Inversion

[Wootah]

As a Christian I have always believed in inversion. This is the idea of the weak made strong, the first shall be last. And I believe it not as wishful thinking but as reality and I look for it.

For instance:

Markets are a great example. Each person pursues their own greed and yet to do so the winner is the one that serves people the best.

Medicine in many cases is taking something that will hurt you in order to prevent something worse from hurting you.

I know many Christians get frustrated because we often don't understand why our opponents don't see reality but isn't inversion the problem. The world testifies to strength and power and corruption so they think that is God.

How could Jesus be God the saviour if you don't see the process of inversion in everything?

[Wootah]

[Replying to post 19 by 2ndRateMind]

Seems to me the thing that creates poverty is the rich hogging more than their fair share of the world's resources, rather than distributing them more equitably.

Would you rather be a billionaire 100 years ago or a middle-class person today?
Would you rather be a Pharoah 2000 years ago or a middle-class person today?

How would you practically go about distributing things equally? Did God distribute gifts equally?

Inversion is hard to see, I would love someone to surprise me with an example I do not agree with but is true.

The 'inversion' is that the financially poor, who have to suffer the inequities of social injustice, are often richer in spirit than the complacent wealthy, who have never known hunger.

That is true. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. It takes knowing our weaknesses to discover God.

[Wootah]

Regulation provides oversight but in reality sees us assuming and trusting and not investigating if something is sound or solid.

[2ndRateMind]

[Replying to post 19 by 2ndRateMind]

How would you practically go about distributing things equally? Did God distribute gifts equally?

I would happily settle for just 'more equal'. And I would not do the distribution; that is a challenge for the rich themselves.

As for God's distribution of gifts; well, I admit it is not equal. Doubtless that serves His purposes, one of which may well be to teach us to share and share alike. Clearly, with 1% of the world's population controlling as much of the world's resources as the remaining 99% put together, and 2 billion or so people eking out meagre lives on $2 per day or less, that is a lesson we need to learn.

Best wishes, 2RM.

[Wootah]

[Replying to post 19 by 2ndRateMind]

How would you practically go about distributing things equally? Did God distribute gifts equally?

I would happily settle for just 'more equal'. And I would not do the distribution; that is a challenge for the rich themselves.

As for God's distribution of gifts; well, I admit it is not equal. Doubtless that serves His purposes, one of which may well be to teach us to share and share alike. Clearly, with 1% of the world's population controlling as much of the world's resources as the remaining 99% put together, and 2 billion or so people eking out meagre lives on $2 per day or less, that is a lesson we need to learn.

Best wishes, 2RM.

Yes, it is about us distributing our own wealth. Distributing someone else's wealth is immoral.

[2ndRateMind]

[Replying to post 19 by 2ndRateMind]

How would you practically go about distributing things equally? Did God distribute gifts equally?

I would happily settle for just 'more equal'. And I would not do the distribution; that is a challenge for the rich themselves.

As for God's distribution of gifts; well, I admit it is not equal. Doubtless that serves His purposes, one of which may well be to teach us to share and share alike. Clearly, with 1% of the world's population controlling as much of the world's resources as the remaining 99% put together, and 2 billion or so people eking out meagre lives on $2 per day or less, that is a lesson we need to learn.

Best wishes, 2RM.

Yes, it is about us distributing our own wealth. Distributing someone else's wealth is immoral.

Depends on your ethical point of view.

From a deontological (rule based) perspective, the allegiance is to rules such as 'do as you would be done by'. Few of us, if starving, would disagree with that, or if not starving, should begrudge an impartial taxation system. From a virtue ethical (character based) point of view, I think most of us would agree that much virtue lies in the succour of the poor, either directly by donation, or indirectly through taxes. And from a utilitarian (outcome based) perspective, clearly the best of outcomes lies in eradicating hunger and starvation, however that may best be achieved.

Best wishes, 2RM.

[Wootah]

And from a utilitarian (outcome based) perspective, clearly the best of outcomes lies in eradicating hunger and starvation, however that may best be achieved.

Best wishes, 2RM.

This is the fun of inversion. When we pursue a moral good we often miss and make things worse. Be careful what you wish for.

[Tcg]

[Replying to post 26 by Wootah]

Too bad Jesus wasted so much time instructing people to be good. He should have stated clearly:

Don't waste your time, you'll never accomplish the good I told you to do. My speech is nothing more than empty rhetoric. Don't worry though, it'll be fun because of inversion, or so one of my followers claims. Failure is fun as long as you look at it backwards, or upside down, or someway other than normally.

[Wootah]

[Replying to post 27 by Tcg]

Which verses come to mind when you say Jesus told you to be good?

[Tcg]

[Replying to post 27 by Tcg]

Which verses come to mind when you say Jesus told you to be good?

I never said that Jesus told me to be good. Trust me, I am not one of the characters in any of the Jesus mythologies.

[Wootah]

[Replying to post 27 by Tcg]

Which verses come to mind when you say Jesus told you to be good?

I never said that Jesus told me to be good. Trust me, I am not one of the characters in any of the Jesus mythologies.

Where in the Bible does Jesus tell people to be good?

Nvm. New thread.