Last week I laid out a hypothetical scenario regarding an investment opportunity. I then asked all my amazing readers to give me their thoughts on it. You all did not disappoint. I got lots of thoughtful responses. For those that missed last week's newsletter, you can read the short scenario description HERE.
The gist of the scenario was you invest into an organization that uses your investment to build Christian businesses, churches, and
community centers. Then when those entities become profitable (Certain stipulations for the churches aside) you would get a share of those profits. I then of course asked the predictable C3 question as to whether this scenario is compatible with Christian morality.
To put it plainly, I do not believe this scenario is compatible with Christian Morality. I do believe this could be a much
lesser evil then traditional stock market investing, but there is still one glaring problem. The entity would provide passive income to its investors without the investors laboring, and we all know how C3 feels about receiving compensation with no labor being done.
I could get behind a local community effort to start a Christian bookstore or community center where the creators ask for
donations or investments from individuals willing to put in some true labor. But an organization that asks for money and in return gives money back to its "investors" without requiring labor is causing much of the same societal ills that the stock market does regardless of what the money is used for. Always remember that the ends cannot justify the means.
You are not entitled to receive compensation
just for opening up your wallet. I know that modern capitalistic ideology scoffs at this point, and I completely understand and have great sympathy for those who disagree with me. Yet, the fact remains that receiving compensation without labor hoists upon society the detrimental outcomes of divorcing man from the traditional sense of work. This type of passive income investing ultimately promotes greed, sloth, monopolistic power, growth for the sake of growth, globalized societies, and puts us
further away from the Gift economy that Our Lord points to in the parable of the talents and throughout the Gospels.
I always feel compelled to reiterate that I am not opposed to investing. If someone wants to invest in their friend's new business startup by giving them money AND Laboring with their friend in some capacity, maybe a consultant of sorts, and taking on the risk
and potential reward of that business, then GREAT!!! It is when we divorce compensation from labor that I take issue with.
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!! God Bless!