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#134 Be Fruitful & Multiply
#134 Be Fruitful and Multiply
Americans are not having enough babies. This is a departure from the Christian Worldview which harms the economy.
Another day, another Malthusian. Now I know what the Apostle Paul was writing about when he mentioned the thorn in his side. This time, it’s the White House claiming that we have to continue abortion so women can remain in the workforce. Which first: Do I explain the Christian view or the economic view, because they both support having more children.
The Economy
OK, I’ll talk about the economy first.
What the Malthusians miss, in economics, is called Creative Destruction. The concept was created by Joseph Schumpeter who said, “Creative destruction is the essential fact about capitalism.” You may have noticed the two variations of the word “create” in the last few sentences. You see, creative destruction ties together the first two terms of the three-chapter gospel: Creation, Fall, Redemption. It says that creative human beings come up with ways of destroying old industries. I wrote this podcast on a computer that creatively destroyed the typewriter industry. That’s good, by the way. Ginger and I attended a Hindu wedding recently, and I was reminded of the three-part god system: Brahma is the creator god, Vishnu is the sustainer god, and Shiva is the destroyer god. Hindus are quick to point out that Shiva performs GOOD destruction, so that new creation can replace it. Creative destruction is good, because it allows us to put resources to their highest use. You have a greater selection of videos to watch on your computer than you did on your old TV set. The examples go on and on.
James Freeman, writing in the Wall Street Journal points out, “With states and voters now free to decide abortion policies, it’s understandable that pro-choice politicians would be rolling out arguments for the broadest possible availability of the procedure. But what’s harder to understand is the recent phenomenon of Biden administration officials arguing not just that abortion access is a right but also that it’s a benefit to the U.S. economy.” He goes on to point out how short-sighted that view is. It’s sort of like burning your furniture to stay warm. It feels good while you’re doing it, but where are you going to get a new supply of furniture? Same with women working and not having children: The women produce value while they are in the workforce, but where are you going to get a new labor source?
I’ve just revealed, by the way, why the US Chamber of Commerce favors opening the southern border. They know the US needs a greater supply of labor, and they see it crossing the Rio Grande. But that’s not my subject today.
Labor Source
Economics author Julian Simon makes the point that human beings create more than they destroy. The Pharisees wanted to test Jesus – seems like a bad idea, but I guess they didn’t believe He was God – so they asked if his disciples paid the temple tax. His response became a classic in Christian economics, when he asked in Matthew 22:20, “Whose image is on the coin?”
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By The Christian Economist | Dave Arnott
4.9
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#134 Be Fruitful and Multiply
Americans are not having enough babies. This is a departure from the Christian Worldview which harms the economy.
Another day, another Malthusian. Now I know what the Apostle Paul was writing about when he mentioned the thorn in his side. This time, it’s the White House claiming that we have to continue abortion so women can remain in the workforce. Which first: Do I explain the Christian view or the economic view, because they both support having more children.
The Economy
OK, I’ll talk about the economy first.
What the Malthusians miss, in economics, is called Creative Destruction. The concept was created by Joseph Schumpeter who said, “Creative destruction is the essential fact about capitalism.” You may have noticed the two variations of the word “create” in the last few sentences. You see, creative destruction ties together the first two terms of the three-chapter gospel: Creation, Fall, Redemption. It says that creative human beings come up with ways of destroying old industries. I wrote this podcast on a computer that creatively destroyed the typewriter industry. That’s good, by the way. Ginger and I attended a Hindu wedding recently, and I was reminded of the three-part god system: Brahma is the creator god, Vishnu is the sustainer god, and Shiva is the destroyer god. Hindus are quick to point out that Shiva performs GOOD destruction, so that new creation can replace it. Creative destruction is good, because it allows us to put resources to their highest use. You have a greater selection of videos to watch on your computer than you did on your old TV set. The examples go on and on.
James Freeman, writing in the Wall Street Journal points out, “With states and voters now free to decide abortion policies, it’s understandable that pro-choice politicians would be rolling out arguments for the broadest possible availability of the procedure. But what’s harder to understand is the recent phenomenon of Biden administration officials arguing not just that abortion access is a right but also that it’s a benefit to the U.S. economy.” He goes on to point out how short-sighted that view is. It’s sort of like burning your furniture to stay warm. It feels good while you’re doing it, but where are you going to get a new supply of furniture? Same with women working and not having children: The women produce value while they are in the workforce, but where are you going to get a new labor source?
I’ve just revealed, by the way, why the US Chamber of Commerce favors opening the southern border. They know the US needs a greater supply of labor, and they see it crossing the Rio Grande. But that’s not my subject today.
Labor Source
Economics author Julian Simon makes the point that human beings create more than they destroy. The Pharisees wanted to test Jesus – seems like a bad idea, but I guess they didn’t believe He was God – so they asked if his disciples paid the temple tax. His response became a classic in Christian economics, when he asked in Matthew 22:20, “Whose image is on the coin?”