Monday, August 17, 2015

Usury economy and how capitalism has corrupted Christian churches


Here is another video post. In this one, I share from the Bible how the banking and financial industry practices a moral evil and how Christian churches participate in this morally evil economic system. See below for the scriptures that I indirectly or directly reference. A bit controversial, but I merely ask the questions. Just following in the steps of my mentor, Jesus, who asked difficult questions about the status quo.

Old Testament Scriptures against usury
 
(All references are from the New King James Bible)
25 " If you lend money to any of My people who are poor among you, you shall not be like a moneylender to him; you shall not charge him interest.
26 "If you ever take your neighbor's garment as a pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down.
27 "For that is his only covering, it is his garment for his skin. What will he sleep in? And it will be that when he cries to Me, I will hear, for I am gracious. (Exodus 22:25-27)
----------------
35 ' If one of your brethren becomes poor, and falls into poverty among you, then you shall help him, like a stranger or a sojourner, that he may live with you.
36 'Take no usury or interest from him; but fear your God, that your brother may live with you.
37 'You shall not lend him your money for usury, nor lend him your food at a profit. (Leviticus 25:35-37)
---------------
19 " You shall not charge interest to your brother -- interest on money or food or anything that is lent out at interest.
20 "To a foreigner you may charge interest, but to your brother you shall not charge interest, that the LORD your God may bless you in all to which you set your hand in the land which you are entering to possess. (Deuteronomy 23:19,20)
--------------
10 "I also, with my brethren and my servants, am lending them money and grain. Please, let us stop this usury!
11 "Restore now to them, even this day, their lands, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, also a hundredth of the money and the grain, the new wine and the oil, that you have charged them." (Nehemiah 5:10,11)
-------------
He who does not put out his money at usury, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be moved. (Psalm 15:5)

Selected teachings of Jesus about lending and giving

New International Version
And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. (Matthew 5: 40 -42)


If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. Do to others as you would like them to do to you. (Luke 6: 29 -31)


Marcus Garvey and the need for sharing good ideas without limits to race or ethnicity


In this post, I do something new. I invite the world into my basement as I share some thoughts on  Marcus Garvey and my philosophy of the need to share the ideas and inspiration with the entire human race. I share my view that God gives us ideas and inspiration to share for the benefit of the entire human race and not to be restricted to particular race or groups of people.