Greed And Avarice - Evil?

[Guest greenangel]

Greed and avarice - evil? What do you think ?

[CatherineM]

I think people are finally starting to realize how materialism has affected our society because of the financial crisis. St. Paul said that money was the root of all evil. He knew what he was talking about.

I read something interesting about credit. When you take $10,000 and put it in the bank, the bank then lends it out to someone to buy a house. You have $10,000 in asset in the bank, and the homeowner has $10,000 asset in the house. Credit basically creates $20,000 out of $10,000. When something happens to pull out the rug, that "created" money basically disappears.

[Lena]

I think greed and avarice can lead to evil, especially if material goods or personal enjoyment becomes the main focus above all else. My mom likes to say, "pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered"....in other words, don't be greedy.

[Socrates]

Avarice (or greed) is one of the Seven Deadly Sins, along with pride, wrath, lust, envy, gluttony, and sloth.

[Guest greenangel]

[quote name='CatherineM' post='1730742' date='Dec 17 2008, 08:02 PM']I think people are finally starting to realize how materialism has affected our society because of the financial crisis. St. Paul said that money was the root of all evil. He knew what he was talking about.

I read something interesting about credit. When you take $10,000 and put it in the bank, the bank then lends it out to someone to buy a house. You have $10,000 in asset in the bank, and the homeowner has $10,000 asset in the house. Credit basically creates $20,000 out of $10,000. When something happens to pull out the rug, that "created" money basically disappears.[/quote]

the money needed. to buy a house. to feed a family. to survive

[Lil Red]

[quote name='CatherineM' post='1730742' date='Dec 17 2008, 05:02 PM']I think people are finally starting to realize how materialism has affected our society because of the financial crisis. St. Paul said that money was the root of all evil. He knew what he was talking about.

I read something interesting about credit. When you take $10,000 and put it in the bank, the bank then lends it out to someone to buy a house. You have $10,000 in asset in the bank, and the homeowner has $10,000 asset in the house. Credit basically creates $20,000 out of $10,000. When something happens to pull out the rug, that "created" money basically disappears.[/quote]
+J.M.J.+
i thought he said "the love of money" was the root of all evil.

[Holly3278]

Greed or avarice is one of the seven deadly sins so yes it is evil.

[CatherineM]

[quote name='Lil Red' post='1731468' date='Dec 18 2008, 04:16 PM']+J.M.J.+
i thought he said "the love of money" was the root of all evil. [/quote]

I paraphrased. At least I didn't try to make a joke that fell on its face by quoting the Protestant version of the 10 commandments. I've got to work on my material.

[Lil Red]

[quote name='CatherineM' post='1731548' date='Dec 18 2008, 04:03 PM']I paraphrased. At least I didn't try to make a joke that fell on its face by quoting the Protestant version of the 10 commandments. I've got to work on my material.[/quote]
+J.M.J.+
Catherine, you're the best

[Guest greenangel]

[quote name='CatherineM' post='1731548' date='Dec 18 2008, 06:03 PM']I paraphrased. At least I didn't try to make a joke that fell on its face by quoting the Protestant version of the 10 commandments. I've got to work on my material.[/quote]
What do you think about this book (Neale Donald Walsch - Conversations With God)?

[Guest greenangel]

sorry misclick

Edited December 19, 2008 by greenangel

[CatherineM]

[quote name='greenangel' post='1731870' date='Dec 19 2008, 03:49 AM']What do you think about this book (Neale Donald Walsch - Conversations With God)?[/quote]

Haven't read it. I get kept pretty busy trying to keep up reading my textbooks.

[MithLuin]

How could greed or avarice possibly be construed as [i]good[/i]? This isn't even a question in my mind. A kid who tries to get the biggest cookie (or the most cookies) is going to disregard all the other kids, maybe push and shove - [i]certainly[/i] not be an example of Christian charity! That is what it comes down to - will being greedy help us love our neighbor? The answer to that is a big fat [i]NO[/i].

As for the comment about the money in the bank being used to give someone a loan to buy a house....haven't you seen [i]It's a Wonderful Life[/i]? The Savings and Loan was a way for people to (indirectly) help their neighbor.

The current financial crisis is more a result of people taking risks with other people's money...and then passing off the loss to someone else. A milder form of [i]stealing[/i], not a typical bank loan - and certainly motivated by a greed to get rich quick. That, and people spending money they didn't have to try to buy things they couldn't afford.

Edited December 21, 2008 by MithLuin