through the practice of Christian economics. Christians should no longer compromise their principles and follow the current amoral economic theories which are the causes of the current economic and political crises. Christians need to be Christians in their public lives; their economic, business and political lives.

      The Distribution of Wealth

      The United States economy is a corporation of over 318 million people. This corporation has as its purpose and objective to satisfy in the most efficient and effective way the natural needs and desires of all Americans for food, clothing, housing, a livelihood, education, healthcare, disability care, old age care, recreation, entertainment, social interaction, acceptance and respect. Happiness for the majority of people is simple. A person who has enough food and water, has clothing, has shelter, has furniture, has appliances, has energy, has transportation, has the means of communicating, is educated, has healthcare, has disability insurance, has unemployment insurance, has old age insurance, has the opportunity to rest and recreate, has the ability to interact socially, and has respect from others for their rights and dignity—he or she is happy.

      Unfortunately, the US economy is failing to achieve its objective. There are tens of millions of people who in spite of working very hard are lacking basic necessities. They lack these necessities because they do not have sufficient income and wealth for them. Most working people have seen their effective income decrease and their wealth decrease as well. Over 79 million people in the US have negative or zero wealth. The purpose of the government of the United States is to coordinate and regulate the activities of its citizens with the goal of supporting and facilitating life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all people. The government’s role in coordinating and regulating the activities of its citizens certainly extends to economics.