Posted on 03/23/2019 7:41:22 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Hey Chuck,
I read more and more people pushing for Universal Basic Income (UBI)? This sounds cool but so does a free condo on the beach. First, what is it? More importantly, is it really a good thing?
Interested in UBI
Thanks for your important and timely question. UBI is being talked about heavily among Silicon Valley tech titans like Mark Zuckerberg. Recently, new presidential candidate Andrew Yang has even made it his central campaign promise.
What Is UBI?
On the surface, UBI does sound intriguing: everyone gets guaranteed monthly income; cash in the bank, no strings attached. This idea has been around for a while and is currently being tried in a number of places around the world:
● Finland: After a two-year-long experiment, the government found that the recipients “were no better or worse than the control groups at finding employment in the open labor market…” The Finnish government chose not to extend the program after the experiment ended.
● Ontario, Canda: Only 15 months into a planned three-year-long Basic Income experiment, the Ontario government shut down the program, citing that it was “not sustainable.”
● Stockton, California: Recently launched, the SEED program will give $500 a month to 130 individuals for 18 months. The recipients can spend the money however they want. Proponents of the experiment are hoping it helps low-income people “work smarter and harder.”
● Andrew Yang, a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, calls his version the “Freedom Dividend,” which has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? His proposal would call for a monthly stipend of $1,000 ($12,000/year) for everyone between the ages of 18-64 (working age Americans).
Most every proponent of the free money for all campaign share a common justification for the so-called pressing need to get this done sooner than later. They have a dystopian worldview that believes that technology is going to rapidly replace the lower economic end of the workforce with robots and artificial intelligence which will lead to mass unemployment, crime, poverty, and widespread violence. They assert that jobs in the trucking and retail industries will be the first to go, which are among America’s largest employers.
Is UBI a Good Thing?
The most popular argument for UBI is that:
UBI would give individuals freedom to spend the money in a way they choose. In other words, UBI strengthens economic liberty at an individual level. This would help them to choose the kind of work they want to do, rather than forcing them to do unproductive work to meet their daily requirements.
Two main issues I have with this:
Is UBI Biblically Supported?
In short, no. I see several reasons UBI is in conflict with biblical principles.
Work was created by God to supply our physical needs, and should be a blessing to us. God charged Adam with work to take care of the earth and reign over the animals in Genesis, before sin had ever entered the world. We are designed to work and UBI removes the dignity, necessity, and satisfaction of work.
One of the main symptoms of discontentment is that you’re unable to experience peace living on what God has provided. You buy into the philosophy that you always need more, better, faster. You compare the things you have to the things you could have. What you currently have is never good enough. If everyone received $1,000 a month from the government, soon they’ll want $1,500, then $2,000. Ecclesiastes 5:10 says, Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.
UBI perpetuates this attitude of discontentment by assuming money will solve the problem of poverty and make people happy.
But a lack of finances isn’t the cause of poverty - in the vast majority of cases, mismanagement of what we have is to blame, not only for poverty, but all kinds of debt, corruption, and destitution. Of course, there are extreme circumstances that lead to financial hardships, and those in the top 1% of income earners also mismanage money.
Putting more money into the hands of those who are not equipped to manage it with biblical principles will not solve their long term problems (regardless of their socioeconomic status). Attempting to equally distribute money will not result in equal stewardship of money. Instead, it will slow economic growth, de-incentivize business, and increase the tax burden of the country. Starting with the wrong assumption will always lead to the wrong solution.
The world’s economy promotes a scarcity mindset - that there is never enough. This feeds our sinful nature of greed, dishonesty, and selfishness. It tells us to pursue more, bigger, and better for our own gain. Most who vote for UBI do so to protect their own wealth, not to help less fortunate people.
But the principles of God’s economy are in stark contrast, encouraging us to live fruitful, productive lives, exhibiting generosity, honesty, and selflessness. God’s economy is based on the principles of abundance:
But I do not need the bulls from your barns or the goats from your pens. For all the animals of the forest are mine, and I own the cattle on a thousand hills. (Psalm 50:9-10)
And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8)
The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. (Deuteronomy 8:12)
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17)
We serve a good God, a generous Father, who is eager to bless His children (Matthew 6:25-34, Matthew 7:11). Why would we look to the government for our provision when the Creator of all cares about our every need?
A Better Way
Ultimately, I see many more problems with UBI than sustainable solutions. I don’t see it as a realistic escape from poverty, a benefit to the economy, or a program in line with Scripture. I see it as massive tax leading to less freedom and less economic growth. We should reject UBI and promote the solutions that God says will help us: work diligently, steward wisely and provide private charitable help to those unable to work.
I thought UBI was an acronym for UNSUSTAINABLE BASIC INCOME.
I remember discussing the idea of UBI decades with friends in the dorm at college. These ideas aren’t new.
While I’m NOT a proponent for UBI, the whole concept of UBI may be in our future whether we like it or not.
As technology continues to replace human labor with robots and automation, we will eventually reach a point where we cannot provide jobs for everyone. Yes, this includes people that make management and technical decisions. Computers will eventually program themselves, they’ll make better decisions than humans, and they’ll even create and repair themselves.
So, what will humans do? Will we live in a society like in the movie Elysium? Basically, if you were lucky enough to be born into a family that has endless money, then you’ll thrive, if you are unlucky enough to be born into poverty then, in this future automated world, there may be no way for you to work your way out of it.
We may fix this ourselves through reduced reproduction, war, or one of many other idiotic population reducing actions.
Basically, it is entirely possible that someday only a small percentage of humans will actually have jobs. Does that mean that everyone else starves?
Matthew 26:11
“For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.”
It is a stupid idea. Anyone who thinks it’s a good idea is a colossal idiot.
For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
2 Thessalonians 3:10
The only "UBI" I need is the tax cut.
Funny how I never hear the term.
“Universal Basic Effort” or UBE...
**Is universal basic income a biblical solution to poverty?**
No!!!
Let capitalism reign!
And it gives modern leftists funny ideas about distributing that wealth to the nonworking long before we ever get there.
“Not sure why that distinction is so often overlooked.”
Shirley you jest...
It’s biblical in the sense that
without miracles, it doesn’t work.
Nope.
Jesus said that the poor we would always have with us.
Even if everyone were given the EXACT same things to start ove3r with, within a few years, there would no longer be income equity.
People are different and some are good with managing money and some are really good at wasting it.
The problem isn’t income inequity.
The probl3em is human nature.
And stop calling me Shirley.
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33)
For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. (2 Thessalonians 3:10)
Then there is also mercy (not getting the bad you deserve) and grace (getting the good you did not merit by obedience), which is to incentivize showing the same and in overall obedience that enables one to be a blessing to others.
What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me? (Psalms 116:12)
In those days Hezekiah was sick to the death, and prayed unto the Lord: and he spake unto him, and he gave him a sign. But Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto him; for his heart was lifted up: therefore there was wrath upon him, and upon Judah and Jerusalem. (2 Chronicles 32:24-25)
So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? (Matthew 18:31-33)
And while Israel did provide some public assistance, private charity is what is exhorted in accordance with what one has.
Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; (1 Timothy 6:17-18)
But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality: (2 Corinthians 8:14)
In contrast, impersonal gov. welfare is seen as a "right," and thus the absence of such are considered injustice. And like a cheap women, it is not really being appreciated, and more is demanded. And UBI is part of the same thing.
In addition, the reasoning that giving people free money is justified since it will help the economy is absurd. By the rule the government should just give everyone tons of money. However, this relates to the the law of diminishing returns, in which the extra money going out is less than what comes in.
No. For any church to embrace that would be heretical.
1. It would be compulsory from without (whether by governmental or ecclesiastical coercion), not voluntary from within, and therefore could not be faith based.
2. It would make the temporal and carnal of paramount importance, placed above, even supplanting, the eternal and spiritual.
3. It would ignore human nature (a sure sign it is leftist): The poor you will always have with you.
Leftists - in or out of the church - are all about Utopia: Heaven on Earth.
It is overlooked accidentally by the useful idiots, and deliberately by the fellow travelers.
Further, Jesus did not universally mandate that all rich men give up their wealth to follow him, but one specific rich man: Faith is individual, and Jesus addressed what that individual needed to do.
In addition to all else, it would invalidate the commandment not to covet one’s neighbor’s wealth.
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