Greed

Last night I watched a movie with my buddy called "The Big One." It is a Michael Moore documentary about the tour publicizing his book Downsize This! Random Threats from an Unarmed American, in which he criticizes mass layoffs despite record corporate profits. Among others, he targets Nike for outsourcing shoe production to Indonesia.

This lead me to looking at www.responsibleshopper.com and the informaiton it has about Nike. In 2005 the Nike CEO was said to have made nearly $17 million in total compensation. I was shocked and looked at the website to find a whole lot more then I really wanted to see...

http://www.aflcio.org/corporatewatch/paywatch/ceou/index.cfm

The link above is the CEO pay database.

The chief executive officers of large U.S. companies averaged $10.8 million in total compensation in 2006, more than 364 times the pay of the average U.S. worker, according to the latest survey by the United for a Fair Economy.

Here's the real eye opener:

Almost half the world — over three billion people — live on less than $2.50 a day.

At least 80% of humanity lives on less than $10 a day.

What is greed? Greed is the selfish desire for or pursuit of money, wealth, power, food, or other possessions, especially when this denies the same goods to others.

Corporate capitalism is a term used in social science and economics to describe a capitalist marketplace characterized by hierarchical, bureaucratic organizations which are legally required to pursue profit. All or most of the means of production are owned by the corporation.

So, when I see these extremes my heart drops. Where do I turn to for truth and answers? I turn to my Father's word.

First off, I know not all CEO's and people who give into the corporate latter believe in God and submit to his word but there are most likey quite a few out there that claim Christ as their King.

His word talks about the rich and the poor:

Proverbs 30:7-9 (NIV)

"Two things I ask of you, O LORD;
do not refuse me before I die:

Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.

Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
and say, 'Who is the LORD ?'
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God.


Psalm 82:3-4

Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless;
maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.
Rescue the weak and needy;
deliver them from the hand of the wicked.


Matthew 6:19-24
19"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

22"The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. 23But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

24"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.


Matthew 19-16-22
16Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"

17"Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."

18"Which ones?" the man inquired.

Jesus replied, " 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, 19honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'"

20"All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?"

21Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

22When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

1 Timothy 6:17-19

17Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

James 5:1-6

1Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. 2Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. 3Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. 4Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. 5You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. 6You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you.


Acts 4:32-35
32All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. 33With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. 34There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.

When I read Acts 4 I think about if Jesus' way looks like a corporate system, or is he showing us something completely different??? I see something completely different...

Mark 12:41-44

41Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.
43Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on."

Does Jesus look at money the way we do? Here in Mark He says the lady who gave almost nothing in our eyes gave more then the rich people who gave out of their wealth. If you ask anyone today who gave more, most people would say the rich man. Would Jesus agree with you?


I write this because I wonder what we are doing. What have we done? and what have we become? When will we stand up and rise up agaisnt the injustices of this world that we give into?

I myself am trying to make a change. I work at Peet's Coffee and Tea because I love interacting with people. Last night I found out my CEO makes about $700,000 a year. He makes my 2 week salary in 2 hours!!!!! Something is horribly wrong. If my CEO takes an unexpected day off the company still brings in half a million dollars. But if all the little people (the barista's and managers) take an unexpected day off at the same time the company looses half a million dollars!!! SO, looking at this situation who is more important? The little people!!!! If we are that important for this company then why do we struggle to live while he lives so well???

This isn't the way of Jesus.

We can't say "God why are you letting this happen?"...Because his response would be, "why are you letting this happen? You are my hands and feet."