Bishop Tom Brown

Guest columnist

Capitalism is under attack. Who would have thought that the only socialist in Congress would be running neck-and-neck with Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination?

Sen. Bernie Sanders’ success should concern us. It appears that many Americans have bought into the lie of socialism.

Socialism is the antithesis of capitalism.

Socialism has proven to be a failure. Look at the former Soviet Union, Cuba and China as proofs of failure.

Socialists like to point to rich countries in Europe as its success; however, even those rich countries that have moved closer to socialism became rich because of capitalism and still have capitalism as its foundational form of economics.

Without capitalism those rich European countries would not have had the money to pour into social programs, such as universal health care.

Socialism is bad because it does not work. It is also not the biblical model. The Bible teaches capitalism. Here is some proof.

"The gold of that land is good" (Genesis 2:2). Gold was a means of exchange like money is today. People bought and exchanged goods and they paid for it with gold.

This statement about gold being good was meant to convey that capitalism is good, and it is the best means of creating the most wealth for people.

Not only did God declare gold good, but He told Adam to work the ground (Genesis 2:15). If he wanted to eat, he was going to have to work.

Work is good and is the means to become prosperous. Capitalism rewards hard work.

Socialism, on the other hand, punishes the hard worker by taking his wealth and distributing to those who did not work to earn the hard worker's money. It is an attempt to reward everyone, regardless of their productivity.

Socialism is simply not fair or just.

Adam's sons, Cain and Abel, were businesses owners. Abel was a rancher, Cain a farmer. They owned their own land, which once again proves that capitalism with its private ownership was instituted by God.

Capitalism is not perfect, however. God knew that if people became selfish then capitalism would fail to achieve the results that God intended.

So Cain and Abel gave to God an offering from their businesses (Genesis 4:3-4). Cain was selfish and stingy. God rebuked Cain for his lack of generosity.

For capitalism to work well, then we must be generous to God and others.

This is why I advocate "ethical capitalism." It means to conduct business in a morally upright way so that more people could enjoy the fruits of capitalism.

Capitalism goes astray when owners become self-centered, and they look to crush others or keep all the wealth to themselves. Ethical capitalism must also be generous toward those who are unable to work because they lack the physical or mental capability to take care of themselves.

Capitalism works best with God-fearing people, who have adopted Jesus' golden rule: "Do to others as you would have them do to you" (Matthew 7:12).

The golden rule is not only morally right, it is good for business. It is a rule that causes even more prosperity for the one practicing it.

You see, when you treat others in the way you want to be treated, your business or career grows. This causes even more prosperity for your life and will also bring more prosperity to others.

Ethical capitalism is a win-win for everyone.

Sanders has excited young, impressionable young people. I love young people and their enthusiasm and ideals. Those ideals, however sincere, that Sanders is propagating will be destructive to our country.

I plead with the young people to get behind ethical capitalism. It is God's economic system and it is fair and it works.

Bishop Tom Brown is pastor of Word of Life Church in East El Paso.