No great spiritual teacher in history would condone Capitalism

[Rainbow Mage]

Does anyone ever think about this, despite the fact that they may like Capitalism? None of the great spiritual masters of history would ever have condoned Capitalism. I'm not even sure they would have called it ethical.

Why do people like Capitalism so much, especially American Christians? Do you honestly believe Jesus would have supported Capitalism? Have you read what the Bible says against usury, and what it says about giving up everything, and what Acts says the early church was like? That was a purely Socialist system!

How can anyone who claims to be true follower of any religion or spiritual teacher condone Capitalism? It's a system built on greed and usury. It discourages charity and looking out for the poor, by teaching to look out for yourself first.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

Well, no takers? Would Jesus condone Capitalism? Would Buddha? Would Confucius? Would Krishna? Would Muhammad?

 

[blackout]

Is it something you actually think you can fight?

Don't worry,
it will self destruct sooner or later.

(but hopefully not until I have a chance to capitalize on it. )

 

[blackout]

Well, no takers? Would Jesus condone Capitalism? Would Buddha? Would Confucius? Would Krishna? Would Muhammad?

Question: What would a non-condoner be required to DO,
living in a capitalist system,
in order to legitimately hold their status as "non-condoner"?

 

[asketikos]

i agree

 

[Sunstone]

Are you saying there are no great spiritual teachers in history who would welcome the material prosperity that capitalism has historically brought people?

 

[Rainbow Mage]

Are you saying there are no great spiritual teachers in history who would welcome the material prosperity that capitalism has historically brought people?

Especially not that. All the great spiritual masters taught over-materialism was a great evil.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Capitalism is the same sort of fantasy as doing the lottery.

Every one is taught to believe that any one can make it and become rich.
There are thousands of rich Capitalists to prove it, and like lottery winners most started with very little.

It is quite true that any one might become rich, but even then it is mostly down to luck. Of the millions that study and work hard only very few make to near the top.

The more the ones at the bottom try and work hard to succeed, the richer those at the top become.
It is inherently unfair.

The difficulty is finding what to put in its place.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

The difficulty is finding what to put in its place.

What about Socialism?

 

[Sunstone]

Especially not that. All the great spiritual masters taught over-materialism was a great evil.

So, if I'm reading your correctly, you think capitalism necessarily results in "over-materialism"?

 

[Rainbow Mage]

So, if I'm reading your correctly, you think capitalism necessarily results in "over-materialism"?

Well let history speak for itself, in our country it certainly has, and in every country that's utilized it. The corporations end up on top and the poor end up with the scraps, dreams of reaching the top so they too can have an over-materialistic existence, because after all that's the greatest goal Capitalism offers, that having a nice house, car, etc. is what it means to be successful.

Shallow is what it is

 

[Caladan]

I am very surprised by a political thread such as this coming from a Kemetic.
The Egyptians were masters of centralized power. in their classes structure of the elite, they have defined the Pharaoh as god on earth, a god incarnate, specifically Horus incarnate. the Egyptians believed and held a complete segregation of the classes and in some cases of the races.
The battle for struggle over Kemet's or Egypt's land resources, manpower and political leverage raged between the priests of Egypt and the Egyptian monarchy through out Egyptian history.
In ancient Egypt. a very small, and commonly highly proficient and educated elite. dominated the rest of the simple and hard working population which worked the land of the Nile valley and the Delta in the Northern part of the state.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

I am very surprised by a political thread such as this coming from a Kemetic.
The Egyptians were masters of centralized power. in their classes structure of the elite, they have defined the Pharaoh as god on earth, a god incarnate, specifically Horus incarnate. the Egyptians believed and held a complete segregation of the classes and in some cases of the races.
The battle for struggle over Kemet's or Egypt's land resources, manpower and political leverage raged between the priests of Egypt and the Egyptian monarchy through out Egyptian history.
In ancient Egypt. a very small, and commonly highly proficient and educated elite. dominated the rest of the simple and hard working population which worked the land of the Nile valley and the Delta in the Northern part of the state.

That's because the Egyptians lived simpler lives and didn't care about having the best of everything.

 

[Caladan]

That's because the Egyptians lived simpler lives and didn't care about having the best of everything.

This does not make sense. can you seriously address the post?
If you want to lead a simpler life and not care about having the best of everything. why do you complain?
whether if it is about the ministries in your country, or the political elite?
these people do want a better slice of the cake, and work hard to get it. exactly as the priests of the Egyptian religions and the viziers and generals of Egypt did.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

This does not make sense. can you seriously address the post?
If you want to lead a simpler life and not care about having the best of everything. why do you complain?
whether if it is about the ministries in your country, or the political elite?
these people do want a better slice of the cake, and work hard to get it. exactly as the priests of the Egyptian religions and the viziers and generals of Egypt did.

I did seriously address your post. Sorry if you didn't like the reply. Though I do wonder why you love to bring up my religion so much. All the great sages of Egypt taught it was a virtue to be poor and live a life of piety and observance to the gods.

 

[Caladan]

I did seriously address your post. Sorry if you didn't like the reply. Though I do wonder why you love to bring up my religion so much.

Something wrong with it? you do not like to discuss your religion with others? do you only keep it as a decoration, and never consider to apply it to the political circumstances of your country?
furthermore. you bring my religion up every day. and you have just brought up Christianity. do you want to provoke adherents to other religions daily, but when they respond and ask you serious questions which examine how you place your religion in the same reality, you will go silent?

All the great sages of Egypt taught it was a virtue to be poor and live a life of piety and observance to the gods.

Exactly. just like many ministers do. they keep the less fortunate and the general herd in line. they are wise not to raise their expectations into unrealistic realms. you could in effect be describing a brand of Christianity in your nation. right now.
however. the cruelty of the matter is. that the royalty, priesthood, and elite classes of Egypt. lived in remarkable luxury. while the rest of the population lived only to labour in the fields and provided wheat and barely for the central storages of the state.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

Caladan the Priests and royalty also had harder lives. It's no coincidence that one of the Pharaoh's titles "Hemet" literally meant servant. A Pharaoh had to be popular with the people to continue their reign after an appointed period of time. The Pharaoh retook their coronation vows in a festival known as Sed. Obviously the people didn't mind living simple, poor lives. I don't mind either.

I think Capitalism is the greatest evil for getting everyone hung up on the idea of being rich and immersing themselves in a materialistic bog of quicksand.

 

[Caladan]

Caladan the Priests and royalty also had harder lives. It's no coincidence that one of the Pharaoh's titles "Hemet" literally meant servant. A Pharaoh had to be popular with the people to continue their reign after an appointed period of time. The Pharaoh retook their coronation vows in a festival known as Sed. Obviously the people didn't mind living simple, poor lives. I don't mind either.

I think Capitalism is the greatest evil for getting everyone hung up on the idea of being rich and immersing themselves in a materialistic bog of quicksand.

And this is different from the American administration how?
do the religious leaders and the politicians not have to work daily, hour to hour under stressful conditions to labour for results?
Did not Barack Obama take part in a presidential inauguration. as all American presidents do every 4 years. and outlined his commitment and long term plans needed to be laboured on for his society?
The difference between Obama and the Pharaoh. is that the Pharaoh was untouchable to ordinary men. he was a god incarnate. a demigod. which the people who work the land never see.
today. however we are fortunate enough to have the media around us on regular basis. to see our politicians face to face. hear what they have to say. assess what they have to say. and debate it.

If you would march into the royal courts of the Pharaoh. as a back broken and frustrated farmer in Egypt. coming to protest your woes. most chances are that you will find a quick death by a Medjay of black African descent. who works twice as hard as you. trains twice as hard as you. and rarely complains for his service to the Hamite society and royalty.

 

[Sunstone]

Well let history speak for itself, in our country it certainly has, and in every country that's utilized it. The corporations end up on top and the poor end up with the scraps, dreams of reaching the top so they too can have an over-materialistic existence, because after all that's the greatest goal Capitalism offers, that having a nice house, car, etc. is what it means to be successful.

Shallow is what it is

I'm trying to get an understanding of your ideas here. Are you now arguing that, because capitalism has historically led to what you term "over-materialism", that it will always -- that it will necessarily -- lead to "over-materialism"?

Also, is owning a house, car, etc. "over-materialism"? If so, why? What would not be "over-materialism"?

 

[Rainbow Mage]

And this is different from the American administration how?
do the religious leaders and the politicians not have to work daily, hour to hour under stressful conditions to labour for results?
Did not Barack Obama took part in a presidential inauguration. as all American presidents do every 4 years. and outlined his commitment and long term plans needed to be laboured on for his society?
The difference between Obama and the Pharaoh. is that the Pharaoh was untouchable to ordinary men. he was a god incarnate. a demigod. which the people who work the land never see.
today. however we are fortunate enough to have the media around us on regular basis. to see our politicians face to face. hear what they have to say. assess what they have to say. and debate it.

The difference is that American Capitalism keeps the lower classes hyped up with hopes and dreams of riches and material goods. They pervert and distort the minds of men to their most base and animalistic instincts, as we see with America's love of war.

The Egyptians were happy and content to be poor. They focused on devotion to the gods and helping each other.

The Egyptians offered us the foundation for the answer to the problems of today's world- Socialism. A system in which a few people manage and distribute all the wealth, so that everyone can have a decent life, instead of this huge divide between rich and poor.