view on usury

what the hell is up with the weather? Its so freezing in the office- sutpid me decided to wax so now dont have a thick blanket to keep me warm! Do have the weirdest tan on my hand- you can slightly see it around where my ring is.

Since nothing interesting happened in my life yday...nothing mentionable anyway, i shall blog something educational. Forgive me if you think i am becoming obsessed with this job.

Jews- maybe i should mention them last so as you know how evil they are!?!!

The Hebrew word for interest is neshekh, literally meaning ‘a bite’ and is believed to refer to the exaction of interest from the point of view of the debtor. Jewish Scholars have explained this to mean that whoever ‘bites’ his fellow and causes pain to him will subsequently ‘eat his flesh’. In this understanding usury was forbidden in Judaism. Here comes the science...

EXODUS 22:25
[God says] "If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be to him as a creditor, and you shall not exact interest from him…”

LEVITICUS 25:35-37
[God said] “And if your brother becomes poor, and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall maintain him; as a stranger and a sojourner he shall live with you. Take no interest from him or increase, but fear your God; that your brother may live beside you. You shall not lend him your money at interest, nor give him your food for profit. I am the Lord your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan, and to be your God.”

DEUTERONOMY 23:19-20
You shall not lend upon interest to your brother, interest on money, interest on victuals, interest on anything that is lent for interest. To a foreigner you may lend upon interest, but to your brother you shall not lend upon interest; that the Lord your God may bless you in all that you undertake in the land which you are entering to take possession it.

The first two quotes seem to only refer to giving money to the poor. But the last quote from their religious teachings there is a prohibition with money-lending based on interest but this prohibition did not apply to 'foreigners'. No, i dont mean FOBs- Jews mean anyone who isn't a jew i.e. gentiles! Usury upon others in their own community was prohibited, but usury upon non-Jews was acceptable. The Torah states that one cannot practice usury upon a brother, but can to a stranger. The double standard ethic was endemic to traditional Jewish teachings. Jews opted for their own perception of themselves as an elite group- God’s special Chosen People and their belief that Jewish law was of divine origin, whereas Gentile law was purely a human invention.

Christians, building on the authority of the Old and New Testament the Roman Catholic Church had by the fourth century AD prohibited the taking of interest by the clergy. Despite numerous subsequent prohibitions by Popes and civil legislators, loopholes in the law and contradictions in the Church’s arguments were found (what's new!?!!) and along with the growing tide of commercialisation, the pro-usury counter-movement began to grow. This idea of commercialisation and moving with the times was supported by the Judaic traditions as they felt that interest prohibition was no longer compatible with the economic needs of the community.

Bible tell us, “Jesus enjoined values of humility and modesty to his followers, teaching that ‘It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven’” LUKE 18-25. Jewish teachings on the other hand do not consider poverty noble. It rather encourages them to live for ‘this-world’ and feels that making money is considered a natural human endeavour.

Again with Christianity there is a lack of practice- plus, they change in accordance with time and the environment they're in so living in a fast-economic-money-driven world they feel they cannot trade or survive financially unless they deal with interest.

Islam on the other hand, the criticism of usury was well established during the time of Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) and reinforced by several teachings from the Qur’an. Those who devour usury will not stand except as stand one whom the Evil one by his touch hath driven to madness. That is because they say: "Trade is like usury," but Allah hath permitted trade and forbidden usury. Those who after receiving direction from their Lord, desist, shall be pardoned for the past; their case is for Allah (to judge); but those who repeat (The offence) are companions of the Fire: They will abide therein (for ever). Allah will deprive usury of all blessing, but will give increase for deeds of charity: For He loveth not creatures ungrateful and wicked. Surat Bakarah V. 275-6.

The original word used for usury in this text was riba which literally means ‘excess or addition’. To make money on lending money is prohibited in Islam and the notion of interest marks a value on money, which as we know has no value whatsoever. The elements of gharar (uncertainty) and maisir (gambling), in addition to riba (interest), makes it a clear prohibition in Islam. Looking at societal issues further supports the ban on usury. It is mechanism by which only the rich can benefit; the rich will get richer and the poor will get poorer. It totally contradicts the principle of distributive equity practiced in Islam. The rich are able to watch their money grow by doing nothing whilst the poor have to work doubly hard to merely pay the interest payments on their debt. This interest-based system has fuelled Third World debt crisis which is escalating to dire conditions.

ISLAM is the best...nah, nah nah-nah.

gonna go see manager now :P