tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30436844.post7957466725340652248..comments2024-03-24T09:31:01.300+00:00Comments on Shiny Ginger Thoughts: On favouring the poorDaniel Blanchehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15525641726889468099noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30436844.post-46959383443642409872018-10-11T15:57:18.962+01:002018-10-11T15:57:18.962+01:00'No solution outside the church' is what I...'No solution outside the church' is what I wish Christians on the left or right (as far as those terms have any real meaning) would take to heart, rather than wasting time seeking on 'social justice' or critiquing 'Cultural Marxism', both nebulous and wrong-headed terms. But that would take the church having a unique economy and political outlook for people to latch onto, which as yet is far from evident.<br /><br />On a lighter note, a good basis for an Alan Partridge radio phone-in: 'Who's your favourite Karl? Marx, Barth, Rahner... or Lagerfeld?'Ben Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13320578490724889835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30436844.post-2392346086545586742018-10-11T14:11:46.478+01:002018-10-11T14:11:46.478+01:00Yes, I actually think there is more than a grain o...Yes, I actually think there is more than a grain of truth in the idea of systemic injustice - and although it certainly takes a particular form (or, one is tempted to say, is particularly *amorphous*) in late-modern capitalism, I'd say it's always been there. And Holy Scripture knows a great deal about this.<br /><br />I think a lot of contemporary politics/philosophy is okay at diagnosing (elements of) the problem; I just don't think they're got the solution right.Daniel Blanchehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15525641726889468099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30436844.post-74326510711304981442018-10-11T11:52:30.133+01:002018-10-11T11:52:30.133+01:00I broadly agree. A major caveat, though: I've ...I broadly agree. A major caveat, though: I've been reading a lot of Marx recently, and, as obvious as this is, have been struck by just how different an industrialised, capitalist society is to the economic world of the Bible (or pre-17th centuryish society for that matter). When the rich's pensions and other investments (inc. those of Christians) are built off an unseen system of exploitation and slavery, something is clearly wrong. The Bible only becomes more relevant, cutting through our ignorance to challenge us as to how exactly labourers are paid (or not) for our comfort and retirement.<br /><br />This is not to suggest a witless embrace of 'social justice' or hope in communism as 'the solution', just to say that the difficulty now is that exploitation has become so diffuse, so indirect, that there is a grain of truth to the idea of systemic injustice - although I'm inclined to agree with Marx that it's a function of capital rather than largely about prejudice. There are a number of Marxist philosophers grumbling about identity politics, these days...<br /><br />Anyway, not really disagreeing with you, just a mess of thoughts triggered off by your post.Ben Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13320578490724889835noreply@blogger.com