Capitalism’s greatest weakness — avarice

Before I begin today, let me state up front that I am a great believer in capitalism, the practice of each man being able to enjoy the fruit of his own labors. The story goes that capitalism was given to us by our Pilgrim forefathers after first failing to find satisfaction with communism and almost starving two winters in a row. What they found was that a man became more productive when he was loosed from the responsibilities that belonged to another man.

However, in light of recent political corruption trials and economic woes, it ought to be evident to all of us that even the most ardent capitalist can fall victim to greed and avarice. I use the word avarice here because it means an insatiable desire to get gain, like the severance packages of those at the helms of failing corporations being bought out by the government, and like senators and congressmen who cannot be content with six-figure incomes.

Avarice also means to covet, which just happens to be the 10th commandment. No wonder certain people do not want the Ten Commandments to be displayed in our classrooms or our courtrooms — they do not want to stare them in the face when they enter their pleas of ignorance.

It is instructive to examine the 10th commandment. Found in Exodus chapter 20, verse 17, it is the longest commandment given that has to do with loving our neighbor. It begins by saying “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house,” which is what local governments do when they assess property values on our homes to cover their projected spending so that the mill rate can stay the same or even be lowered.

It goes on by saying “Thou shalt not covet they neighbor’s wife,” which is what a man does when he looks on another man’s wife lustfully and calls her a “hottie.” This goes double for those who hang their hat on Alaska having the “hottest” governor in the nation; she does have a husband. And what covetousness begins, adultery ends, and many a marriage now lies in ruin, but don’t be deceived into believing this to be exclusively man’s domain.

It ends by saying “nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor’s.” Understand that in ancient times, servants, oxen and asses were all business assets, yet we seem to think nothing wrong taxing business to fatten government coffers, but God does.

But we would be amiss if we said that covetousness was the exclusive weakness of capitalism. Truth is that socialism and communism both bow at the feet of covetousness as well. In fact, there is no man, woman, boy or girl who is immune to its lure. So strong is its temptation that the apostle Paul says in I Timothy 6:10 that “the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

Listen very carefully, those of you who call yourself a Christian. When Paul says “erred from the faith,” he is talking about those who profess Christianity. This means that just because you are a Christian that you are not immune from covetousness either.

What this means, in terms of practical application, is that when pastors overlook or don’t preach on certain passages because of who will leave the church, they err from the faith because of the love of money.

This also means that when people who have money come into the church and try to take over by means of their money, or think they are better than those without money, they err from the faith, and all because of the love of their money.

It also means that when a Christian is willing to compromise in order to keep or get a job, like working on Sundays, or selling pornography, they err from the faith, and that because of the love of money.

Folks, it is about time that those who are supposed to be the salt of the earth began examining their own ways. The truth is that though greed and covetousness are nothing new, the fact that they are over-spreading our society indicates that Christianity has lost its savor. Furthermore, unless we are willing to make the appropriate changes in our own lives, we have no right demanding other changes in those of the lost.

Ron Hamman is pastor for Independent Baptist Church of Wasilla. Contact him at

357-4229.