Much has been made in the last few days about Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney getting caught with stocks of two companies that engage in embryonic stem cell research in his investment portfolio. Romney regrets the situation because he understands such research destroys human life. Indeed, he and his wife have insisted that deliberating over a Massachusetts bill funding such research (he ultimately didn't sign it) was what led to his reversal on abortion.Okay.
But here's where I get miffed about Romney's position (and yes, everybody else who places investment percentages over principles). Romney believes there is no blame of immorality or even hypocrisy involved since he has no control over the investments made with his fortune of $200-250 million. "I did not direct any of my investments nor did I know of those investments," he said. However, now that it has come to light (and, after all, Governor; it's not that difficult to check out where your money is invested), Romney said he's going to fix things by directing the trustee of his blind trust to make his investments conform to his "positions."
Well, isn't the obvious question, "Why didn't you do this in the first place?"
However, it's a question as relevant and important to each of us too. Where is our money invested? What companies and/or causes might we be contributing to that stand in stark opposition to what we claim to believe? Can we, like Romney is trying to do, genuinely deny any responsibility when it isn't really us that is involved in immorality -- it's just our money!
Of course not. And that's why I encourage visitors to Vital Signs Blog to consider an investment policy that asserts the primacy of principle over principal...to remember that purity is as important in your money matters as it is any other part of your life. For Claire and I, that has meant going with The Timothy Plan, a family of mutual funds offering a biblical choice when it comes to investing. As they state on their web site, "The Timothy Plan avoids investing in companies that are involved in practices contrary to Judeo-Christian principles. Our goal is to recapture traditional American values. We are America's first pro-life, pro-family, biblically-based mutual fund group."So, hey, check 'em out. After all, you may run for President yourself someday and you certainly don't want to be caught irresponsibly handling your investment portfolio like Governor Romney was. Do you?
