Today on MoneyLife with Chuck Bentley

Our guest today is Gary Johnson, a pastor in Sweden. He’s going to share some things today about living there that will be extremely enlightening.

We had a guest previously who talked about living through hyperinflation in Argentina. We learned some spiritual and practical lessons about living through that kind of economy.

Gary Johnson lives in a country that many consider a Utopia, but when he looks at it through a biblical lens and he sees many problems. This is relevant to those of us here in the U.S. because there’s a lot of talk today about capitalism versus socialism.

Socialism is the economic system in Sweden, not Utopia. Capitalism isn’t Utopia either. Any system of man is flawed if it’s not built on biblical principles.

This pastor will share about what happens when an economic system has no biblical values.
Sweden has the highest taxes in the world, a heavy burden on the people. All the “free” government services actually have a high cost.

Gary is a pastor and church planter in Sweden. He went there in April, 2000 and has been there almost 10 years.

Gary' wife is Swedish; he met her in 1989, while doing sports ministry. She was an exchange student to his home state of Mississippi. They've been blessed with 10 children over 17 years of marriage. They all are dual citizens.

God gripped Gary's heart for Sweden. It's a beautiful country, clean, with ordered people. The majority are not Christians, not involved in church. Gary became interested in what drove them to live the way they did. He kept returning to Sweden through Athletes in Action.

Atheism is very prevalent in Sweden, held by 85% of the population. It's known as the most atheistic country in the world. Denmark, Norway, and Finland are high as well. It is a thankless society. People have little appreciation for what they have and are more concerned with their rights. The country is receiving the blessings of faithful believers from the past but don’t give God any credit.

The Socialist Party has been in control of government for most of the last 80 years. Socialism is a worldview that affects more than just the national economy; it affects everyday life and personal decisions. Gary experienced 11 suicides in his neighborhood in the last 9 years.

Sweden is often portrayed as a model of success to the rest of the world because it purports to give its citizens free healthcare, full employment and a high standard of living. But something is wrong in Sweden.

The problem is that God has been removed from that society. Children are taught in school that they have evolved from a lower form of life. It leads them to despair because they don’t have God to turn to for hope and salvation.

Swedish society is secularized. The family is not the core unit. Marriage has been redefined and no longer is only a union of one man and one woman. Divorce is common, kids live in different homes, and it leaves them confused. The Church is thought to be irrelevant.

Despite the hype, government services aren’t free to its citizens. Workers are taxed at 30%, and employers are taxed 30%. The government gets 60% of income.

"Free" health care is paid for through taxes on working adults. There are no private doctors, and the government makes medical decisions. There is a shortage of Swedish doctors because many have left the country. People have to wait often to see the doctor, and there is lot of uncertainty.

Linda, Gary's wife, is seen as strange in Sweden because she is a homemaker and a stay-at-home mom. It's very uncommon for an adult not to work, because a socialist society needs all adults to work. That also allows the government to influence children at an early age, as daycare is provided by the State. Linda is seen by many as not having an identity, because work is your identity. Socialists in Sweden tell her she is harming society by not working.

Socialism is not just an economic philosophy. History shows socialism is closely related to communism. Socialism structures society differently from what we know in America.

The family is not the core unit in a socialist society. Socialist society focuses on the relationship between the state and the individual.

The State has the right to a relationship with the children independent from the parents. The State makes decisions for your children, it is the higher authority.

A government panel has the education and ability to lead others in the right way, not parents. An example is that children are required to go to the dentist, missing an appointment is breaking the law.

It's important to remember our citizenship is in heaven. We are aliens on Earth. We are here to represent God.

As Americans, we love this country and want it to do well, but we must represent Christ first. We must put His interests above anything else.

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