Billionaires Shouldn't Exist - Here's Why

What does the Bible say about billionaires and wealth accumulation? Quite a bit, actually! In this episode, we discuss economic inequality and the rising demand for wealth taxes, and explain why hoarding wealth is a sin and what Christians should do about it.

Dr. Carter is a fan of Gary Stevenson @garyseconomics and his documentary "How to Get Filthy Rich" helped inspire this episode. During our conversation, we examined his economic arguments for a wealth tax before addressing the strongest theological and social counterarguments, including conservative interpretations of the Parable of the Talents, private property as a divine gift, and the question of whether wealth taxes even work.

From James 5 to Jubilee to the California ballot box, loving our neighbors must include supporting policies that prevent wage theft and wealth hoarding.

Timestamps:

0:00 - Intro/ Cold Open

4:30 - Sick Kids are WMD's

7:09 - Hoarding Wealth Is A Sin

19:46 - The Prosperity Gospel

22:50 - Gary Stevenson Documentary

32:37 - Why Do Working Class People

Defend Billionaires?

41:36 - Jubilee Exists Beyond The Bible

45:08 - Proposed Wealth Taxes in the US & UK

48:41 - Zakat (Muslim Economic Principles)

53:46 - Responses To Common Theological Arguments Against Taxes

1:10:00 - What Can Local Churches Do

1:18:14 - Closing

Show Notes:

- Data center moratorium: https://www.reuters.com/world/new-york-becomes-first-state-impose-data-center-moratorium-2026-07-14/

- Blessed: A History of the American Prosperity Gospel by Kate Bowler: https://garyseconomics.org/

- This link is to Gary's YouTube page and his four-part (~1h45min) "Understand The Economy" course: ​​https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXuOBKrmFYbKytq9mkcd62sJPb6w12vpU&si=cAzbGDHpOuSF5-Go

- Gabriele Zucman, French economist whose most recent book, We Need To Tax Billionaires," was released in May: https://gabriel-zucman.eu/

- Our previous episode on the book Poverty, by America: https://youtu.be/W5o8x1OzATM

- What is a jubilee?: https://www.yesmagazine.org/issue/living-economies/opinion/2002/10/01/it-shall-be-a-jubilee-unto-you

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