9.3: Religious Attitudes towards Money

Christianity: The New Testament tells us that the love of money is a source of all kinds of evil (I Tim. 6:10). Jesus also referred to the problems that material riches can bring and said, with reference to the hereafter, that it will be a terrible time for rich people because they have had their good times in this life (Luke 6:24).

Judaism: According to the Hebrew Bible one should not charge a fellow Israelite any interest on money lent to him or her (Leviticus. 25:36). The Hebrew Bible also says that the wealth of rich people can cause them to imagine that they are protected against everything.

Islam: When the rich people of Makkah felt that their income was being threatened by the new religion that the Prophet Muhammad brought, they started making life difficult for him. Perhaps this explains the ambivalent attitude towards money we find in Islam.

Buddhism and Hinduism: The Buddha turned his back on the riches that could have been his, in his quest for enlightenment and deliverance. In this, he was acting in terms of an ascetic tradition that was then already ancient, and that survives today in Hinduism.

The last area of a religion's impact upon social order and society deals with economic equality. The monotheistic faiths of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all teach that wealth does not follow one into the afterlife, and, as such, it shouldn't be valued. Riches are viewed as a distraction, can cause greed, and even can keep one from the afterlife. For example, Jesus of Nazareth said, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money” (Matthew 6:24). Furthermore, all Jews, Christians, and Muslims are concerned with economic equality, which is why their faiths give guidance in giving alms to the poor.

Moving to Hinduism and Buddhism, we can see a shift. Hinduism is not concerned with economic equality. Various Gods and Goddesses can influence one's wealth, and worshipping and praising these deities can result in economic blessings. Hindus are called to give alms to the poor, but unlike the monotheistic faiths above, acts of charity are performed to generate good karma. The same is true for Buddhism regarding such acts. This is sometimes called the doctrine of good works. The Buddha taught his followers, like Jesus of Nazareth, to renounce wealth and not let it guide one's decisions. The Buddha went further in his teachings, stressing that wealth contributes to ignorance and, thus, samara.

Looking within faiths, we can find evidence of order and its influence. An effective example can be seen looking into Christianity and the difference regarding religious order of the Roman Catholic and Protestant denominations. The Catholic Church has a strict hierarchy: it has at the top of the hierarchical structure the Bishop of Rome, better known as the Pope. Catholics look to him for authentic interpretation of the Christian teaching, but he is also the full, supreme and universal power over the whole Church. The body of officials that assist him in the governance of the Church is known as the Roman curia.

The Pope is elected by Cardinals (priests who are senior even to bishops and archbishops) from all over the world, but only those who are less than 80 years old. They are isolated from all outside contact (traditionally in the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican) and they stay until at least two–thirds of them can agree on whom to choose. The ballot papers are burned in a fireplace, and depending on whether white or black smoke comes out of the chimney, the crowds waiting outside will know whether a new Pope has been chosen.

Under certain circumstances, such as when the Pope solemnly and officially as the pastor of the (Roman) Catholic Church defines a matter of faith or morals,he is considered to be infallible (no possibility of being wrong exists). This is called speaking ex cathedra (from the cathedral). Normally this will, however, involve previous discussions and debates with the Bishops of the Church – not every chance remark a pope makes is infallible! Pope John Paul II made such a declaration in his work Ordinatio Sacerdotalis, in which he determined that women would not be allowed to become Catholic priests. Only another pope can now overturn this decision, and until then it is binding on all Catholics.

All of men in the positions discussed are ordained, meaning they received the sacrament of holy orders after lengthy study, including a doctorate degree. Below the priest is a deacon, then the laity, or members of the congregation. A Catholic cannot declare himself to be pope, a cardinal, or even a priest. He must apply, be accepted, study, and be ordained. Very different are Protestant denominations. They feature pastors who may or may not have been ordained, thus allowing a member to declare him or herself a pastor without any religious education and start a church. In addition, the laity in Protestant churches have a much greater role than in the Catholic Church, which follows Papal decrees. In Protestant denominations the congregation makes many important decisions, including the hiring and firing of their pastors.

In Tibetan Buddhism, we find a similar structure to Catholicism. Junior monks are superior to laypeople, but the smaller number of senior monks have authority over the juniors, and a very small number of lamas (very senior monks) are even more powerful, but only within their own organization. And so it goes, until we come to the Dalai Lama, who is the supreme head of all the schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Unlike the Pope, however, he is not regarded as infallible. Religious order also influences Islam, with different caliphs and ayatollahs.

The 14th Dalai Lama

As can be seen, religions greatly impact not only their followers but society in general.