-What scriptures support this view?
-How did Protestants deal with the problem of usury?
-What was the Jewish view of usury?
2006-09-13 12:53:14 · 5 answers · asked by Squidy 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Usury is an older term for the idea of earning interest on money, and is prohibited or at least limited in Jewish, Christian and Muslim scriptures.
Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of anything that is lent upon usury. (Deuteronomy 23:19).
Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchanges, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. (Matthew 25:27).
The question of usury has long been a thorny issue for relationships between Christians and Jews because canon law forbade Christians from charging each other interest in 1179, but it said nothing about Jews charging interest from Christians. Jews, on the other hand, were permitted to charge interest from gentiles if no other means of survival was available.
Thus, Jews became the money-lenders of Europe, and much hated because of it. Jews also acquired the stereotype of bankers and greedy among Christians because of Christian laws which prevented them from doing much else. Had Christianity deigned to treat the Jews as equals, that might never have occurred.
2006-09-15 18:06:41 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Jesus was pretty strongly against it, and the Torah forbade it (but only towards other Jews; you could assrape non-Jews with high-interest loans and not even feel guilty).
The Church was against it until the Knights Templar found a loophole - they weren't charging interest, but rather "rent" on the use of their capital. They made bundles of money, causing the Church to reconsider its position.
2006-09-13 12:59:21 · answer #2 · answered by abram.kelly 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because it is benefiting from someone else's need.
There are many places in the Bible where usury is mentioned. Go here, http://www.biblegateway.com/, type in "usury," and peruse the results.
2006-09-13 12:56:50 · answer #3 · answered by Gestalt 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Religion has nothing to do with it. Political power and control is everything to the church. It didn't like the competition.
2006-09-13 13:03:56 · answer #4 · answered by Frog Five 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Thou shalt not steal... :)
2006-09-13 13:52:09 · answer #5 · answered by Just David 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋