14 Jun 2022 2:58 pm
Xavier_Onassis » 14 Jun 2022, 2:49 pm » wrote: ↑ The Old Testament says, in Deuteronomy 23:19-20:
“You shall not charge interest on loans to your brother, interest on money, interest on food, interest on anything that is lent for interest. You may charge a foreigner interest, but you may not charge your brother interest, that the Lord your God may bless you in all that you undertake in the land that you are entering to take possession of it.
So the Hebrews were banned from lending money at interest TO OTHER HEBREWS. But not to Gentiles.
This makes sense, because the Rabbi could pester the deadbeat Hebrew to pay back the loan, but would get no respect from the Gentile.
Mohammad was firmly against lending money at interest.
Which largely explains the dismal economic situation of most Muslim nations.
Christians tend to define usury as charging EXCESSIVE interest.
Why lend money that you may lose if the borrower dies or becomes ill?\
Without interest, there is no profit, and without profit there is little economic growth.
Hebrews were the only source for loans in Europe for a period (I think it was the Middle Ages) from I have read. That's probably why there are so many Jewish banking families in Europe such as the Rothschilds. You had to go to the Jews for money and a lot of Jews got rich. I hope I'm using good terminology here.
Nothing is easier than defending the status quo.