The following is a re-post from February 2009.
With the passage of the recent Federal Stimulus bill, I began to think about the Real Stimulus America needs. The Bible says “let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds” Hebrews 10:24. Now that’s the kind of Real Stimulus we need. When we really analyze what caused the recession, it is greed, lack of responsibility, and well-intentioned, but misguided, policies.
Greed was the sin of business leaders of many banks, mortgage companies, investment companies, and quasi-governmental agencies like Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae.
Lack of responsibility was the sin of many home borrowers.
A misguided policy (one of guaranteeing loans to people without the ability to pay, and a lack of oversight) was the sin of the Housing and Urban Development department and the Congressional Finance Committee.
Now, in light of all this. The current administration will reward sin in almost every way with an $800 billion so-called spending plan that will Stimulate the economy. The spending may actually stimulate something, but may I warn everyone, that it will most likely stimulate more sin: greed, lack of responsibility, and more misguided policies, and as a by-product produce another sin, that of resentment.
What America really needs is a Hebrews 10:24 Love Stimulus, the kind that results in good deeds. Specifically, what ails America is a government that has taken the opportunity for generosity away from the common man. Instead of the inspiring life of helping our neighbor from the goodness of our heart, teachings of our churches, or pricking of our conscience, we are compelled through taxation to transfer our wealth through a Social Services system that robs us of our “good deeds”, expression of love, and with it the natural accountabilty for the recipient.
Doctor Doug’s prescription for our elected officials is this: stop doing with government, what each could do for their neighbor.
