–By Ben Gilmore
“Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor’s.” [Exodus 20:17]
This requires a definition of “covet”,
- Strong’s number: 1937, Greek: epithumeo … from 1909 and 2372; to set the heart upon, i.e. long for (rightfully or otherwise): — …
NOTE – Some readers may be unfamiliar with “Strong’s”, a list of Hebrew and Greek Bible words.
Dictionary definition
CŎV´ET, v. t. [Fr. convoiter, to covet; …]
- To desire or wish for, with eagerness; to desire earnestly to obtain or possess; in a good sense. “Covet earnestly the best gifts.” 1 Cor.12.
- To desire inordinately; to desire that which it is unlawful to obtain or possess; in a bad sense. “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, wife or servant.” Ex. 20.
[Webster’s 1828 Dictionary]
Without the principle of private property, the 10th Commandment (above) has no meaning! “Don’t covet your neighbor’s community property?” You and your neighbor already own your community property.
Even without the Bible this principle – “private property” makes sense.
Each of us need food, water, air, and tools with which to gather what we need to support our life and the lives of our family. Nature provides what we need, if we are willing to work for it. That is – pick it up, plant and harvest it, carve it, assemble it, market it.
The apple on the ground in the forest may belong to everyone, but it will not nourish me until I remove it from the place nature (gravity) left it, and pick it up. That makes it my private property.
The water in the stream will quench the thirst of everyone, but the bucket of stream water I placed upon my kitchen counter is mixed with my labor. Reason says that no one may drink from that water without my permission.
Thus – Reason, one of God’s gifts to humans, tells us we must not violate another’s property, if we want our property to be respected.
The term, “redistribution of wealth”, is now being code-worded, “direct payments”. It is a tool of socialism, based upon the false premise that there is only a fixed amount of wealth. If that were true, the haves would be forced to give to the have-nots to support their lives.
Wealth is not a fixed amount. Wealth is created by work. Someone picks up an apple or carries a bucket of water.
The answer is NOT letting civil-government redistribute the wealth of others. The answer to our nation’s problems is to create individual and thus, national wealth.
Simply put – Americans need to go back to work!
Ben Gilmore
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