Do you have companies like Exxon Mobil, Unocal, Chevron, and Monsanto in your stock portfolio? More importantly, are investments in these companies (and others) consistent with a Biblical investing approach? Mining, oil, and chemical companies have been accused on more than one occasion of the economic plunder, rape, and pillage of Third World countries of their valuable natural resources, returning a pittance in compensation. Uncovering the facts of each individual case goes beyond the scope of this writing but the religious moral and ethical underpinning does not.
Is ignorance a good excuse?
We’re pretty sure God doesn’t look upon ignorance as an excuse for Biblical investing gone awry, especially when it is a relatively easy thing to get on the Internet and research the philosophy and tactics of almost any company in the world. Not to pick on an entity in particular but are Exxon Mobil’s business tactics beyond reproach? If not, can you stand before God and justify owning the stock?
A snippet of a quote from Malachi 3:5, “…and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages…â€
When a company extracts resources and pays an underdeveloped country a pittance of what the resource is worth on the developed world market, well, that seems to us like it goes against God’s desire.
Ouch. It gets a little prickly when asking these questions because so much of what makes up the modern day stock market is a little bit (or a whole lot) sleazy. That’s one reason we at Solomon Success have turned to real estate investing as our primary approach to earning profits. Remember, it’s not the profit itself that causes a problem. It’s the greedy, covetous pursuit of wealth that sticks in God’s throat.
Take a good look at your stock holdings and ask yourself, “Is this a company I’m proud to own?â€
The Solomon Success Team
Flickr / David C. Foster
