Here, our topics of discussion, would be about socio-economic matrix in relation to industrial and commercial aspects affecting people on a daily basis-our interpersonal relationship amongst the rest of people we evolve with. This is that side of the book that explores the possibility and taking into all accounts the cause and effect of a world of understanding--a life of harmony stemming to secular dimensions-from household to retail, manufacturing-from natural resources and how they are categorized together with government laws that oversee commerce of goods and services. Basically, an ending to the contemporary world and conventional practice people have long known to do. But this time it is a world where there is no need for money, literally.....!
Let me first share to you an occasion with my Uncle Bruce (Dr. Benesh) wed to my mom’s cousin who lives in Norristown, Pennsylvania, USA. He once asked me about who would quantify and determine what people need and want in a scenario where everything is given and taken for free? I am starting with this question because basically, the world that the Holy Scriptures talk about is absolutely THE Kingdom of God-now, permit me walk you through it, if I may.
I remember, it was winter season that time, and I was spending time with my mother who was in Norristown, PA. My mom decided to maximize her visa, the US immigration granted to her and stayed with me in the state of Pennsylvania-The Keystone State they call. Their house is about 100 miles southeast from where I was staying at that time. Being both doctors of medicine in the field of Psychiatry and Surgery, my uncle and aunt, respectively, made me more enthused to speaking to them of my vision and the book, in general. At any rate, that morning, while waiting for my mom and my aunt to arrive from church, my Uncle and I had this prolonged conversation. What reminded me most of our talk was the subject of this chapter: "Who should set or decide for people what they need." he asks, as I vividly recall.
Ordinarily, people would wonder what kind of a life it would be with no money as medium of exchange? He was marveled to a point of me being funny that most of the people I get to share this also wonder the same. First, because we never knew any other way of buying and selling, besides the mediums of exchange we grew up with, which we, and all of the world is familiar about. Not even a barter trade comes close to my thesis, where people would carry the goods they are willing to exchange for the goods they want or need to buy-no sir, not that kind.
As a premise, we need and want goods and services because of necessity, satisfaction, convenience, fun, and leisure in life. Working for it or earning for it is always industriously noble-a task which develops individuals’ sense of responsibility and helps the economy grow, both locally and internationally-as people are productive, so as its nation, if I may put it that way. We have learned in our experiences that being productive is fruitful. Any parent, government, and church leaders’ dream is a life that is fruitful, productive and harmonious for everyone.
Let me explain by asking you a simple question. Do we say we need money-or do we say we need goods and services that would satisfy our needs and wants to be happy and comfortable? Is it money we need, or the need itself? Edicts of world councils in all fronts of jurisdiction, household to governmental and religious concerns, cry out for a life of wellness and happiness-the right to live-not the right to live struggling and burdened.
Needs and wants are people’s requirements in life. Money may seem to be the current means to acquire these requirements but it curtails and jeopardizes the certainty of absolute freedom to get hold of even the basic needs and at the expense of everyone’s growth.
You see, if we have enough, or if all the people have sufficient supply of daily needs, as an example: good education, and essential provisions in life which are requirements for manpower know-how, each one would have a happier and peaceful, and productive life-would you not agree? This is just like the theory and practice of a typical decent family relationship. Try to reflect. Parents set the course of a child from infancy. Providing needs, regulating wants by being guided by pure and blessed countenance. Functioning with mature principles by which parents’ feel what is best for the child-in whatever deed, thought, or action and speech. It holds true as when they are grown-ups. Parents have this innate attachment to be responsible for the kids. Well, for others, you’d here: “Darn kids of today!” But hey, aren’t we all products of yesterday?
Building a family is very similar to that of a community and vise versa. The global community is composed of people like you and me with the same needs and the same wants. Nothing impure, indecent and/or corrupted ways we would ever want in our children http://bible.cc/matthew/11-25.htm. Likewise, about the church and government with its people. The thing of it is, why do people become dissidents and why others become what they are to government and church-a burden in the hearts and the minds? The answer is simple-money! Endearment to money shall always be a failure in producing significant results. Everybody wants the better side of the bargain at the expense of good working condition and standard of living.
Lets just take for instance, if money pervades in this world. The poor shall remain poor struggling for life. Why, because countries where there are no means of exchanging--neither goods nor services shall remain destitute. It is a given-all of us need to live. Money makes things worst and not easier. Insufficiency of money in all makes everyone want and need more money.
Poor countries strive to become developed countries as well. But some, do not have even the natural resources, to even initiate trade, both domestic and international. What about education. Materials, services we still need to purchase too. What would you expect if your land were barren? Nothing to trade, no money-no everything?
In ancient philosophy, the earth is likened to the stomach- large/small intestines to be specific. There is an added sack, which medical science determined, not to have any use for anything-the appendix. We pluck them out when they become infected. I liken the illness with nations that are destitute and are suffering from all forms of obstacles. And these obstacles are not limited to poor countries but extends as far and wide as money is prevalent-around the world.
Individuals who have acute appendicitis suffer enormously and could even be fatal if not removed at once. Sufferers help themselves, by first, a natural form of signal where pain is transmitted to the brain; second, they try to seek surgical service to remove it. Very similar to our topic at hand, which is painful. What I want to express is that, we live in the same earth like one body http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Colossians+1%3A15-21&version=NIV (Colossians 1:15-21) . Even though we see useless and barren lands that make its inhabitants like their habitation, they still are part the whole. Liken to our stomach their land is the appendix and them the appendicitis being inflamed of hardships and poverty, for which councils of church and government need to attend to http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+31%3A8-9&version=NIV . (Proverbs 31:8-9) http://bible.cc/psalms/113-7.htm (Psalm 113:7) http://bible.cc/matthew/5-3.htm (Mathew 5:3). They need more than what they they have to be able to arrest their struggles; one would seek help to pluck it out for them.
We are those hands to help people in need to surmount their desperation. They do not need money. They need help to become productive-they need goods and services most of us enjoy. Would a parent give an infant, or a child, or a toddler money to fend for himself alone? Even if you say its diplomatic a transaction through grants and aids, they can only do so much in a world that feeds on money. They are still not enough because it jeopardizes the whole idea of the love we ought to have and ought to give to one another. As not all have these natural resources nor the technological know-how to enable them to buy their way out of pain and misery. So much could be said about money and its ill-effects on all classes of society.
You’d be amazed to see numerous occupations, though, detrimental to health and morality, still pervade just because it makes profit for companies and individuals. Let’s just take “sin products”, as we term in the Marketing field. They flourish because it yields monetary returns all the time. From this too, we could realize how men resort to expose low and shameful ways just to get happiness. Abuse of drugs is another thing. Men, women, young, and old, great and small access substances, and abuse them for pleasure. At some extent, along the thin line they walk on, either somebody kills and somebody dies, or gets killed. Prostitution is definitely on the board as well. Equally devastating. At the same time, the term is so significant as it is used to illustrate how nations have become-like prostitutes http://bible.cc/revelation/17-1.htm (Revelation 17:1). Peoples, places, and events in the communities encourage giving access to sin or be vulnerable to commit criminal activities-just because everybody needs money.
We have only talked about obvious sad news predicated by the need of money. What is more dreadful is what we are so accustomed to doing-our system of commerce. The way we acquire all our needs and wants. Another parallelism to this conundrum that I conceived was about the earth/our habitat and people being wed together as one. Parents. As man and wife give love and share life together without any contract of obligation. The union does not state that neither has to pay money to the other as they go through life. Basically, husbands and wives give and share love and grace with one another-similar to what the Holy Scripture states that, "the bride was beautifully dressed http://bible.cc/revelation/21-2.htm (Revelation 21:2; Ephesians 5:23-24)" http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+5%3A23-24&version=ESV-unblemished and unexploited with money http://bible.cc/matthew/6-24.htm (Mathew 6:24; Timothy 6:10) http://bible.cc/1_timothy/6-10.htm.
However, current global financial condition brings all people to prostitution with one another-as we pay everybody for everything. (the prostitute-1/4 earth-its inhabitants that seats in plenty of waters-3/4 water-Revelation 17). As money is showing us evidence of exploitations in the hearts and minds of both young and old, great and small-we are in the very system of what Christ has tried to avert http://niv.scripturetext.com/luke/19-45.htm (Luke 19:45-48).
Greater matters unseen by most of us, yet adversely affect us, are all business transactions propelled by monetary exchange, which displaces heavy loads on both employees and entrepreneurs/industrialists that curtail production and business growth, respectively.
As a general rule of thumb in business: Being able to maximize production with the least amount of cost; equals maximum number of work hours and work load, for the least amount of remuneration. It doesn’t really take sharpness in the mind at all, to know and feel what’s going on around. Just by looking at the news and when one reflects at the end of the day- you’d see the negative repercussions of monetary exchange. Optimal production with the least amount of cost often times is referred to as a reminder of zero wastage. But universally speaking, its jagged edge means slashes into the hearts and souls of all the men and women who derive income from day to day-five days, six days, 7 days a week or even more and much more hours of work. As we tag along with The Iron Scepter we would see how and why the Christ says-http://niv.scripturetext.com/matthew/11-28.htm.
Sad as it may seem but income is THE one thing that makes people access the comforts and convenience of the world around him. Even churches need and want money, as they too, are affected by the commercial set up of the conventional practice of business. Today, without money everyone would die and stop functioning. As we see in third world countries whose people are in absolute pain-no food, no water to drink, no medicine to cure--nothing...nada...zilch. Only snots and dropped jaw bones with tears on deep cheeks you would see, as media men document their misery. Belly bloated from enormous work from the liver to convert own food and energy to the already miserable meat in the body (no, those fat bellies are not filled with worms. The physiology is called Marasmus). Seeing their crushed spirit with minced gestures that speak the numbness of their bodies in hunger and helplessness. Yet I, at this time of writing, am in my room at the Ramada in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania seated on my bedroom chair with my feet restfully roosting on the side of the bed, as I type these words and feel my condolences. It is sad to think that the world we have today is really unfair, filled with disparity.
In real time too, while most occupation need extra manpower to get the work condition at its finest, they would rather maintain a meager number of employees who must work their tails off, just so business owners' profit would be much greater. To think that there are people who need jobs for livelihood, to say the least. But businesses could not hire as much as the business would need to accommodate, since it would mean added money to give for salary, which is better of money going to savings or profit instead.
At the end of the day, we still find ourselves meager and unfulfilled in life-like there is still something missing. Everything seems not enough. Not just for common people but wealthy people as well. They have to think and feel every now and then what the following day holds for them. Will there be profit-will I be fired-will I have to fire or downsize. To think that there are still places across the nation and abroad who need specialists, manpower, and advanced technology. You would see IT companies, telecommunications, industries downsize their workforce. The reason-money. They could not expand because of finances. Even if expansion is about urbanization and advancement in technological know-how, which we know is of utmost importance at a universal level, but because of money, worthwhile and ideal projects are often times set aside.
Finding ourselves resentfully tied-down with what the financial climate dictates. Taking Intel as an example. You’d hear giant companies downsize its employees. These jobs and occupation are dependably gracious, in terms of developmental proportions in the field of advanced technological know-how. And that’s just one company I mentioned. What about the rest of the business community, which we know people need for their goods and services-for peoples’ needs and wants, yet dissolve. Though, whatever the reason whether or not marketing or management skills in dissolving any business, the issue here is, people need and want goods and services but they are forced to shut down because of monetary constraints at the expense of people who need them or are entitled to them.
Entitlement is the key word here. I hope I haven’t kept you waiting for the answer my Uncle asked me, as to who would decide for people, of what they need, when they need, and when they want? Below I have established a marketing management business format which coincides and in connection to the entire thrust of this book, which is to make all people sustain unity, love and care for one another, no matter what nation, forms of government, an/or religious affiliations we belong. This is the part of the book that when the previous precepts (Spiritual Truths) are all embraced and acknowledged by everyone, then all what is proposed in the succeeding chapters regarding the new systems of commerce would come to fruition.
This chapter would give more clarity to the active Spirit and intent of Christ to mediate men to God for our salvation-as in the real salvation of men while still here on earth-not in some kind of a place when an individual passes away. It is of my pride in the Lord God, to have the pleasure to share with you in practical terms, at a secular level, with holy scriptural proportions, a universal concern that would address debilitating factors affecting men all around the world. And as I also would answer my Uncle’s question along the way in this chapter.
The Given in Life:
I. Figure 1: Psychological Needs- this we know.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Maslow%27s_Hierarchy_of_Needs.svg
Prominent personalities in the study of human behavior pattern like, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle have evolved through the centuries as men progress in the field of science. One outstanding fellow in the same field has embedded its study on me all these time. Basic Principles of Psychology class in college, though years have gone by, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs still invariably permeate me until now.
The term psychology is derived from the Greek words: psyche, which means, “soul,” and logos, “the study of.” The root words were first combined in the 16th century at the time when the human soul, spirit, or mind was seen as distinct from the body. And I see it most fitting for discussion in this book since Psychology encompasses humanity, as it is comprehensive in studies and extensive in areas of research with impressive results and validity. I just fed into my drive E my Encarta Encyclopedia and you’d be impressed yourself to know and learn the wide range of branches of studies in major fields of psychology.
Figure 1 implicitly states a normal daily occurrence of what takes place in human lives. Human motivation is what Abraham Maslow emphasizes or, at least how his proposal is thought of, in relation to the course of human behavior. It is very important to see its effectiveness as you would see a child respond when motivated by pleasure or favor. A child would always respond to motivation. May it be material or otherwise. Having a subject with complete innocence and without prejudgment is always the best sampling for anything. Remember, when Jesus Christ equates children with the kingdom of God http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+18%3A3-6&version=KJV (Mathew 18:3-6; Mark 9:33-37; Luke 9:46-48. When a child’s needs are given.. The passage about when a child asks bread then stone or for fish then snake http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%207:7-12&version=NIV (Mathew 7:7-12). Well, I do not want to lose you on the thought process of psychology but I’d just wanted to let across the biblical verse of how potent it is to see how we can derive mature senses from a child’s point of view.
We are motivated by the fact that we want to accomplish a task no matter how simple they are. Getting up in bed in the morning is a simple task motivated by the fact that we want to wake up and move on. Same thing when we go to bed to sleep, from simple actions to complex ones we are all triggered by what we feel like doing. All the more when we put incentives on tasks where men would feel like doing better, the task given to them to attain that incentive as their reward.
Interestingly, human beings do not stop with basal needs as opposed to how animals would otherwise be comfortable attaining. We are highly complex individuals that we could either make or break the eco-system of other species or even our own. That is how powerful, complex and important human beings are. It is just sad to say that not most of us see this angle of importance. Just seeing lives passing by with all the pain, struggle, and suffering-both locally, nationally, regionally, and globally. Monetary medium of exchange in commerce makes these terrible occurrences that we see happen on a daily basis.
II. Industries-we know this one too:
Businesses derived from industries are half the cup of water, if we liken ourselves as a cup filled with water-remember? And the other half is the church and government which chart and directs our lives into these businesses and livelihood. It is a major portion if you think of it-1/2 (a half).
We see them propel lives as it employs manpower. Basically, there is work and workforce because there are industries and /or businesses that need manpower for production of goods, materials, or services, as the case may be. And we all depend on each other for the overall goal of any given outfit to provide us our needs and wants-what businesses and industries produce and manufacture. The following is Figure 1a which is a web link on classification of businesses that we derive these needs and wants which I would like to call World Commerce for illustration purposes: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business#Classifications
III. Manpower-we know this too:
The workforce generally comprises the achievability of all commercial, households, and recreational business endeavors across the globe-it is a universal truth. Without people, there would not be a product nor service being realized on a daily basis. If we combine the subtopics of this chapter: I. Psychological Needs, II. Industries, and III. Manpower, we would certainly conclude that people are so essential--precious even. As I have mentioned earlier, this composite in life-the business endeavors comprise half portion of our existence. And the rest, with the church and government, which are also comprised of individuals, like us- and they are whom we belong to.
I would like to share with you the design of the new heaven and the new earth, the kingdom of kings and priests, the land of milk and honey, the promised land, the life everlasting, the Garden, the Kingdom of heaven, the KINGDOM OF GOD, at least to my own estimation. It is not the kind of life everlasting most think about, which is after death-where one has to die first to realize life everlasting. Not the kind where life has ended or died or is dead. How will you call it “life” everlasting if there is no more life-if a person is already dead? So anyway....
Life is when you breathe. When you are alive under the grace of the Almighty God. Being alive means to live seeing our faith active in our ways for our actions speak of our faithfulness in God. And our ways have become such an intricate technological advancement interwoven with spiritual truths in our beliefs It is that simple, easy--like a good breeze. Convenience is literally a touch of a button. Like sensors, or what have you.
Questions we ask ourselves: Would we ever see everlasting comfort and happiness from all the hardships, dedication in our hard days’ work. Does crime really not pay, how come criminals commit crime when they know its wrong-is it their only way to get happiness, or they’re tired of being tired, that they are pushed to commit crimes? Or, was it the only skill they knew right from the start with their parents, who, like them are also low-life, hardcore criminals?
Now one of my biggest questions is: Why do people get to be wrongdoers? Some say, they chose to be so-others, "from their free will;" some just "blame the next person and the person next to them;" others just do not care-even to a point of being Atheist! My answer is: People are given a choice to do wrong. Exposed to sin and evil ways. Just so in order to live, even if in an indecent and ungodly manner- for profit, exploitation and, of course money. And peoples and institutions who are supposed to account for them take advantage of their authority at their own peoples’ expense and agony.
A bathroom sink made of gold as Saddam Hussein has, while others take their crap and shit in street corners. A three-story closet for Mrs. Marcos while others wear sackcloth and card boards as beddings in the streets. Are we not all humans who deserve the earth and each others' produce, as much as those who enjoy the richness of the earth and the crafts, goods and services men provide?
This erratic trend of life, the annoying disparity of wealth is definitely not the Promised Land that God intended for men. Did God promise a land of terror and horror? Did He promise us a land of painful struggle with economic downturn that leads to poverty, poor services, death and destruction to life--hell, no! That is why The Iron Scepter is here to tell you, by the grace of God-for us to burn these issues or learn more about them. Just want to remind you of our previous discussion about fire that is equals to learning. So, you’d know that hell is on earth and people are suffering already http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation%206:9-10&version=NIV (Revelation 6: 9-10).
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