Category: Spirituality of Capitalism
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Mind, Body, Soul…. And Wallet.
Is it possible to be a good Catholic in a consumerist capitalistic society? I’ve heard it often said that Catholics lack direction and guidance on how to conduct themselves spiritually in concerns of their finances. The role of the laity is meant to bring God into places where He has yet to shine. I’ll offer…
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Euthanasia the Epitome of Capitalistic Efficiency
Pope Leo’s latest encyclical, Humanitas Magnifica, says, “When efficiency becomes the ultimate measure of value, human beings are tempted to see themselves as a project to be optimized rather than as persons called to relationship and communion.” This is crystal clear in terms of Euthanasia. The desire to artificially end someone’s life is at best…
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The Practice of Tithing vs Financial Insecurity
Lent has begun! What a glorious time to take stock of our spiritual health and reassess our relationship with God and neighbor. Lent is a penitential season in the Catholic Church and other denominations. A quick lesson, penance is not meant to be a punishment though it usually follows after some sort of crime or…
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If I Could Baptize Capitalism Then I Would Change Three Things
Capitalism is known for being a selfish greed driven economic system. What would it look like if people ran their businesses with altruistic integrity? If capitalists sought solutions that were win-win by intuitive instinct. What about if the businesses would welcome competition and abhor the idea of being a monopoly? If the businesses cared for…
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Usury: THE Financial Sin
The casual mention of usury usually leaves people puzzled. The word itself has grown out of fashion and a cursory understanding makes it seem like usury is everywhere. For Myself, I did not know what it was until I wrote a paper about it in my grad class and have been obsessed with it since.…
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What is the worth of one hour of a human’s life?
The minimum wage is a controversial topic. One side says raising wages will harm businesses. The other side says an economy can’t function without a livable wage for all people. The issue is ultimately an economic issue. Good old fashion supply and demand. However, it is also a metaphysical issue, because it deals with the…
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Religion is Wasteful… that’s Wonderful!
EFFICIENCY! It is oh so American to be efficient. Tasks must be done in a timely and efficient manner. If the task cannot be done efficiently then it must be cut out or outsourced. There are many products and services that uses convenience and efficiency as their main selling point. The Average Catholic rebukes this…
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Let’s Talk About the Capitalism in “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
A tale of selfless service, lost purpose, and gratitude. “It’s a Wonderful Life” is a timeless classic that beautifully depicts the importance of being grateful for the life that we live. For our purposes, the movie provides a great dichotomy of “good” capitalism and “bad” capitalism. There is a battle over the lives of Bedford…
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Do you get Bonus Points in Heaven for the Final Amount in your Bank Account?
What is the economically efficient way to hold on to wealth? This is not a moral “got you” about right and wrong. It is an honest question of how much money should we have when we die? Prudential judgement is the correct answer. There shouldn’t be a hard and steadfast rule. If we, Average Catholics,…
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Money is the Root of All Evil … that’s Inconvenient.
Unfortunately, there is a bible passage that cannot be ignored. That is “Money is the root of all evil.” It is a common phrase when talking about money and spirituality. The result is an understanding that material possessions are more often than not a barrier to holiness. If the only virtuous and holy thing to…
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