Thread: Biblical Economics: Why Fixing the Family Could Fix the Economy
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Biblical Economics: Why Fixing the Family Could Fix the Economy
Posted : 22 Aug, 2010 02:35 AM
Okay, so it's really late and I'm quite tired and I'm on this medication right now that is making me very jittery and thinking 5 gazillion thoughts at once, so I hope this makes sense! And, NO, I am NOT condemning anyone by anything I'm going to say. I realize that none of us are perfect (myself absolutely included) and we live in a fallen world where we're victims of other people's choices and in which just about every area of our lives are part of the whole domino affect of sin.
I've had this thought for awhile now... And so I guess I'll just explain how it came to me as logically as I can.
So, I was romantically involved with this guy for a few months, and we we were fairly serious and having a lot of discussions surrounding what our potential marriage/family would look like. And we were discussing finances one evening, and I was explaining that I would like to stay at home with my future children, but that I'd be willing to work from home part-time. He responded that he didn't know if we could afford that. At the time, he was off work and on disability due to surgery, but had just started a new job. And when he returned to this new job, he would be making $4K/week, which is $17,333.33/month.
And so I was like, "Dude, you're making $17K+/month... I think we can make it work financially." And then he went on with all the reasons why $17K+/month is actually practically near the poverty level where he lives (in the Los Angeles area). That's a little hard to believe, but whatever. And then he started talking about the child support he pays his ex-wife. He said he paid her $2K/month (and more on her and that situation later). At this time, I was employed at a job where, after taxes, retirement contributions, my really expensive health insurance, union dues, etc. were all taken out of my paycheck, I had about $600/week (or, $2,600/month) to work with (assuming that I wasn't out on leave without pay due to illness, which was often the case).
And I really don't know what childcare costs in LA are, but I know from people I've talked to up here, that it ranges anywhere from like $400/month to $2K/month. Let's just say, for the sake of argument, that the childcare costs I'd be paying if I'd married my ex-boyfriend and had 3 kids would be $600/month.
So, basically, my salary of $2600/month would be distributed as follows:
* $2K to the ex-wife (who is a stay-at-home mom)
* $600 to the daycare for MY kids because I wouldn't be a stay-at-home mom
I'd be working solely to finance his ex-wife's lifestyle, while sacrificing my own children!!! And I think the whole thing is unnecessary!!! This ex-wife is schizophrenic and unable to work because of it and my ex-bf divorced her because of it. Although, if she's that incapacitated from it, then I'm not sure she should be the one with custody of their son, but whatever.
So, let's just pretend for a moment that my ex-bf didn't have to pay child support... either because he never married his ex in the first place, didn't have a child with her, or because she found some other means of support, such as moving in with her parents who supposedly are fairly well off and live quite close to her...
And let's say that I was a stay-at-home mom who works part time from home earning $700/month (after taxes). And, because I stay at home, we're able to save $200/month by me having more time to clip coupons, shop sales, not having to buy special clothing for work, etc.
Let's do the math:
-$2,600 (job loss) + $2,000 (not paying for ex-wife) + $700 (working from home) + $200 (savings from having more time) = $300
So, if the ex-bf didn't have to pay his ex-wife child support, I could quit the job, work a little from home, and we'd have $300 more per month than the first scenario where I'm working outside of the home to pay for his-wife and my kids' daycare.
And before you say that I think people shouldn't pay child support, I'm not advocating that at all. What I am saying is the child support is usually the result of someone's sin. Again, not condemning anyone here... I understand that there are valid reasons for divorce and that husbands should pay up if child support is necessary. I'm just talking about the ideal here.
Let's go back to the extra $300 that we'd have per month. And let's say that we have a neighbour whose husband recently lost his job and that they're struggling to put food on the table and pay their bills. With our $300 we invest in the economy by going shopping! We buy groceries for our neighbours! This means that our neighbours are relying less on food stamps, which means that the government budget can be decreased by that $300. Technically, I guess $300 is invested in the economy either way, but $300 invested privately is more than $300 invested by the government with all of their overhead costs. And if we didn't have a food stamps program, we'd have smaller government, which means less taxes. And since what the private citizen invests in the economy is worth more than what the government invests in the economy, we ultimately create more jobs by letting go of some government employees (or, rather, just not replacing ones as they quit/retire). What I mean is that if the government lets go of 9 people because the food stamp program is eliminated, that it could create 10 jobs in the private sector in its place essentially (okay, not exact #s, but you get the idea) by private citizens buying food directly for people in need. And this is just an example. It could apply to all sorts of social programs.
Okay, so let's say we have another set of neighbours. Hubby, wife, and some kids. Both parents work outside of the home. Well, because I'm home taking care of my children and have free time, I start a Bible study in my home and I invite the wife to come hang out with us. I end up leading her to Christ and teaching her Biblical roles of men and women, and she feels convicted to quit her job and stay home with her kids. She stops paying for daycare, does some work from home stuff, adjusts their budget, and things end up breaking pretty much even to what they were before... And because she quit her job, the net result is that there is 1 more job available in the city, which the other unemployed neighbour can be hired for.
So now, out of 3 families in the neighbourhood, all the wives stay at home with their kids and work from home, and everyone is off of social assistance. And now we have that $300/month available again to go invest in another family who needs some help. And there's still that extra job from the one that I quit. Some other unemployed fellow could have that job and then he could marry my ex-bf's ex-wife and everything would be perfect =)
Basically, I think there could be plenty of jobs to go around if women stayed at home with their kids. And I know that's not always possible. But if everyone did everything Biblically, there would be less single parent households and less households strapped financially because people are paying child support and alimony for 1 or more ex-partners (I knew this guy one time who was paying child support to 4 different ex-partners!), and less people unable to make ends meet and relying on social welfare, and smaller government and less taxes... which makes it easier for families to live off 1 income.
So, I think we fix the economy by fixing the family.
Does that even make sense to anyone? Any thoughts??
Biblical Economics: Why Fixing the Family Could Fix the Economy
Posted : 23 Aug, 2010 08:03 AM
:laugh: Good point. It's a very specific post though, we really couldn't elaborate on it too much. Maybe that's why. I do agree with your principles though. When you take the time to stay home and manage your house/family like it is a job, you can practically make money by saving money. I just can't understand how people can spend so much money on stuff anymore. We're so lazy/spoiled it's not funny. The families I see now, both the parents are working full time to support a family, paying for daycare, eating out for every meal, etc...and they're in debt. All the kids do is lay around instead of helping out, unsupervised by their parents and uneducated in "life". We definitely need to fix the family. Need to fix the schools. Need to fix EVERYTHING!!! AHHH!!!! It would be faster if we could do it from the top down, but we have to start at the root. The home. Society is a direct result of family values, and people like to blame society's problems on the "kids", but I'd like to take a moment to blame the last few generations of parents. It's their fault, and there are no excuses.
Biblical Economics: Why Fixing the Family Could Fix the Economy
Posted : 23 Aug, 2010 02:08 PM
I dont see it getting any better, in fact the sacrament of marriage means less and less now a days and very few children grow up with both parents..to take it further, very few children ever meet their fathers.(or mother)
yes it's best to fix the family issues...ever heard the phrase "it's cheaper to keep her" it's honestly true.
Almost every man has some kind of money going out to either the ex wife or child support or both.
Biblical Economics: Why Fixing the Family Could Fix the Economy
Posted : 23 Aug, 2010 04:16 PM
that is a very good post it reminds me of this verse America does have problems our land needs revival
2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Biblical Economics: Why Fixing the Family Could Fix the Economy
Posted : 23 Aug, 2010 10:54 PM
Thanks for the comments, River and Hamilton.
Unfortunately, as River said, though, it's just how it is. And I'm not sure how we fix it, because, truly, we can only fix ourselves! And even with that, we have to rely and lots of help from the Holy Spirit. We can influence those around us and help educate them regarding the advantages of being a traditional family, but it gets discouraging when you try and people just don't realize the importance of things!
When we're so immersed in this culture that doesn't honour marriage, the traditional family, or Biblical values, it's really hard to explain to anyone the benefits of waiting until you're married to have sex/make babies (for example). Especially when there are celebrities going around choosing single motherhood! I'm not condemning single mothers here at all, because I do realize it is sometime unavoidable or sometimes the best choice because it will protect you/your children. I'm more speaking about those who make active choices that they know could likely end in single motherhood.
And single motherhood certainly isn't the only family-related probably here, but it's one of the big ones.
