Is money truly the root of all evil?

1. 81

   tHErEDpILLposted 9 years ago

   So I started a forum about gun violence and someone brought up prescription drugs and how they are driving people crazy.  As soon as I saw that post I not only agreed, but thought to myself, "hey that won't stop, drug companies make too much money off crazy.  Drug companies get politicians in office.  Politicians won't bite the hand that feeds them."  Then I got another thought...
   
   Isn't it funny how every bad thing that happens can always be traced back to money?  It's like "6 degrees of Kevin Bacon", but instead of Kevin Bacon it's "6 degrees of money", and I don't even think you need 6 degrees.  What do you think?  It's only a theory right now.  Feel free to prove it right or wrong.

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      AshtonFireflyposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Honestly I think selfishness and self-pleasure causes most of the world's problems. I think most every thing that happens which we consider to be "evil" is caused by someone wanting something in order to satisfy a need or want that they have. Just a thought.

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      gmwilliamsposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      No, it ISN'T, poverty is the root of all evil.  If one is impoverished, h/she will do almost anything to live better.  It is not unusual for an impoverished person to go into crime as h/she believes that legitimate avenues of success are either denied or closed to him/her.  It is not unusual for impoverished parents to force their children to forego education in order to work in order to attain a decent standard of living.  It is quite commonplace for impoverished, even poor parents to force their children into crime or illegal activities in order to make ends meet or to ensure a better quality of life.   Wealth is not evil at all but poverty definitely IS.

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      Susana Sposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      I don't think money is the problem, it's the accumulation of it (or any resource for that matter) at the expense of others that is the issue.

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   psycheskinnerposted 9 years ago

   As I recall it was "the love of money" that is the root of all evil.  That is, not just using the money system to acheive goals, but being willing to do bad things to get money.

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      wildernessposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Psyche is correct.  Without money a large majority of the first world would starve within a couple of weeks.  Money has done far more good than bad and is one of things that allows this ball of dirt to support (such as it does) the billions of people living on it.
      
      The love of money, however, is another matter.

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   Zelkiiroposted 9 years ago

   Does that mean there was no evil at all before money (and, by definition, the love of it)?
   
   Cool story, bro.

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      wildernessposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Maybe.  I can't really see anyone murdering for the right to roll away a 6 ton coin...

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         tHErEDpILLposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         I don't believe it's the love of money.  I don't believe that people who do bad things to get money "love" money.  I think they want the things that money can buy them.  Security, food, girls, nice cars, etc.  So I disagree with that "love of money" statement.  As for the question, "was there evil before money?"  There was always money.  Even if it wasn't dollar bills.  If you believe the bible you will read that Jesus only showed anger once and it was towards who?  The money changers.  If you don't believe the bible go back in history and you'd see that receipts were given to record sales and trades.....actually our own currency basically started out as a receipt.  A receipt for the amount of gold or silver you owned, that you could use to purchase things.  MONEY is the catalyst not the "love" of it.  You need it to get the things you want and need.  Some people just want more than they need.  Go look up the word "love".  If people were committing these bad acts because they loved money then I'd believe that money would make them happy, when it actually doesn't.  That sexy blonde that the guy gets because of his money is what he LOVES. 
         
         Rebuttals??

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            psycheskinnerposted 9 years agoin reply to this

            If that was true people looting and exploiting to get money would not keep it in the bank and would not acquire more than they were able to actually spend on personal experiences. They would all stop at the point where they had one of everything they needed.

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      psycheskinnerposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      The first time someone traded a useful item for a sparkly metal or a pretty rock, humanity had money.

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   Sundeep Katariaposted 9 years ago

   Is money truly the root of all evil? - My answer is NO
   
   Further, I'd like to say:
   1. Money can be good energy
   2. Earning money can be fun
   3. Re-investing money requires certain skill sets
   4. Re-invested money helps improve the economy
   5. Saving money teaches us how to make right choices, self restraint and self - discipline.
   
   Now to come back to the reason of the question. It is same as saying: Is fire bad since it burns down everything?
   
   In other words, it is how money and associated activities like earning, use, saving etc. seen and done.

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      tHErEDpILLposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Nice response.

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         Sundeep Katariaposted 9 years agoin reply to this

         Thanks for appreciating

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      psycheskinnerposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      And donating some of that money to charity teaches us about generosity?

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5. 81

   tHErEDpILLposted 9 years ago

   No prob.  I ask these questions to gain wisdom.  We can all learn something from each other.

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