Humans have an interesting, deep, but often confusing relationship with money. For nearly 3,000 years, since coins were first used in the kingdom of Lydia (much of present-day Turkey), we humans have been able to exchange our work for coins and then exchange those coins for other goods and services.
When compared to the previous monetary system of “gifting and debt,” not only did we have to change the way we thought about what was valuable, but we had to imbue much more collective trust into the process of exchange. Money had to be accepted by all as valuable, not just enforced from above.
Humans aren’t always the most trusting, and when our individual circumstances take a downturn, we often tend to seek fault elsewhere. Economically, that usually involves blaming the system. For three millennia, we have found money a favorite target to blame.
Add to our human tendencies some major religious beliefs that cast a potentially very negative light on money, and money can easily be seen as evil.
In the fourth century AD, the Christian monk, Evagrius Ponticus identified the eight evil thoughts that Pope Gregory I first transformed into the seven deadly sins in the sixth century and which Thomas Aquinas reinforced in the thirteenth century. They are vainglory (pride), avarice (greed), lust, envy, gluttony, wrath (anger), and sloth.
It doesn’t take much to see how money gets involved in most of these sins.
Vainglory or Pride
The more money and riches a person has, the greater danger they have of vainglory and pride. Vainglory requires a comparison of one’s circumstances with those of others to establish a sense of financial or ethical dominance. Such comparisons that involve differences in financial standing are among the easiest to make. Still, it’s not just the wealthy who make such comparisons. Currents of ill feelings toward the “rich” today still flow deeply and often openly. Consider the Occupy Movement of the early 2010s as an example. Based on generalizations rather than individual acquaintances, such divisions create a feeling of moral superiority over the target of one’s comparison.
Avarice or Greed
The relationship between greed and money is obvious. If your goal in life is to have more money, you’ll never have enough. This problem persists today when households make income levels or investment account balances their goals rather than what they can do with those amounts of money.
Envy
Sometimes considered as the equal but opposite version of Greed, envy has the potential to lead those without money (or enough of it in their own estimation) to break other laws, such as stealing.
Gluttony
Having more money than necessary to live securely and comfortably might be considered a possible origin of gluttony. Even now, we live in an age of hyper-consumerism because of our general affluence as a society when many households still live in poverty.
Wrath or Anger
Nothing evokes so much emotion as money. We imbue it with so many different meanings, from success, power, influence, and charisma to waste, suffering, deceit, and mistrust. It’s no wonder money is the topic of most arguments in marriages.
Sloth
Sloth is much more than just being lazy. It insinuates a lack of diligence in many aspects of life, from the spiritual to the physical, from the management of home resources to the care for others. Ironically, sloth is associated with money because it often involves the state of being without the means to care for one’s own needs. Sloth insinuates willful neglect.
For those with extreme standards, sloth suggests that through personal effort, the individual could earn sufficient money to avoid becoming a burden to others. Such views ignore many external, socioeconomic factors that can have negative impacts on a household and an individual.
Money Is Not Evil
Clearly, money can be used for purposes that lead to harming others and dividing families and communities. However, money can also be used for charitable and beneficial purposes.
Money, then, is a tool and not an object with its own will to do evil. Paul clarified that it was the love of money that is the root of evil, not money itself. The two important words Paul used in Greek were philarguria (fondness for silver or money) and oregomenoi (craving). He rightly wrote that loving and craving money for money’s sake was the main concern and not its use to take care of our needs or to do good for others.
