I’m pretty sure He kicked out money changers, not money lenders. Whether or not there is a difference, I don’t know, it’s been awhile.

Hey, how the hell do you lend money in an un-Christian fashion anyway?

If they fail to pay back the loan and you as a consequence beat them up ... ?

I’m fairly sure you can lend money in a religious way. You can work at McDonalds in a Christian way after all. Maybe they only make loans to families in need or something crazy. I can only assume they won’t screw you over for fear of being condemned to hell.

Oddly enough you can trace the origins of the welfare state to Christian thinking.

I couldn’t find anything about this family loans thing. Did you actually click on the link and find out how they “Christianise” lending.

And part of the point of the story was that the Jews were not respecting God’s Temple. I don’t think God cares if a Christian lends money, it is surely how they do it that counts.

Oddly enough you can trace the origins of the welfare state to Christian thinking.

Why would that be surprising? Care for the poor/sick/unfortunate seem to be the fundamental tenants of Christianity.

Jim, another funny one I read about along this line was a Jewish credit card that wouldn’t work on Sunday. I think it was a proposition, not sure if it ever came to market - not sure how time zones would be dealt with if you bought something over the internet though! I guess they would have a better argument as to why the card is Jewish though :)

Swap Sunday for Saturday in above message ;)

I might have some idea.  There are some people out there that would really prefer to work with companies that have some beliefs that they share.  They like thinking that whichever service they’re using is in line with their thinking.  My experience with this is that one of my high school friend’s parents used MCI for their long distance carrier.  Why use MCI?  Because they were pro-life.  I have no clue how they knew MCI was pro-life but that was the reason I was told why they used it.  And trust me my leg wasn’t being pulled on that.  So you could say they’re almost exploiting the people like that who want to use companies in their faith type.

Have Christians in America gone so batshit crazy marketing their faith that they have forgotten that JESUS THREW THE MONEY LENDERS OUT OF THE FUCKING TEMPLE?

They reason they were kicked out wasn’t that they were money lenders, but that they were lending money in the temple.
As for “Christian” lending, I assume they more reasonable regarding credit scores and repayment schedules.  I’ve dealt with Thrivent (Lutheran) for my student loans and where Citibank and Sallie Mae declined me without a co-signer, Thrivent approved me and allows me a 12-year re-payment plan.  If my account becomes delinquent, I don’t know if I’ll be granted any extra accomadations, but I’m not really planning on that or would expect it, either.

They reason they were kicked out wasn’t that they were money lenders, but that they were lending money in the temple.

I’m not sure that I believe there is a real difference between changing/lending in the temple and using your faith to lure new customers and committing usury.

What do you think?

I’m not sure that I believe there is a real difference between changing/lending in the temple and using your faith to lure new customers and committing usury.

What do you think?

You’ll know them by their actions.  I’d be more concerned that they’re advertising through spam and that Google didn’t turn anything up on them.  After the Shiavo debacle I wouldn’t be surprised if more than a few seedy lending companies changed their names to rope in saps eager to strictly do business with Christians.  But that doesn’t make the business any more Christian than buying Chinese food makes me a Buddhist.

it’s a marketing ploy.  whether this lending company is Christian or not is beside the point.  They’re targeting a select market.

Which is kinda whack to me if you look around and see how many Christian leaders are teaching a debt-free lifestyle, or the preachers (loosely used here) spouting the so-called “Prosperity Gospel,” which by the way is nothing new… the last incarnation reached a heady peak in the mid 80s.

If Gawd Awmatty grants all our most deep desires, why the heck would we, in out Gawd-given prosperity, need a frikkin loan anyway?!

Just keep tithing and all will be well.

Actually I think it was the fact that they were trying to conduct any business in the Temple, which was supposed to be a holy place, than the fact of their occupation that pissed Jesus off so much. His words made it clear that he was pissed off about the fact that they were in his Father’s House.

(Wasn’t one of his Apostles - Matthew, IIRC - a tax collector?)

However, they were money changers, not lenders. They charged a fee for trading from one currency to another, but it made it possible for travelers to donate to the Temple in the local currency.

It’s money changers I think.  However, those folks where obviously profitting in some immoral way (according to jesus).

The OT forbids loaning money and collecting interest though.  The only christian way to lend is to not ask for interest when you’re paid back.

On the other hand, if you just give people money and don’t make them pay you back they won’t learn responsibility.

So was it the profit? Or the location? (I think it was the location, because they were just trying to make it easier for those coming long distances to worship and donate to the Temple.)

The Bible mentions dove-sellers, too, and doves were used for sacrifices. Isn’t it easier to have a guy who has already gone to the trouble of catching (or raising) the doves, so that worshippers could give the proper sacrifice, and donate their tithes in the local currency, rather than in the letters of credit or coins from far away?

That’s much like we do today. You wouldn’t donate to your church in rubles or lira or pesos, you’d use dollars (here in America, anyway).

Which is why I think Jesus was more pissed off about the trespassing than the activity…

Jesus also tended to not be all that thrilled about people going around preaching that they were holier than everyone else and thus you should listen to them above others.