![“ArtIm:](“http://assets.americanvision.org/mediafiles/artim-20090701-economy-taxes-greed-money-power.jpg" ““ArtIm:”) The Bible does not minimize the importance of economics. The Garden of Eden makes mention of gold and precious stones: “The gold of that land is good” (Genesis 2:11-12). Jesus used money as a teaching device in many of His parables. John MacArthur, pa [...]
What is the first principle of economics? Some economists will claim that it’s supply and demand, while others insist that it’s scarcity or the division of labor. The first principle of economics is “thou shalt not steal.”The word economics is derived from two Greek words: oikos, meaning “house,” and nomos, meaning “law.” Combined we get “rules or laws of the house.” Economics is ethical before it [...]
![“Article](“http://assets.americanvision.org/mediafiles/article-image-2009may06.jpg" ““Article”) American Vision receives a number of books for review purposes from numerous publishers each week. Some of the books are unsolicited with no note or letter telling us who the author is or why we might be interested in the topic. Some books are so poorly written and design [...]
![“Article](“http://assets.americanvision.org/mediafiles/article-image-030209.png" ““Article”) “I remember I was very sad for many days when I discovered that in the world there were poor people and rich people; and the strange thing is that the existence of the poor didn’t cause me as much pain as the knowledge that at the same time there were people who were rich.” [...]
![“Article](“http://assets.americanvision.org/mediafiles/article-image-010509.jpg" ““Article”) “The Government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.” – Ronald Reagan Jeff Foxworthy became famous and made a fortune with Red Neck jokes and comedy [...]
![“Article](“http://assets.americanvision.org/mediafiles/article-image-121608-b.jpg" ““Article”) Bernard Madoff, former Nasdaq Stock Market chairman and founder of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC, was arrested and charged with securities fraud in what federal prosecutors called a “Ponzi scheme” that could involve losses of more than $50 billion. Some of th [...]
Gary interviews Josh Bollen discussing the influence Christians can make through grass roots efforts by way of the Internet. They discuss the political left force of MoveOn.org and how they have been influential in moving the agenda of liberalism in America. Josh Bollen introduces his site Reagan.org, and how it’s effort is to push the republican party towards constitutional values once agai [...]
e housing market as it relates to the current economic crisis. Gary clarifies how not only is congress at fault for the market fall, but the buyers, bankers and investors too. “We might be victims of Wall Street’s greed, but not quite innocent victims.” Government interference in the market place is always a disaster. Gary also shares insight into the insurance/loan/housing marke [...]
“Washington wants only more of some people’s money… Out of envy, they are saying, ‘Yes. Tax those people at the top.’” Why are the prices so good in America for many commodities? Why are there enough jobs to go around? Why is it that in communist countries there’s no economic innovation? Thank the wealthy. Gary points out the ‘wealth of benefits&rsq [...]
Gary discusses the current debates on the political scene, and interviews Joel McDurmon about the mortgage crisis. [...]
The latest economic proposal coming from Barack Obama is a socialist’s dream. The president-in-waiting wants to steal money from oil companies and, in an act of blessedness and benevolence, give a check of $1,000 to American “middle class” families, hoping, of course, that more people will vote for him in the upcoming election. The ripple effect of Obamanomics would be a disaster. Retirement portf [...]
As you know, American Vision rarely asks for donations. And when we do, all of the donations we receive go 100% to ministry projects and not to staff salaries. Like most Americans, however, many of you are cutting back over concerns about our slowing economy and the upcoming presidential election. We’re not. Now is the time to recapture ground that has been lost to liberals. There’s no better time [...]
The first rule of economics is TANSTAAFL: There Ain’t No Such Thing as a Free Lunch.[1] While something might appear to be free (e.g., education, healthcare, etc.), there is always a cost to someone. Ignore this law, and all economic hell breaks loose. Of course, politicians believe they can ignore and even break any law because they consider themselves to be gods. They believe they can create eco [...]
With some variations, those who hold to a biblical economic model share many fundamental principles with advocates of a free market, or, as I hope to demonstrate, free marketers share many fundamental economic principles with advocates of a biblical worldview. John W. Robbins writes, in his critique of Ayn Rand’s Objectivist philosophy, “That the structure of knowledge that she erected, in which m [...]
The Bible begins with two uncontested presuppositions: First, God exists, and, second, He is the Creator of “the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). A third presupposition logically follows from the first two: “The earth is the LORD’s and all it contains” (Ps. 24:1; see 1 Cor. 10:26). Not only the land, but the stuff of creation also belongs to God: “For every beast of the forest is Mine, the cattl [...]
William Goldman, author and screen writer,[1] sums up the problem of attempting to be certain about the success of a film—“Nobody knows anything.”[2] Goldman was not saying that Hollywood types are stupid. He was pointing out that they are not omniscient. They don’t have enough knowledge about people and their tastes to know whether a film will be a success. For example, Disney executives sold off [...]
The word economics is derived from two Greek words: oikos, meaning “house,” and nomos, meaning “law.” Almost all modern definitions of economics, like contemporary definitions of “government,” assume that the State, civil government, is the starting point in understanding economic theory and practice. To understand economics, so the argument goes, the role of the State must first be considered. On [...]
Americans are feeling the pinch at the gas pump. They believe they are paying way too much for a gallon of gasoline. Take a trip to England where you will pay about $6.00 per gallon. Most of the price is in taxes. I can remember seeing the movie Tender Mercies starring Robert Duvall as a drunken country-western singer who finds Christ and a new family. The woman he married owned a gas station. [...]
I’ve always wanted to see the La Brea Tar Pits. Ever since I was a boy I had heard stories of the famed petroleum pits that hold millions of fossils. When my wife, my youngest son, and I were in California a few weeks ago, we took time to visit the archeological find in the heart of downtown Los Angeles located in the Miracle Mile District.[1] Oil literally seeps to the surface through fissures in [...]
Writing a daily column for this website is a perilous enterprise. While most of the emails I get in response are complimentary, there are always a few spoilers. One letter writer was stridently opposed to my article on “Why We Need Rich People”. Like most socialists, he quotes the Bible sparingly and most often out of context. Here was my response (with some modifications): Dear Chris, Thanks for [...]
