Posted on 01/03/2012 4:46:38 PM PST by Kaslin
What human motivation gets the most wonderful things done? It's really a silly question, because the answer is so simple. It turns out that it's human greed that gets the most wonderful things done.
When I say greed, I am not talking about fraud, theft, dishonesty, lobbying for special privileges from government or other forms of despicable behavior. I'm talking about people trying to get as much as they can for themselves.
Let's look at it.
This winter, Texas ranchers may have to fight the cold of night, perhaps blizzards, to run down, feed and care for stray cattle. They make the personal sacrifice of caring for their animals to ensure that New Yorkers can enjoy beef.
Last summer, Idaho potato farmers toiled in blazing sun, in dust and dirt, and maybe being bitten by insects to ensure that New Yorkers had potatoes to go with their beef.
Selfless Takers
Here's my question: Do you think that Texas ranchers and Idaho potato farmers make these personal sacrifices because they love or care about the well-being of New Yorkers?
The fact is, whether they like New Yorkers or not, they make sure that New Yorkers are supplied with beef and potatoes every day of the week.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.investors.com ...
All the political insiders, banksters, the well connected Wall Street crooks and fat corps who received *trillions* in tax payer bailouts, could not agree more!
I heard Mr. Walter E. Williams on Rush’s show the day he went on about this. I was so disheartened. I thought he was a follower of Jesus.
Luke 12:15-21
Then he [Jesus] said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’
“Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’
“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’
“This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
Luke 16: (Jesus told his disciples...)
19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’
25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
Matthew 6:19-21
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Luke 6:46
“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”
Luke 3:7-11
John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.
The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
“What should we do then?” the crowd asked.
John answered, “The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same.”
I think it depends on the presentation of the story. The first sound film version, in 1935, was very Christian in tone. “Bob” is as important a character as “Scrooge.” “Marley” is not a horror, but a spirit invisible to all but Scrooge, come to bring him back from the brink. The most touching scene is Bob grieving over the dead body of Tiny Tim, who is laid out in the bedroom of his house. One would have to have a heart of stone no to be moved by it. It, more than his own doom, moves Scrooge to repentance, and, unpon waking the next day, to sheer joy at being alive. For Scrooge was dead but is now alive again.
Come on, selling out your fellow Americans in the pursuit of more profit has been great for this country! The USA doesn’t need to produce anything, we will be fine just selling each other ‘services’. /s
I agree with William’s premise, but don’t think he gets to re-define “greed”.
Webster says “Aquisitive desire beyond reason”. Avarice, selfishness, etc.
Greed and government make the perfect fit. Who do you think make the rules. Let’s ask the ‘inside traders’ themselves how well greed and government fit.
Greed and government make the perfect fit. Who do you think make the rules. Let’s ask the ‘inside traders’ themselves how well greed and government fit.
Greed is the wrong word to describe trying to make a living.
Greed is when a kid steals his little brother’s desert.
Or when a welfare bum takes taxpayer money.
Actually, a person with a very competitive nature often works to make money....in order to accomplish any number of other goals. I would not categorize that as “greed.” For me, as a Christian, a greedy person is one who puts far more value on things rather than God. Such a person is one who is obsessed with things. True greed/avarice motivates a person to lie and use falsehood to acquire more...at the expense of others.
Here’s another thought as well: People can be materially poor and spiritually rich ... AND ... they can be materially rich and spiritually poor.....or any combination thereof.
Most greedy people are leftists, for example Madoff. That's because true greed is just an extreme form of envy, and leftism is driven by envy. Leftists have to constantly switch the language as a disguise, which does work until the hijacked words wear out. They've destroyed the meaning of the word liberal so now they call themselves progressives. Leftists are the exact opposite of liberal or progressive.
Exactly. Rich reward for the pursuit of excellence in service of others is not greed. It is justly deserved. Greed is to want what you don’t deserve; in other words to demand charity is greedy. To steal is greedy. To think you deserve what you didn’t earn is greedy.
Turn it against the socialists and the term will expose them.
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