Is money really the root of all evil?
By Arkie69
@Arkie69 (2156)
United States
September 29, 2008 9:41pm CST
I had rather believe that man that misuses money is the root of all evil, not the money it's self. The way man is using money is where our problems are coming from. First of all the economy of any nation is meant to be a very simple barter system. As long as they remain a simple barter system there is no inflation generated and they are totally secure. In a true barter system if you don't have something trade then you don't receive anything. Man got around this with credit. From that point on every economy that allows credit has been going down hill.
Money is a simple tool you can use to make a barter system work a lot easier. If I raise beans I trade the beans for money. I can then trade the money for other things. The money is much lighter to carry to do the trading than the beans. Besides I may need something from someone that doesn't need any beans. This is the way a true economy is supposed to work.
Now look at how we operate our economy and you will see where our problems are coming from. Credit that involves money was not to be used in our economy. It is fine for someone to loan you a sack of beans if you are honest and pay them back. There is no interest involved and you do not borrow anything you can't repay in a reasonable amount of time and never borrow more than you can repay.
It would be fine to borrow money if there was no interest involved and you didn't borrow more than you could pay back. If you must pay interest it creates inflation on you and if you don't repay it creates inflation on the person you borrowed from. No economy should be allow to operate in a way that it creates inflation. The more inflation that is created the more unstable any economy will become. Our economy is in trouble now for the simple reason a lot of people borrowed a lot of money than they couldn't repay.
It isn't all that hard to understand what is causing this problem if you can cut off all the junk and get it down to simple terms. The news media and the so called experts in government are pros at complicating things.
3 people like this
12 responses
@capirani (2840)
• United States
30 Sep 08
It comes from the Bible. The phrase is actually "...the LOVE of money is the root of all evil..." So you see it isn't the money itself. But I do agree that the love of money is a terrible thing and perverts society and life with greed and all other crimes that grow out of it.
1 person likes this
@sparquel (121)
• United States
30 Sep 08
Amen to that! Very well said, and I'm glad you brought that out Capirani. It is important to understand the complete scripture.
I believe the good Lord intends for money to be used for the good things. There is so much good that money can do when placed in the right hands, and motivated and guided by the right heart.
@lkoenig07 (289)
• United States
30 Sep 08
Yup, I totally agree with this. It's not the money itself, but it's loving it so much that you put it above everything else (putting your job above family & God, and your greed for wanting more money)
@snowy22315 (182415)
• United States
30 Sep 08
I once heardd that money is not the root of all evil but that the love of money is the root of all evil. I think that the best thing is to ahve a balanced lifestyle.
I think that the way to do that is to have enough money to do soemthing. I guess the
best thing is to let money have it's place.
1 person likes this
@goddessjes (788)
• Philippines
30 Sep 08
money by itself isn't evil. as what my friends and i always say, "What is money...paper only". (well, coins, too. hehe)
money makes the world go round...true. who doesn't like money, anyway?
however, it's equally amazing and loathing what people can do for money. values and morale are compromised because of the desire for wealth. in our society today, more assets would mean more status value.
i believe that the rich and the famous live a more stressful live (just a constructive opinion) because they have to keep up with their status all the time.
also, to those who have just enough or barely enough, it's stressful because there is a tendency to want what they(we) don't have.
@Arkie69 (2156)
• United States
30 Sep 08
You're right. It is just another case where man can take just about anything and use it in an evil way.This profit motivation is what is causing the problems in our economy. Too many people are trying to make a big profit by simply passing money from one person to another. The only way we are to make more is to do more. If you want more money then grow more beans. Then supply and demand will regulate the economy. Now if anything gets in short supply the price goes up and that is not the way an economy is supposed to work.
Our government that we are paying to look after our best interest should be regulating things like this to keep everything from getting so badly out of shape. The only way anything can be worth more to a point you can raise the price is for it to take more labor to produce it. If you are digging coal and selling it If you have to dig deeper to get it then you can raise your price to match what you are putting into it to produce it. Anything that is grown or produced on the surface of the earth should still cost the same as it did 2,000 years ago.
@animeniak (425)
• United States
30 Sep 08
I totally disagree with the statement that says "The love of money is the root of all evil", because I think it really depends on how you spend money, and how you treat them. Just because you love money, that does not always mean that you will just love money. Now, if a person does love money and is just hungry and greedy for just money, than I guess that person is the evil rooted by the money. Now let's face it. There are like millions of people who are going to answer "YES!" if they are asked, do you love money? I guess the people who answered "YES!" to that question, then they are all evil? I don't think so! I mean come on, who does not like money? Who in the earth would go like throw away a good money, if they love them?
Bottom line is this. Personally, I love money, just like everyone else does. However, I am not hungry and greedy for money, and I really don't want to be filthy rich when I grow up, because that means I only value money and nothing else. There are so many things I value other than money, and I am d@mn proud of that fact. If the person is just greedy and hungry for the money, values money THE most other than anything else in the world, especially those business owners, than my opinion is that they have been rooted evil by the money. But if there are people who does love money, but is also willing to share some of their profits for the ones who need help, then I really think that person is NOT rooted evil by the money, or really however you say it. "The love of money is root of all evil"? psh... that statement just makes me laugh... no offense who believes in it though. Happy mylotting.
@Arkie69 (2156)
• United States
30 Sep 08
Well I agree with you on several points but I think what the Bible meant by this is the evil it produces withing us to love money. Some people will lie, cheat, rob and even kill to get money and I think this is the evil the Bible was talking about. There is a place for money in out world but we must use it wisely and be totally honest in dealing with our fellow man with money.
This entire problem we have now with the economy is the result of people loving money to a point they will do anything to get it. The large lenders have lied and cheated to bring us to this point and all in a selfish effort to get more money. I think this is the kind of thing the Bible is warning us about. The Bible also says you cannot serve God and money both and if you try you will wind up loving one and hating the other.
@Cunning_linguist (104)
• Philippines
30 Sep 08
If money is the root of all evil, then the Church shouldn't even be accepting monetary donations for their various projects, such as building construction, feeding programs, scholarships, charities and so on.
The important thing to realize is that money is an instrument, an important instrument to be sure, but still merely the means to an end. Money itself isn't bad, for when used by a conscientious person, money can go a long way in helping others.
@Arkie69 (2156)
• United States
30 Sep 08
First of all I don't believe in involving money in any Christian ministry and neither did Jesus Christ. If we want to we can help a lot of people without going through some church. We are supposed to be sharing what ever we have that we don't need with people that need it. If you grow a garden and you grow more than you need then give the extra to someone that needs it. This is the way we are supposed to be paying our tithes. We are not supposed to be paying some preacher to get up in a church once a week, read a couple of verses from the Bible and then spend an hour voicing his opinion on what it means.
Sharing with others is a ministry of God that he can help us with. Any ministry that would stop if the money that supports it stops is of man not of God. What would happen to most of the churches if the money that is keeping the doors open dried up? Some banks lock would be on the doors before you could spit. What God builds can only be destroyed by Him and this includes you and me. Anything that is built by man will at some point be destroyed. If our economy does crash you watch the churches. They will be falling like flies along with everything else.
Did the Apostles need money to do everything Jesus asked them to do. Absolutely not. Will you and I need money to do anything God will ask us to do. Absolutely not.
@animeniak (425)
• United States
30 Sep 08
I totally agree with you. The pastors or some whatever religious leaders out there convinces the followers of Christ or the Christians to donate money, or (whatever verb) money to God. Now, one thing I really want to know is that, what does the religious leaders do with all that money they collect from the Christians who also go to that church? Oh, I think I know. They just collect money for THEMSELVES, so they can pay taxes, or their own utility bills, and so they can just feed THEMSELVES ONLY and don't even give a rat's @$$ about others!!!!! One reason why I really don't go to church is that. Really, I could be wrong in the end. But to me, the religious leaders are just full of hungry and greedy for money type of people, who convinces the church people to donate money to God, and actually use all that money just to feed their little family and use the left over money JUST FOR THEMSELVES!! Maybe not everyone's like that, or maybe I am having too negative thoughts on that, but that is just what I think, based on the status of today's society.
@Arkie69 (2156)
• United States
30 Sep 08
The way man has designed and built this world it would be just about impossible for it to function without money. That does not mean that's the way it should be. I don't think this is what God had in mind when he created this world and gave it to man.
@Sharon38 (1912)
• Jamaica
30 Sep 08
I was about to correct you but I noted that someone else has. It is the love of money - when someone loves money it allows them to go to any extent to obtain it even if it means killing you and I for our hard earned money.
Nothing is wrong with money. Saying something is wrong with money is like saying something is wrong with wearing clothes or eating food, having bath or breathing. the use of money is necessary for our daily activities. When you love something greatly no one can tough it but you and so it goes with the love for money. You want more and more and no matter what it takes to have it you will pursue, and overtake to get it. However that desire never quenches no matter how much you have.
@sweetyethot (1737)
• China
30 Sep 08
hi Arkie69,there is a saying goes like that.personally, i dont think so.money itself means nothing.as you said, misusing of money is the root of all evil.and i agree with you that if you are in debt to someone, you should pay back the borrowed as soon as you have money.
@playmateshorty (365)
• United States
30 Sep 08
absolutely, everything and everyone has its price, you'd sleep with the dirtiest, diseased increasted person if a huge wall of money was in front of you.
@Leixa003 (867)
• Philippines
30 Sep 08
I too believe that it is the person who decides if the money he or she has can make him evil or do good. Money is only a tool one evil person can use. But even without money an evil person can still do evil. Just like how power can corrupt a person so is money.
There are many roots of evil like greed.
Hope the world can be a better place and people won't have to fight over money. Happy myLotting!
@zola10 (49)
• Ukraine
30 Sep 08
like i have alway say. money make the world cool, and it answer all thing with it you can do anything.you got money down there and you have no control over people.
pls come over to Nigeria, and see how your money makes people bow down b4 you.
NO MONEY NO FRIEND. WHEN MONEY DEY FRIENDS GO COME. HMMMMMMMMMM