Written by Jeffrey S. Ram, Toronto, Canada, August 17, 2021
Many people in the Eastern world, especially Christians, erroneously believe that money is the root cause of all evils. Apostle Paul actually said, "For the LOVE OF MONEY is a root of all kinds of evils." (BIBLE, 1 Timothy 6:10) Numerous non-Christians in the East also believe in fate, luck, and predestination.
Most Christians in the West believe that God blesses their hard work, savings, investments, and entrepreneurship with prosperity. They think that they are the architects of their fate. The difference in the mindset may be one reason for poverty in the East and wealth in the West.
Love for money is greed which tempts people to acquire money by illegal means. Many wealthy people tend to use money unwisely. "Money," pronounced Francis Bacon, "is a great servant but a bad master."
Impoverished Christian minorities, women, and other marginalized groups are soft targets of oppression and violence. They should use education to become financially independent, escape poverty, and acquire safety and a better life.
TEN REASONS WHY MONEY EARNED HONESTLY AND SPENT WISELY IS A BLESSING, AND LACK OF MONEY IS THE ROOT OF MANY EVILS
1. Money pays the bills. All human beings use money to pay for their basic needs like food, clothing, and shelter. No one can live without money. A decent income allows people to have a decent life. Money influences almost all aspects of life.
2. Money is vital for marital happiness and the quality of family life. Money problems cause many marriage discords and breakdowns (Hibbert & Beutler, 2001; Poduska & Allred, 1990; Voydanoff, 1990). Financial sufficiency is essential for marital happiness and family relationships.
3. Money provides for a more nutritious diet and better health care. Various medical researches in developing and developed societies consistently show that rich people live longer than poor people. Some examples include:
U.S. Congressional Budget Office (2008); The Korean National Pension Research Institute (2011); U.K.-based Longevity Science Advisory Panel(2012); Brookings Institute (2016); The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2019).
4. Money furnishes educational opportunities. Different levels of tuition fees buy various quality of education. In most nations, children from low-income families cannot even dream of college and university education. People with higher education become managers, and people with no or lower education end up as workers.
5. Money is needed to start businesses and industries. The entrepreneurs who own these enterprises become employers and bosses of managers.
6. Money stimulates philanthropy. Generous wealthy people finance many research activities in universities and also help them improve their teaching facilities. Hospitals seek wealthy donors to have better equipment, more space and needed staff even in developed nations.
Oprah Winfrey is a prime example of a self-made wealthy woman from a low-income family background who uses her wealth generously to build a better world. Warren Buffett is another ideal philanthropist who started amassing wealth as a small boy with his newspaper route. He understood at a young age the value of compound interest. His work ethic and diligence enabled him to grow his wealth from that initial paper route money to make him one of the world's wealthiest people. He has given away most of his wealth to charity.
Caring people from middle and low-income classes give money to charitable causes and provide services as volunteers.
7. Money supports religious institutions and charitable organizations. Offerings and contributions enable these institutions and organizations to operate and meet the needs of people.
8. Money protects legal rights. Money is a prerequisite for seeking justice. Naomi Novik asserted, "'Justice is expensive. That is why there is so little of it, and it is reserved for those few with enough money and influence to afford it."
9. Money is a powerful force in politics. Elections are costly. Will Rogers emphasized, "A fool and his money are soon elected." Rush Limbaugh noted, "Money is the fuel that makes political victory possible. Sadly, folks, in many cases it's more important than ideas."
10. If Money is God's blessing, then it cannot be evil. In all religions, God's blessings include wealth, prosperity, and abundance. How can God's blessing be the root of all evil? Money is the master key that opens doors to many opportunities and options. In W. Somerset's opinion, "Money is like a sixth sense without which you cannot make a complete use of the other five." Billy Graham said that there was nothing wrong with people possessing riches; the wrong came from riches possessing people.
THE IMPOVERISHED SHOULD EARN AND SAVE MONEY TO ESCAPE FROM DANGEROUS SITUATIONS.
Religious and racial minorities, women, and other vulnerable sections of society are weak financially, not physically. These groups should use education to become economically independent and evade persecution, oppression, and violence.
Trusting in prayer and God is important, but God can help only those who help themselves.
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