Economics has become the single most important component for legitimacy and political stability for most developed world governments. Inflation is a prime factor that determines if people are happy with a government. One of the core components to inflation thanks to the advent of electricity, and the consumtion of consumer goods which is transported in a vast disbursed global economy is oil. If oil prices rise, food prices rise as food is distributed through this sea trade network. The oil industry also creates almost everything we see around us - plastics used in every form of electrical appliance. Consumer goods are mainly a chemical derivative of oil.
Modern nations are primarily economic entities before they are political or military entities. Everything about society is now built on economics. 'Its about the economy, stupid' - Bill Clinton. We have whole generations worshippipng the dollar sign, because we live in a primarily financial and economically driven world in developed countries. Part of it is out of necessity, part of the motiveation for materialism is fear. The other motivation is greed. We could get by on agriculture perhaps a hundred years ago but now, only few nations are agriculturally driven.
Thats why studiying the bible has basically made you irrelevant unless you can apply biblical principles in the context of the modern economy. Modern minded earthlings despise the word of God, largely because they don't see how it applies to thier largely economically driven lives. We must remember as believers that God operates above the system of man made economics, that God's wisdom in the proverbs enters into the realms of business, of daily interations, relationships etc. and is powerfully practical and relevant even today.
Modern earth dwellers also scoff at the basic notion of sin and responsiblity in the world, therefore creating the mess we know as modern politics and the economy. It is time for righteous, praying and wise christians to take back our portion of inheritence so that God may be glorified in our churches, in love ministries so that the name of Jesus might be lifted up.
Western nations and their dealings in the middle east traditionally favours despots and authoritiarian regimes, (ironically) and the motivation is really self preservation. Governments will do anything to promote oil price stability and oil supply security to western nations the objective is really the control of inflation.
Remember hyperinflation and the collaspe of a moderate germany in world war II. Radicals could just as easily rise to influence the minds of masses if poverty is the result of poor governance. International poltics is therefore driven largely by fear, not creativity. Where then is boldness and faith in our generation if everyone is afraid and motivated by fear? The question of Jesus was : will the Son of Man find faith (courage) when He returns?
Political instability in the Middle East creates oil price instability, due to the expectation of irregular supply with political disturbances, where demand is largely unchanged. This hits governments hard in the realm of popular support. It is therefore in the interest of western governments to create a stable middle east whatever the cost and that cost sometimes is ceeding out the physical land of Israel, sometimes is supporting despotic and authorian regimes, sometimes is war and the removal of radical elements which will undermine the security of western democracies and undermine costs.
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