Does America have a Caste System? What about all this talk about socio-ecomonic classes? Do we belong to one? Can we change it? Do we want to? If so, how?
Like it or not, there are very different social and economic positions in the world, and we all belong to one of them. It's based on our income, how we spend our income, our tastes, our place of residency, our education, religion, and friends. But does this mean that we have to be divided into classes?
Is there a difference between a position and a class? Can I have a Master's Degree and an annual income of $80,000 a year and not be classified as an upper-middle to lower-high class citizen? Who decides where I belong anyway?
"And they began to be divided into classes; and they began to build up churches unto themselves to get gain, and began to deny the true church of Christ." (4 Nephi 1:26)
"And the people began to be distinguished by ranks, according to their riches and their chances for learning." (3 Nephi 6:12)
From what I can tell, we're the ones who decide which "class" we belong to. We do this through labeling, separation, and greed. Notice the reason why the Nephites divided themselves: to get gain.
Obviously, the law of the harvest states that we sow what we reap. Overall, the greater our ingenuity and creativity mixed with good old fashioned hard work, the greater our reward will be. I am not an advocate of communism or socialism, but I do believe in consecrating what we have to the greater good. I believe in helping people to help themselves.
Differences need to be celebrated. Someone once described beauty as finding unity within diversity. My hope is that through our collaborative efforts to utilize our differences for the common good we may find ourselves on a equal plane - one in which everyone contributes and benefits equally.
No comments:
Post a Comment