The Love of Money

[Maxmars]

I disagree. If we're talking about what is a sin in Christianity, part of that can occur by acquisition, not just worshiping.

In suppose it can be interpreted as a strictly christian dogmatic position... perhaps those similar traditions of restraint might add to the matter...

(no, I'm not going to tell you... frankly, testaments to the idea of staying away from 'greed' and 'avarice' are pretty much everywhere, from fortune cookies to ancient texts.)

I suppose the idea has less value to some, coming from the Christian perspective, only because it's Christian.
No judgement... Christian's appear to reciprocate in kind.

The drive to acquire is not borne of reason... or is it?  Rationalizations simply affirm it is.
The desire to have, to fill needs, to gain... empowering, broadening of agency, safety.

Then some simply take more and more and more and more.... shall I go on?

And the answer from society is "Good for you!" and not, as JFK so apparently naively asked...
"...., but what are you going to do for your country?"  

Laughable sentiment which many people actually lived by...
for a very short while...

[Wild Bill]

Growing up I heard the phrase Money is the route of all evil a lot and the television in the corner which was only switched on for a hour at night was called the devil box .

it took me a few decades  for those words to really sink in but eventually I understood  what I was told as a child ,But I eventually got it and never worried about money , if I needed it ,it mysteriously appeared in my life .

Last December I told someone to take me out of any will they were making as I am near the end of my life anyway and need nothing in life that is material and I am I  the process of giving things away myself  , What did that old xxxt do but leave me all his stuff    I was told  this at the funeral on Friday .

some people never listen

[midicon]

Growing up I heard the phrase Money is the route of all evil a lot and the television in the corner which was only switched on for a hour at night was called the devil box .

it took me a few decades  for those words to really sink in but eventually I understood  what I was told as a child ,But I eventually got it and never worried about money , if I needed it ,it mysteriously appeared in my life .

Last December I told someone to take me out of any will they were making as I am near the end of my life anyway and need nothing in life that is material and I am I  the process of giving things away myself  , What did that old xxxt do but leave me all his stuff    I was told  this at the funeral on Friday .

some people never listen

At least you now have more to give away and if you are a good person that can only be a good thing!

Once in a blue moon, I will buy a lottery ticket and have no real desire to buy anything. I would give the money away to those I love and good causes. That would be great!

[andy06shake]

Actually, it is not just churches that want our money, it seems everyone wants our money.  Especially the medocal and pharmaceudical industries.  Then there are the big corporations that want us to buy things we do not need, followed by the salespeople at the stores who try to talk us into buying things that are way more than we need.  I think Churches desire for our money to help others and maintain their churches on the local level is not that bad, 

The churches help programs are a lot more efficient than the help programs that the government has.  When the government gets involved, things get all messed up and expensive it seems.  I think the church help programs were much more effective for the money spent.  Vinnies and other programs that help people are pretty good, so is the Salivation army and some other projects.  But there are some churches that do not utilize the moneys collected well, my mother used to donate to some of those scam TV churches.

I suppose it's best to judge each group, church, company, or agency, by what they actually do, not who they say they are.

But they all want a slice of pie either by taxation or donation.

And i would suggest that the Church run or faith-based aid programs often appear more efficient because they're usually smaller by comparison.

Government programs generally operate on a much larger scale(when they are open) and serve millions.

[Moon68]

In what context? A religious aspect or a societal one?

If we’re talking religion, my guess is a lot of people who are rich have made very questionably ethical choices to get there. Keep in mind, rich is different than wealthy.

If we’re talking about societal, most of us are big boys and girls. We know the rules, we have access to information.

I actually think Ayn Rand put it fairly succinctly:

“So you think that money is the root of all evil?  Have you ever asked what is the root of money? Money is a tool of exchange, which can't exist unless there are goods produced and men able to produce them. Money is the material shape of the principle that men who wish to deal with one another must deal by trade and give value for value. Money is not the tool of the moochers, who claim your product by tears, or of the looters, who take it from you by force. Money is made possible only by the men who produce. Is this what you consider evil?”

[Moon68]

I disagree. If we're talking about what is a sin in Christianity, part of that can occur by acquisition, not just worshiping.

So, let me get this straight. If I were to be an axe murderer and gave you my axe, would you then be guilty of the sin of murder? I mean, I cleaned it all up and polished it all pretty but you would still be a murderer too because of "sin by acquisition"?

That makes no sense to me.

[SurferSoul]

I actually think Ayn Rand put it fairly succinctly:

While Ayn Rand is correct in her statement there is a distinction. That being the LOVE of money, not there is anything wrong with money in an of itself. Imagine being so in love money that you hoard it like Scrooge, not even able to give a few pennies away to those who need it, despite clearly being non the worse off yourself in doing so. That your whole life revolves around conning others and endless schemes to profit by others loss. That’s where the nasty and evil bit kicks in.

[Moon68]

While Ayn Rand is correct in her statement there is a distinction. That being the LOVE of money, not there is anything wrong with money in an of itself. Imagine being so in love money that you hoard it like Scrooge, not even able to give a few pennies away to those who need it, despite clearly being non the worse off yourself in doing so. That your whole life revolves around conning others and endless schemes to profit by others loss. That’s where the nasty and evil bit kicks in.

I LOVE brisket. If you tried to help yourself to MY brisket there's a fair chance you'll end up missing digits.

Does that make me a nasty, evil miser?

Nobody has any right to what someone else has and that person has the right to do with it as they are so compelled.

[Maxmars]

While I know it's well-loved...
The works of Ayn Rand's narrative is not harmonic with social development.

The presuppositions in her thesis of reality are many and debatable in and of themselves.

What we call money is just a symbol. As with all symbols, what it "means" and how it 
is framed for political argumentation is most often assumed as being equal between people.

It is not.

Money - because it is only a "placeholder" for wealth is effectively only a tool....
because of "perspective" it is not the same thing between people. 
Taken alone, a symbol means, and is nothing... a dollar is a measure, not a thing.

How we elevate and value money, beyond symbolism, is where the "sin" is...
The "root" of all evil manifests in mankind... as mankind rationalizes itself sinless.

[Moon68]

While I know it's well-loved...
The works of Ayn Rand's narrative is not harmonic with social development.

The presuppositions in her thesis of reality are many and debatable in and of themselves.

What we call money is just a symbol. As with all symbols, what it "means" and how it 
is framed for political argumentation is most often assumed as being equal between people.

It is not.

Money - because it is only a "placeholder" for wealth is effectively only a tool....
because of "perspective" it is not the same thing between people. 
Taken alone, a symbol means, and is nothing... a dollar is a measure, not a thing.

How we elevate and value money, beyond symbolism, is where the "sin" is...
The "root" of all evil manifests in mankind... as mankind rationalizes itself sinless.

I  must respectfully disagree my good friend Max.

While a dollar for a homeless person can mean the difference between a meal and going hungry and a thousand dollars could be a rounding error for one with wealth, a dollar is still a dollar.

Whether a ghetto dollar, a dollar from a strippers ass crack, a middle-class blue-collar dollar or Elon Musk's dollar, each dollar holds the same intrinsic value. Societal differences don't change the value of the dollar, only what that dollar might mean to the individual.