Money can equal power, and therefore in the wrong hands money can give people power to exert their will over the lives of others.
And they can do that abusively, and the money exacerbates and empowers them to do so.
Whole nations can use their financial power in this way.
Money can convert into 'might is right'. So there are morality issues tied up with the stewardship of money.
For ourselves, each one of us, money may just be something functional that occurs in our lives.
I have wealthy christian friends. It need not corrupt them. I have poor christian friends. They may be rich in many things in their lives.
Personally I don't mind other people being wealthy. What has that to do with how I live my life?
But if wealth is accumulated in the hands of the few, then I do think there is a danger of abuse, if only by neglect, because the well-being that money can contribute to may be denied whole communities and social groups, and the super-rich may be getting rich at the expense of the labours of others, and yet the labours of the whole community, and the wealth that community generates, may not be shared justly.
So by being super-rich, I think a person has to ask: "Have I actually stolen from others? Should wealth generated by a community be shared with more fairness between the whole community?"
At an international level, some whole countries may ask that question of another wealthier country.
But just to use money, at a personal level, seems not much different from breathing the air, or using the tools we can make from metal - it's just a practicality, not a sin in itself.
And they can do that abusively, and the money exacerbates and empowers them to do so.
Whole nations can use their financial power in this way.
Money can convert into 'might is right'. So there are morality issues tied up with the stewardship of money.
For ourselves, each one of us, money may just be something functional that occurs in our lives.
I have wealthy christian friends. It need not corrupt them. I have poor christian friends. They may be rich in many things in their lives.
Personally I don't mind other people being wealthy. What has that to do with how I live my life?
But if wealth is accumulated in the hands of the few, then I do think there is a danger of abuse, if only by neglect, because the well-being that money can contribute to may be denied whole communities and social groups, and the super-rich may be getting rich at the expense of the labours of others, and yet the labours of the whole community, and the wealth that community generates, may not be shared justly.
So by being super-rich, I think a person has to ask: "Have I actually stolen from others? Should wealth generated by a community be shared with more fairness between the whole community?"
At an international level, some whole countries may ask that question of another wealthier country.
But just to use money, at a personal level, seems not much different from breathing the air, or using the tools we can make from metal - it's just a practicality, not a sin in itself.
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