COVID-19 Political & Economic Questions
Principle Perspective with Mike Winther
Release Date: 01/03/2024
Biblical Principles of Government (10b)
Principle Perspective with Mike Winther
In Christianity, there is a lot of discussion about end times, tribulation, rapture, and similar topics. Mike Winther addresses end times views found in the Bible. The modern church holds different views compared to the traditional perspectives. In this episode, Mike argues in favor of the traditional view rather than the modern interpretation of the end times. He also emphasizes that this topic is not an absolute necessity of the Christian faith. True and honest Christians disagree about the end times and even about what the Bible says regarding them. As believers, this is a subject on which...
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Biblical Principles of Government (10a)
Principle Perspective with Mike Winther
In this session, Mike Winther discusses government, relativism, and absolute truth. He talks about how the modern educational system teaches relativism instead of absolute truth. A significant part of the modern world's conflict centers on the debate over the existence of absolute truth. The message of this class is that absolute truths do exist, and there may be more of them than we initially thought. In the first week of this lecture series, Mike explored the proper role of government. The core assumption is that there is a proper role for government, as well as improper roles. We should...
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Biblical Principles of Government (9b)
Principle Perspective with Mike Winther
In this ongoing discussion of Biblical Principles of Government, Mike Winther talks about the ongoing battle over history. He begins with a tribute to King Massasoit and explains how the pilgrims bought land from the Native Americans. This tribute eventually evolved into a plaque commemorating the conflict between the pilgrims and the Native Americans, highlighting two different narratives. There is a battle over history. We learn about some interesting aspects of English and early American history from the pilgrims, legal scholars, and early church leaders. Mike emphasizes that in order to...
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Biblical Principles of Government (9a)
Principle Perspective with Mike Winther
Mike Winther continues his discussion on Biblical Principles of Government. This episode will focus on history, but he begins the lecture by highlighting two key solutions to our problems: the political solution and the educational solution. All of our efforts to change the world can be divided into these two categories. We either try to change society politically or through education. Unfortunately, we often concentrate all our efforts on the political solution, when focusing on education is the real answer. Spending just one-tenth of what is spent on political campaigns on biblical...
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Biblical Principles of Government (8b)
Principle Perspective with Mike Winther
Mike Winther continues his valuable teaching on economics, government, and history in section 8a of his Biblical Principles of Government course. Have you ever wondered how an economy grows? Mike begins by discussing growth, inflation, and increasing the money supply, answering these questions using his ongoing small island economy example. He also addresses incentives to invest and explains how market downturns are less severe when people have substantial savings. Additionally, we learn why a fixed economy would benefit more individuals. After covering economic topics, Mike shifts his focus...
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Biblical Principles of Government (8a)
Principle Perspective with Mike Winther
As Mike Winther continues his Biblical Principles of Government series, we'll explore practical components about how the world works while increasing our intellectual inquiry. All of this is so we can gain a better understanding of how we can make a difference. He kicks off the show by discussing whether the topics covered in the series really matter. For many Christians, they don't. Everything is already seen as a foregone conclusion. This is a view that people have held since the second century AD. If your answer is yes, this matters, then what are you going to do? This lecture will...
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Biblical Principles of Government (7b)
Principle Perspective with Mike Winther
Mike Winther continues his conversation from last week about charity, highlighting God's plan for generosity and the importance of sharing. He differentiates between God's model of voluntary charity and the concept of forced charity, such as Marxism, which he claims is not genuine charity. He compares the government's approach to God's model, beginning the episode by referencing scriptural passages that outline God's vision. Mike also examines God's "safety net," which includes working, helping one's family, and seeking support from the church. Another critical topic he dives into is the...
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Biblical Principles of Government (7a)
Principle Perspective with Mike Winther
In this discussion, Mike Winther explores the significant topic of charity. Mike approaches this subject with caution to ensure that our actions align not only with our intentions but also with what God intends. He discusses the arguments for both large and small government structures, highlighting two main reasons why government expansion occurs. Mike examines what the Bible says about charity and assisting the poor, and he contrasts God’s model of charity with that of Karl Marx. Additionally, Mike addresses the issue of inflation, the increase in the money supply, and rising prices. We...
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Biblical Principles of Government (6b)
Principle Perspective with Mike Winther
This episode of the series begins by discussing the 2007 and 2008 housing bubble, a topic that remains highly relevant today. During that period, prices were skyrocketing and interest rates were low, leading people to refinance and sink deeper into debt. When the collapse occurred, proponents of big government blamed the free market and called for increased regulation. Mike dives into the causes of this housing bubble, highlighting the manipulation of interest rates, the pricing of money, and the economic stimulation by the Federal Reserve. He discusses how low interest rates and the selling...
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Biblical Principles of Government (6a)
Principle Perspective with Mike Winther
Mike Winther kicks off Section 6a of "Biblical Principles of Government" with a poignant quote from Thomas Jefferson: "It's strangely absurd to suppose that a million human beings collected together are not under the same moral laws which bind each of them separately." This assertion underlines the principle of The Collective Application of God's Commands. Mike dives into the concepts of individualism and collectivism, explaining individualism as dealing with individuals, whereas collectivism addresses the group as a whole. He highlights the role of government as a collective entity that...
info_outlineIt seems that today, everything is filled with controversy. Mike Winther doesn't shy away from potentially contentious topics, as evidenced in his lecture that delves into the political and economic issues related to COVID-19. He addresses questions about masking, lockdowns, and the appropriate role of government during an epidemic.
His discussion begins with the fundamentals and underlying principles, which he then attempts to apply to the context of the pandemic. He starts with the political and governmental dimensions before exploring the economic implications. Additionally, he discusses concepts such as self-governance and the three God-ordained institutional governments, setting the stage for a principled examination of modern issues.
You’ll Learn:
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[02:19] The three God ordained governments include the state government, the church government, and the family government.
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[03:35] Rights and authority of civil government and the proper authority of government.
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[04:41] He talks about legitimate powers of the government.
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[05:24] Broadly speaking civil rights are rights of the citizens within a society.
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[06:53] The proper role of civil government is everywhere except where it violates rights.
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[08:16] We know from the Bible that there are limits on all governments including the civil government.
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[09:11] Government authority comes from God. All authority has absolute boundaries. Scripture provides adequate tools for us to discover the proper role of government. Relativism and gray areas do not come from God.
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[12:01] Rights of the citizens also come from God.
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[13:31] As fewer Americans stop thinking our rights come from God, we lose liberty.
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[16:14] The power of the civil government is to protect one person from another and adjudicate disputes.
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[18:16] Does spreading Coronavirus infringe on other people's rights?
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[22:02] We don't want the government to take away someone's rights unjustly.
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[25:17] The view of the government is that they can infringe on people's rights and freedoms to avoid the spread of the virus.
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[29:15] Mike talks about standards, reasonable cause, and presumption. He also talks about property rights.
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[34:50] The practical aspects of how we deal with a pandemic.
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[40:03] Mike gives an example of property rights and how it relates to smoking in restaurants.
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[46:10] The idea of presumption. One is innocent until proven guilty. Relativism is the belief that there are no absolutes.
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[47:24] A bright line is a line of separation between two things. It's a concept that divides one thing from another.
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[50:52] If you can't find a bright line, you are using relativism for decision making, because there is no absolute.
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[53:24] A better way to decide what is proper for the government is God's way and reading the scripture.
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[54:16] We need a standard of what the government can and cannot do.
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[54:29] Economic issues and voluntary versus compulsory. Christians are likely to do the right thing. The more people are exposed to a Biblical worldview, the more people will be concerned about others.
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[56:13] People are less likely to disengage from commerce if they can't pay the bills.