in credit card debt. Besides bank credit cards, there are retail credit cards from clothing stores, retail credit cards from gasoline companies, credit cards from schools; almost every business wants to sell a person a credit card. The expression ‘finance company’ applies not just to corporations that engage in just finance but also to retail corporations, airlines corporations, academic institutions, and others. The basic strategy of these financial institutions is to create perpetual annuities. They want a steady, continuous stream of money coming in from debtors who will pay for the rest of their lives. From the borrower’s point of view, this is financial slavery with no opportunity of ever escaping. What is most alarming about this is the fact that this applies to the majority of the population—over fifty percent of the population. And the impact on the economy is obvious. With more than fifty percent of the population enslaved by ruthless financial institutions, these people have little to no discretionary income. They cannot buy more goods and services which they want and need because they cannot afford to. And the economy is driven by this consumption.
| Amount Borrowed | Interest Rate | Term (years) | Total Amount Paid | Total Interest | Monthly Interest |
| $2,500 | 18% | 10 | $5,406 | $2,906 | $24.21 |
| $2,500 | 22% | 10 | $6,201 | $3,7011 | $30.84 |
| $2,500 | 24% | 10 | $6,614 | $4,114 | $34.29 |
| $2,500 | 26% | 10 | $7,037 | $4,537 | $37.81 |
| $2,500 | 30% | 10 | $7,909 | $5,409 | $45.07 |
| $2,500 | 32% | 10 | $8,355 | $5,855 | $48.79 |
| $5,000 | 18% | 10 | $10,811 | $5,811 | $48.43 |
| $5,000 | 22% | 10 | $12,402 | $7,402 | $61.68 |
| $5,000 | 24% | 10 | $13,229 | $8,22 | $68.57 |
| $5,000 | 26% | 10 | $14,075 | $9,075 | $75.62 |
| $5,000 | 30% | 10 | $15,817 | $10,817 | $90.14 |
| $5,000 | 32% | 10 | $16,710 | $11,710 | $97.59 |
| $10,000 | 18% | 10 | $21,622 | $11,622 | $96.85 |
| $10,000 | 22% | 10 | $24,804 | $14,804 | $123.36 |
| $10,000 | 24% | 10 | $26,458 | $16,458 | $137.15 |
| $10,000 | 26% | 10 | $28,150 | $18,150 | $151.25 |
| $10,000 | 30% | 10 | $31,634 | $21,634 | $180.28 |
| $10,000 | 32% | 10 | $33,421 | $23,421 | $195.17 |
| $12,500 | 18% | 10 | $27,028 | $14,528 | $121.06 |
| $12,500 | 22% | 10 | $31,005 | $18,505 | $154.20 |
| $12,500 | 24% | 10 | $33,072 | $20,572 | $171.43 |
| $12,500 | 26% | 10 | $35,187 | $22,687 | $189.06 |
| $12,500 | 30% | 10 | $39,543 | $27,043 | $225.36 |
| $12,500 | 32% | 10 | $41,776 | $29,276 | $243.96 |
| $15,000 | 18% | 10 | $32,433 | $17,433 | $145.28 |
| $15,000 | 22% | 10 | $37,205 | $22,205 | $185.05 |
| $15,000 | 24% | 10 | $39,687 | $24,687 | $205.72 |
| $15,000 | 26% | 10 | $42,224 | $27,224 | $226.87 |
| $15,000 | 30% | 10 | $47,451 | $32,451 | $270.43 |
| $15,000 | 32% | 10 | $50,131 | $35,131 | $292.76 |
The prices of goods, services and money are totally out of control. Pricing needs to be fair. Radical capitalist economics ignores the principle that pricing should be fair and instead holds that prices (from the view point of the business) should be maximized. Common are the phrases ‘let the buyer beware’ and ‘whatever the market will bear’, both of which underscore the capitalist view on pricing. However, the economy consists of both buyers and sellers, and economic stability is based on the proper balance between buyer benefits and seller benefits. Fairness to both buyer and seller is essential and critical for an ordered and just economy.
There are no moral constraints on prices because people in business follow the current amoral economic theories. There are no market constraints on prices, because consumers have no influence on prices. There are virtually no controls on businesses especially big corporations. Even the laws and the courts favor the seller over the buyer. Businesses can charge whatever price they want and the consumer is forced to pay it. False is the proposition that the consumer does not have to buy. The consumer has to eat, the consumer has to have heat in the winter, the consumer has to have electricity, the consumer has to go to work, the consumer has to seek healthcare when they are sick or injured.
Consumers are at the mercy of Big Business and Big Finance, yet Big Business and Big Finance are merciless. The economy is out of order and out of balance because of these prices. Is there not someone or something that can bring prices back into control? Is there not someone or something that can bring fairness and justice to prices? Is there not someone or something that can save the majority of Americans from financial hardship and perhaps a hundred million Americans from financial ruin because of these prices?
If Christians applied Christian principles to their business lives and helped modify the strategies and policies of the businesses that they own or work for in such a way that justice and morality is factored into every business decision and action, then most of the prices of goods, services and money would become just and fair. Unfortunately, not all people will accept the principle of just and moral business practices. So, besides Christians bringing Christian principles to business, it is necessary for the government to oversee prices. The government needs to help the economy realize it’s objective of satisfying the needs and desires of all people for the basic necessities in life through price oversight and price management. The majority of people have no problem with police officers. The majority of people have no problem with traffic signals or traffic laws. The majority of people have no problems with laws which regulate people’s extreme and unsafe behavior. The majority of people have no problem with government oversight of the practice of medicine, law, electrical work, plumbing, etc. The government controls how fast a person can drive, how much alcohol a person can consume, and how much a truck can weigh. The vast majority of people, the 315 million working class people, would have no problem with government oversight and management of prices. Obviously, the wealthy minority would do all in their power to prevent this from happening. In spite of the denial by the wealthy minority, government oversight and management of prices is good and essential for a balanced, equitable, and growing economy which benefits all Americans.
Balance and justice need to be restored to the economy, and Christians are probably the only ones capable of bringing this about through the practice of Christian economics. Christians should no longer compromise their principles and follow the current amoral economic theories which are the causes of the current economic and political crises. Christians need to be Christians in their public lives; their economic, business and political lives.
The Distribution of Wealth
The United States economy is a corporation of over 318 million people. This corporation has as its purpose and objective to satisfy in the most efficient and effective way the natural needs and desires of all Americans for food, clothing, housing, a livelihood, education, healthcare, disability care, old age care, recreation, entertainment, social interaction, acceptance and respect. Happiness for the majority of people is simple. A person who has enough food and water, has clothing, has shelter, has furniture, has appliances, has energy, has transportation, has the means of communicating, is educated, has healthcare, has disability insurance, has unemployment insurance, has old age insurance, has the opportunity to rest and recreate, has the ability to interact socially, and has respect from others for their rights and dignity—he or she is happy.
Unfortunately, the US economy is failing to achieve its objective. There are tens of millions of people who in spite of working very hard are lacking basic necessities. They lack these necessities because they do not have sufficient income and wealth for them. Most working people have
