Usury: The Civilization Killer
Usury: The Civilization Killer
Meditations of A Modern Bank Slayer
Table of Contents:
Prologue: Usury’s Killer Assumption: How Greed and Fear Destroy Civilizations
Part 1: What Usury Does
Part 2: Why Usury Exists
Part 3: How Usury Dies
Part 4: When Usury Falls
Epilogue: The Path of Usury and the Wisdom of Proverbs
Prologue:
Usury’s Killer Assumption: How Greed and Fear Destroy Civilizations
The story of usury is not just a story of money, commerce, or banking; it is the story of an assumption so ingrained in human consciousness that we barely even recognize it. Usury, defined simply as the practice of lending money at interest, has shaped civilizations, economies, and moral systems for millennia. Yet despite the controversy surrounding it, very few have questioned the deeper, underlying assumptions that drive its perpetuation. In this introduction, I aim to show that, like many other errors in human thought, the acceptance of usury arises from a false but rarely questioned assumption about reality.
Historically, usury has been condemned, debated, and yet consistently practiced across various societies. The Catholic Church, for instance, openly denounced it, calling it a sin. As Barbara W. Tuchman explains in A Distant Mirror, medieval Christian doctrine viewed commerce and profit with suspicion. To make money from money—through usury—was considered inherently evil, with saints like Augustine and Jerome asserting that the pursuit of profit was antithetical to Christian teachings. Tuchman notes that the Church considered charging interest beyond a bare minimum to survive as a violation of Christian ethics: “business is in itself evil” and making money from money was the sin of usury (Tuchman, p. 39). Yet despite these prohibitions, usury became the backbone of Western capitalist economies, slowly entangling societies in its grip.
The question we must ask is: how did this happen? How did a practice so vilified become so embedded in human civilization? Ayn Rand, a fierce critic of the status quo in almost every respect, still assumed the necessity of moneylending in her defense of capitalism. In Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal, she defends the role of banks in distributing loans judiciously, based on their gold reserves, without questioning the practice of usury itself. Rand explains that banks must raise interest rates during times of increased speculation and rigorously scrutinize investments to maintain profitability, further embedding the assumption that lending at interest is essential to economic life (Rand, p. 80-81). This is not to say that Rand endorsed exploitation, but even she, a champion of independent thought, accepted usury as a necessary economic tool. Why?
To answer this, we must look beyond money and commerce. In fact, we must look beyond human history itself—to the biblical Garden of Eden. The assumption that drives usury is the same assumption that first led Adam and Eve to question God’s goodness. Genesis 1 declares that all creation was good, yet in Genesis 3, Adam and Eve believed that God was withholding something good from them—the forbidden fruit. This unjustified suspicion of God’s intentions represents the first false assumption in human history, and it set the stage for every subsequent error, including the acceptance of usury.
Historically, these false assumptions have pitted groups against one another. The Catholic Church, as Kevin MacDonald details in A People That Shall Dwell Alone, restricted Jewish moneylending to protect Christian wealth and influence. As early as 1206, Christian rulers like King Philip II, under pressure from the Church, regulated Jewish lending to curb what was seen as an exploitative practice that drained Christian resources (MacDonald, p. 374-375). This was not done out of love for the Jews, but rather to prevent Christian resources from being "drained" by Jewish lenders. Jewish moneylending was tolerated, but only as a necessary evil. This practice led to Jewish communities being seen as financial scapegoats, further fueling animosity between religious groups. As Tuchman explains, the Church’s opposition to usury was pragmatic: it sought to prevent Christian wealth from flowing into Jewish hands through high-interest loans (MacDonald, p. 406-407).
Contrast this with the teachings of Jesus, who proclaimed, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13), and “Whoever loves his life will lose it, and the one who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life” (John 12:25). Jesus' radical message of self-sacrificial love challenges the very foundation of usury. Where usury seeks profit at the expense of others, Jesus calls for the relinquishing of self-interest for the sake of others. Yet, rather than embracing this ethic, human societies have clung to their assumptions of scarcity and self-preservation, allowing usury to persist.
The animosity between Christians and Jews in medieval Europe, and the selective outlawing of usury, reveals how deeply entrenched these assumptions became. The Catholic Church’s actions were not motivated by love or justice, but by an effort to maintain power and prestige within the Christian community. The Church outlawed usury selectively, focusing on Jewish moneylenders while turning a blind eye to Christian exploitation. This selective morality has carried through history, creating divisions rather than fostering unity.
But usury is only one half of a worldview that believes we live in a malevolent universe—a universe where resources are scarce, and the only way to survive is to exploit those around us. It is rooted in the false belief that the fundamental force of creation is hate, not love. This belief fractures humanity into opposing roles: the haves and the have-nots, the victimizers and the victims, the slavers and the slaves, the usurers and the debtees, the loved and the unloved, the blessed and the not blessed, the greedy and the fearful. As long as we cling to this malevolent worldview, we will continue to play one of these roles, each group hating and fearing the other.
The greed of the usurer, as vividly described by St. Basil of Caesarea , reveals the mercilessness with which the lender exploits those in need. St. Basil's Homilia II in Psalmum XIV (cited in full in the introduction to Part 1) describes a moneylender whose heart is hardened until the prospect of interest softens him: “Then the suppliant mentions interest, and utters the word security. All is changed. The frown is relaxed; with a genial smile, he recalls old family connections” (St. Basil, Homilia II in Psalmum XIV). This portrait of the usurer, who only relents when profit is promised, is timeless, illustrating the greed that underlies usury.
At the same time, the fear of those who stand to lose what they cherish echoes in modern culture. Benson Boone’s song "Beautiful Things" captures the anxiety of those who live in constant dread of losing their blessings. He sings, “There’s no man as terrified / as the man who stands to lose you / Oh, I hope I don’t lose you / Please stay / I want you, I need you, oh God / Don't take / These beautiful things that I've got" (Boone, Beautiful Things). This fear mirrors the usurer’s mindset, rooted in scarcity and the constant need to hold on to more. Both the usurer and the one in fear of loss are trapped by the assumption that resources, love, or blessings are limited.
If we challenge these assumption the lead us to paralyzing fear and malicious greed, however, we open ourselves up to a radically different experience—a world where the fundamental force of creation is love. In this world, there is no need for exploitation or division. The big, hairy, audacious goal of this book is to help us question these assumptions and perhaps, for the first time in human history, we can experience the hope of all men and women for all ages, universal, unconditional love.
In this booklet, I divide the content into four parts, each containing three chapters. In Part 1, I explain how usury operates and its effects on cooperation, capital, and civilization, providing logical explanations, historical observations, and modern evidence of usury's impact on our contemporary society. In Part 2, I explore the purpose of usury and why it exists, aiming not to glorify usury but to present it as a necessary consequence of the human condition that will persist unless we change. Assuming you, the reader, want to change, Part 3 serves as a guide on how to overcome usury by transforming your relationship with yourself and the world around you. Finally, in Part 4, I discuss the rewards of heeding the warnings from Part 1, learning the lessons from Part 2, and following the steps outlined in Part 3.
The task before us is not just to understand usury but to question the assumptions that have allowed it to flourish. If we can do that, we might finally be able to break free from the cycle of exploitation and build a society rooted in love and cooperation.
Part 1: What Usury Does
“ The Lord gave his own injunction quite plainly in the words, “from him that would borrow of thee, turn not thou away.” (Matthew 5:42) But what of the money lover? He sees before him a man under stress of necessity to the ground in supplication. He sees him hesitating at no act, no words, of humiliation. He sees him suffering, undeserved, misfortune, but he is merciless. He does not reckon that he is a fellow-creature. He does not give in to his entreaties. He stays stiff and sour. He is moved by no prayers; his resolution is broken by no tears. He persist in refusal…
Then the suppliant mentions interest, And utters the word security. All is changed. The frown is relaxed; with a genial smile he recalls old family connection. Now it is “my friend.” “I will see,” says he, “ If I have any money by me. Yes, there is that sum which a man I know has left in my hands on deposit for profit. He stipulated a very heavy rate of interest. However, I shall certainly take something off, and give it to you on better terms.” With pretenses of this kind of talk, he fawns on the wretched victim, and induces him to swallow the bait. Then he binds him with a written Security, adds loss of liberty to the trouble of his pressing poverty, and is off. The man who has made himself responsible for that he cannot pay, has accepted voluntary slavery for life.”
- St Basil of Caesarea, (329-379AD) Homilia II in Psalmum XIV
This world is marked by a long and tragic list of afflictions: wars driven by bankers, genocides, the looming threat of nuclear Armageddon, political lies, assassinations, coordinated acts of terrorism, widespread corruption, and economic slavery. Across every continent, we see a grim pattern of unsatisfying jobs or none at all, workers on strike, social unrest, domestic violence, youth violence born of despair, and human suffering at unimaginable scales. Families fall apart, men and women grow ever more confused and isolated from one another, and birth rates plummet. Institutions crumble, the justice system is corrupted by lawfare, and industries of influence are plagued by blackmail. Children are afflicted by new diseases, food production declines in quality, leading to a rise in obesity, and society drowns in sexual degeneracy.
Amidst this chaos, we see tragic accidents caused by negligence, an inability to prepare for natural disasters, and a pervasive sense that something is deeply, fundamentally wrong. The world groans under the weight of it all, as if something invisible yet all-encompassing is poisoning every corner of life. Are we content to let it continue? Do we love ourselves and others enough to stop it? Do we have the courage to teach and live by a better way, or are we so bitter about this world that we've lost hope?
What is it that corrupts this world so thoroughly? What drives this relentless descent into suffering and chaos? What turns our desires for life and joy into tools of destruction? It is not some mysterious or abstract force.
Its name is usury.
In Part 1, we will explore how usury systematically undermines the foundations of society. We will see how it destroys cooperation among people, erodes the value of capital, and ultimately unravels entire civilizations. By examining these aspects in detail, we can begin to understand the true cost of this insidious practice and why it has been a source of suffering throughout history.
Chapter 1: Usury Destroys Cooperation
Every game we play is built on a delicate balance of cooperation and competition. For competition to be meaningful, players must agree on the rules of the game. This underlying cooperation is often hidden from view; all we see are the competing teams. We rarely pause to appreciate the extent of collaboration required for teams to come together and function effectively. Imagine someone showing up to a football game wielding a baseball bat or a boxer attempting to play basketball—utter chaos would ensue, perhaps even yielding a bit of humor. Such scenarios highlight how crucial it is for players to understand and adhere to the agreed-upon rules; without this understanding, the very fabric of the game unravels.
This brings us to the concept of cheating, best defined as an attempt to benefit by the terms of competition without acknowledging or consenting to the established rules. Cheating disrupts the cooperative spirit that underpins any game, leading to an unfair advantage and eroding trust among players. We frown upon cheating and make laws against it precisely because the integrity of the game depends on that foundational cooperation. When one player tries to manipulate the game for personal gain, the result is not just a loss of fairness but also a breakdown of the cooperative dynamics that make the game enjoyable and meaningful.
Even though cheating is universally condemned from classrooms to boardrooms, from school yards to Wrigley Field, I find it strange that many people are playing a game where they know many of the participants are cheating. This game has many names: Money, Capitalism, Socialism, The Economy yet few understand how the game is played, how certain players are cheating or what game makers might refer to as “The End Game.”
The method of cheating is called Usury, defined simply as loaning money at interest. It is a strategy that requires at least three players, and here’s how it unfolds:
Two players are productive and create wealth, while the third player is destructive and loans the representation of wealth to the other two at interest. Let’s call the productive players Jeff and John, and the destructive player Ben.
Ben loans 50 units of money each to Jeff and John at 100% interest. By the end of the game, both Jeff and John must pay Ben $100 each.
To settle his debt, Jeff sells everything he has to John. Jeff, now destitute, starves, while Ben collects $100. John becomes the new owner of all but now owes Ben $100. To pay his debt, John sells everything back to Ben, leaving him in a similarly desperate situation. Ultimately, John also starves. Ben, having amassed all the wealth, is left with nothing because the very players who could make the world work are gone.
Thus, in any game of usury where participants take loans and are expected to repay them with interest, everyone loses.
- Jeff plays and loses.
- John plays and loses.
- Ben plays and loses.
This is the insidious nature of usury—it destroys cooperation and turns the tools of prosperity into instruments of destruction. The environment created by debt and interest erodes trust and mutual support, replacing collaboration with competition and conflict.
In a society governed by usury, productive individuals find themselves trapped in an endless cycle of borrowing and repaying, where cooperation becomes a casualty of financial strain. The destructive player, Ben, manipulates the game by leveraging interest, ensuring that the only constant is loss.
To illustrate the prevalence of usury in our modern economy, consider the current systems of credit, loans, and interest rates that dominate our financial landscape. From student loans to credit cards and mortgages, the practice of lending money at interest is ubiquitous. Financial institutions profit from the debts of individuals, often leading to overwhelming financial burdens that entrap borrowers in a cycle of repayment. This creates an environment where cooperation is stifled by competition for resources, as individuals struggle to meet their obligations rather than working together for mutual benefit.
The implications extend beyond mere numbers; they signify a loss of opportunity, growth, and sustainability. When cooperation falters, the capacity for collective progress diminishes, leading to isolation and desperation.
As we look ahead, consider how usury doesn’t just disrupt our relationships but also fundamentally alters our understanding of money and capital itself. The illusion of wealth created by usury will be explored next, revealing how it distorts value and ultimately undermines the economic system we rely on.
Chapter 2: Usury Destroys Capital
In examining the destructive nature of usury, we uncover a critical truth: usury expands the need for money beyond what can be ethically produced, ultimately leading to a landscape filled with empty fiat and digital currencies. At the core of this issue lies the manipulation of financial systems, where the mechanisms of capitalism are distorted to prioritize immediate gains over sustainable growth.
In a healthy economic environment, the principles of production and value creation are fundamental. Money serves as a tool to facilitate exchange and reward productivity. However, when usury infiltrates the system, it generates a demand for money that far exceeds the economy's capacity to produce real value. This reliance on debt and artificially created capital inflates the perceived wealth within the system, creating an illusion of abundance that is ultimately unsustainable.
Consider the practice of fractional reserve banking, which allows banks to lend more money than they actually possess. This creates an artificial expansion of the money supply, generating an expectation of wealth that cannot be fulfilled. As more money circulates without corresponding production, the value of currency diminishes. The result is a systemic reliance on debt that undermines the integrity of the financial system.
As the economy rewards deceptive practices, the cycle of usury becomes self-reinforcing. Businesses that prioritize ethical production often find themselves at a disadvantage against those that exploit the system for quick gains. In this environment, the most unethical actors thrive, leading to a society where unproductive and immoral activities become normalized. This dynamic creates a feedback loop: the more a business relies on deceptive practices to generate profit, the more pressure it exerts on others to follow suit. Consequently, the market begins to reward those who prioritize short-term financial gains over genuine productivity and innovation. The erosion of ethical standards becomes evident as the quest for profit outweighs the commitment to quality and integrity.
The ultimate consequence of this trajectory is a monetary collapse, where the value of currency deteriorates to such a degree that its convertibility into real money—such as gold and silver—becomes impossible. This phenomenon mirrors historical instances, such as the abandonment of the gold standard under President Roosevelt in 1933, when the dollar's link to gold was severed domestically. Similarly, under President Nixon on August 15, 1971, the United States shifted away from the Bretton Woods system, leading to a global detachment of currency from gold.
As usury proliferates, the reliance on empty fiat and digital currencies reflects a society that has lost its moral compass. Wealth becomes detached from genuine productivity, and the monetary system becomes increasingly unstable. When debt exceeds the available money to such an extent, trust in currency erodes, leading to widespread economic disillusionment.
The implications of usury extend beyond mere economics; they resonate through our societal structures, affecting everything from healthcare access to job opportunities. As the quality of goods and services declines, society suffers from a diminished standard of living. The economy’s ability to innovate and provide meaningful solutions becomes severely hampered, creating a cycle where unproductive activities are not only tolerated but rewarded.
Ultimately, the pervasive influence of usury threatens not just economic stability, but the very fabric of civilization itself. As we delve into the next chapter, we will explore how this destructive force not only undermines economic systems but also erodes the moral foundations of society, leading to broader cultural and civilizational decay. The interconnectedness of economic integrity and social well-being will reveal the full extent of usury's impact on our world.
Chapter 3: Usury Destroys Civilization
At the core of a functioning civilization is a delicate balance of power, trust, and ethical responsibility. Usury, the practice of generating money from money through interest, fundamentally inverts this balance. It introduces deception that corrupts our social and economic structures, transforming institutions meant to serve the public into mechanisms of exploitation. The consequences of usury extend beyond mere financial transactions; they affect the very fabric of society, undermining cooperation and fostering division.
The Cycle of Deception
To understand the destructive nature of usury, let’s revisit the figures of Ben, Jeff, and John from Chapter 1. In this scenario, Ben, as the usurer, loans 50 units of currency each to Jeff and John at an exorbitant interest rate. By the end of the cycle, both Jeff and John must repay 100 units each, an impossible task.
This situation starkly illustrates how usury creates a zero-sum game. Jeff must sell everything to John to repay his debt, leading to his ruin. With Jeff’s demise, John inherits his possessions but is then left with an unmanageable debt to Ben. As John, too, ultimately falls into destitution, Ben accumulates wealth without producing anything of value. This insidious cycle highlights a fundamental truth: usury extracts capital from those who need it most, leaving them trapped in a web of debt and desperation.
In a society governed by usury, productive individuals like Jeff and John become entangled in an endless cycle of borrowing and repayment, eroding trust and mutual support. The deceptive nature of usury distorts cooperation, forcing individuals to view each other as competitors for limited resources rather than collaborators in creating value.
The Corruption of Industry
In industry, this principle manifests in the prioritization of profits derived from interest over genuine innovation and social responsibility. The relentless pursuit of profit is not merely a moral failing; it is a mathematical necessity within a usury system. The overall debt in such a system can never truly be repaid, regardless of interest rates. As debt accumulates, survival often hinges on standing on the heads of fellow participants, perpetuating a cycle where each individual’s success comes at the expense of another.
This creates an environment where competition becomes ruthless, and the drive to maximize profits leads companies to engage in unethical practices, sacrificing social and environmental responsibilities. For instance, companies may choose to cut corners on worker safety or engage in environmentally destructive practices to satisfy the demands of debt repayment. When individuals are drowning in debt, the only way to stay afloat, even temporarily, is to exploit those around them. However, when those around you drown, you, too, face inevitable ruin—even the moneylenders are not immune to this cycle.
The original purpose of industry—to provide meaningful work and contribute positively to society—becomes overshadowed by a relentless pursuit of profit. This transformation creates a landscape where exploitation flourishes, and the well-being of individuals and communities suffers.
The Compromise of Religion
Similarly, usury infiltrates religious institutions, compromising their spiritual mission. Financial pressures can lead these organizations to prioritize monetary gain over moral guidance. When the message of faith becomes entangled with financial incentives, the transformative power of spirituality diminishes.
Congregations may find themselves supporting initiatives that serve the interests of those in power rather than the needs of the community. This shift can result in a loss of genuine moral leadership, as spiritual leaders focus on fundraising rather than fostering a culture of compassion and justice.
The Erosion of Education
The influence of usury also extends into education. Financial pressures can corrupt educational institutions, leading to a focus on profit rather than genuine learning. When schools prioritize funding and compliance over critical thinking and independent inquiry, they produce a generation of workers trained to conform rather than innovate.
This erosion of educational integrity perpetuates a cycle where individuals become cogs in a machine, ill-equipped to challenge the status quo or envision a better future. The loss of independent thought is a tragedy not just for individuals, but for society as a whole, as the capacity for collective progress is diminished.
The Distortion of Law
The legal system is similarly affected by the influence of usury. When financial power dictates legal outcomes, justice becomes a tool of oppression. Lawfare—using legal means to undermine competitors—reflects a system where the powerful manipulate the law to serve their interests, eroding public trust in legal institutions.
As usury distorts the legal framework, the vulnerable find themselves increasingly marginalized, exacerbating societal divides and fostering an environment ripe for injustice. This breakdown of trust undermines the very foundations of a just society, creating an atmosphere where ethical principles are overshadowed by financial interests.
Conclusion to Part 1: What Usury Does
In examining the destructive nature of usury, we have uncovered its pervasive influence across various societal structures—industry, religion, education, and law. Each of these institutions, once intended to uplift and empower, becomes compromised in a landscape dominated by deception and exploitation. The insidious cycle of usury not only undermines cooperation and work but also distorts the very foundations of our civilization, leading us toward an unsustainable future where trust and ethical responsibility are eroded.
As we conclude this first part, it's essential to recognize that while usury inflicts profound harm, it does not exist in a vacuum. Usury has a cause and a purpose. To understand its presence in our world, we must delve deeper into its purpose and the human conditions that give rise to it.
In Part 2, we will explore the underlying motivations that sustain usury. Rather than glorifying its existence, we will seek to understand it as a necessary consequence of a universal human dysfunction, one that has persisted through history and continues to shape our interactions. This exploration will illuminate why usury is not merely a financial mechanism but a reflection of our collective ignorance, fears, desires, and vulnerabilities.
Unless we confront and address these foundational aspects of the human condition, the cycle of usury will remain entrenched, perpetuating the very issues we have examined. Our journey into the heart of usury’s purpose will serve as a catalyst for change, guiding us toward potential solutions that can break this destructive cycle and foster a more just and equitable society.
Part 2: Why Usury Exists
In Part 1: What Usury Does, we explored how usury wreaks havoc on society, causing untold suffering and injustice. It is a system that dehumanizes and distorts the relationships between people, turning everything into a transaction. Yet, this destructive force isn’t something external imposed on humanity—rather, usury is the outward expression of an inward dysfunction. Like Adam and Eve’s decision to doubt the goodness of God and believe the lie of Satan, usury reflects the same vulnerability within us: the temptation to believe that God is withholding good things and that we must grasp them ourselves.
In Part 2, we will explore why usury exists at all. The answer lies in the human heart. Just as Eve's vulnerability opened the door to sin, our attachment to worldly desires makes us susceptible to the lies of usury. We are prone to seek fulfillment in things that can never truly satisfy, allowing usury to thrive. The evil of usury is not just a societal problem—it is a spiritual problem rooted in the desires of the soul that have yet to be surrendered to God.
Historically, usury has often been associated with the Jewish people, particularly during the Middle Ages. This fact, however, must be understood in context. Many European kings, for example, would outlaw Jews from holding any occupation other than moneylending, effectively forcing them into this practice to benefit the monarchy at the expense of the people. This exploitation of Jewish communities for the crown’s gain illustrates a deeper truth: usury is not the result of a particular group’s wickedness, but of the conditions created by society at large. The blame for usury cannot be laid on a single group or people. As Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn wisely observes in The Gulag Archipelago, "If only it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?"
This line, dividing good and evil in the human heart, is what allows usury to flourish. Just as the kings who profited from this system are complicit, so too are we when we tolerate and justify practices that exploit others. Every objection to the call to reject usury is rooted in a deeper desire to live and not die, to preserve the comforts and securities we believe will sustain us. What is really underneath this desire is a false belief that our lives are our own, that God does not hold us, or that He is not good.
As long as we cling to the belief that our lives must be built and protected through earthly means, we remain susceptible to usury's lies. Only in dying to these desires, in the way that Bonhoeffer describes, do we find freedom. Only when we let go of our fears and place our trust in God can we break the power that usury holds over our hearts. This journey begins not with finger-pointing, but with looking inward.
Chapter 4: Usury Exposes Our Ignorance of God
“Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you as if something unusual were happening to you.” (1 Peter 4:12)
Usury, the practice of charging interest on loans, is more than just an economic tool; it represents a mechanism of control that distorts our understanding of reality. Its purpose is to perpetuate a system that blinds people to the truth about life, creation, and our relationship to the Creator. By chaining people to the endless cycle of debt, it obscures the beauty and goodness of creation, turning our gaze inward towards fear, greed, and lack, rather than outward towards trust in God and gratitude for His providence.
At the core of usury is a lie that drives our ignorance: that we are incomplete and unworthy unless we possess more. This lie reflects the very deception that occurred in the Garden of Eden, where Satan convinced Eve that God was withholding something good. In the same way, the modern debt-based system fuels our ignorance by making us believe that the material things we desire are somehow being kept from us and that only through acquiring more—more money, more possessions, more success—will we finally be satisfied. But this satisfaction never comes. Usury operates on the principle of scarcity, continually feeding our fear that we don’t have enough, which blinds us to the reality that God has already given us everything we need.
The true nature of this ignorance is spiritual. It begins with the rejection of the belief that God is good. When we lose faith in the goodness of the Creator, we start to see creation as something that is inherently flawed, limited, or broken. This belief distorts our perception of reality, leading us to adopt an attitude of fear and distrust. We start to assume that the world is against us, that suffering is meaningless, and that we must fight for our survival through whatever means necessary—even if it means exploiting others through usury.
However, Scripture calls us to rejoice even in suffering, not because suffering itself is good, but because it serves a higher purpose in revealing God’s glory (1 Peter 4:12-16). This is the perspective that usury tries to strip away. By focusing on the accumulation of wealth and the avoidance of financial pain, the system of usury keeps us from understanding the deeper truths of life. We forget that suffering is part of a larger divine narrative—a narrative where God is continually working for our good, even when circumstances seem difficult or painful.
Believing that God is good allows us to see the trials of life through a different lens. Rather than viewing hardship as proof that God is withholding something from us, we can begin to see it as part of His plan for our growth and sanctification. Just as Tolkien's Sauron served to highlight the courage and nobility of characters like Frodo and Aragorn, the challenges we face in this life serve to magnify the greatness of God’s grace. When we trust in His goodness, even the evil in the world becomes a tool in His hands, working for our ultimate redemption and joy.
In contrast, the belief that God is bad leads to a profound ignorance of reality. Those who hold this view see the world as a place of scarcity and suffering, where joy is fleeting and where the Creator is either indifferent or malicious. This mindset fuels the endless pursuit of more—more wealth, more security, more control—because it is rooted in the fear that life is fundamentally hostile. Usury thrives in this atmosphere, as it plays upon our fear of lack and our desire to control outcomes. In doing so, it deepens our ignorance by convincing us that life is a zero-sum game, where only the strong survive and where suffering has no meaning.
But the truth is that God is good, and everything He does is for the good of His creation. This includes both the blessings and the trials we experience. When we recognize this, we are freed from the ignorance that usury perpetuates. We no longer need to chase after wealth or fear the loss of material things, because we understand that our true security lies in God. We see that creation is good, that life is abundant, and that joy can be found even in the midst of hardship. This knowledge is the antidote to the ignorance of reality that usury creates.
In the end, the choice is simple: either we believe that the Creator is good, or we believe that He is bad. This belief will shape our entire understanding of reality. If we choose to trust in the goodness of God, we will see life as a gift, full of possibility and purpose. But if we fall into the trap of usury—if we believe that God is withholding good things from us and that we must take matters into our own hands—then we will remain ignorant, forever blind to the truth that God’s love is enough, that His provision is perfect, and that His plan is for our ultimate joy and redemption.
Chapter 5: Usury Exposes Our Malice towards God
“What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God.” (James 4:1-2)
The essence of our conflicts often stems from a profound and troubling belief: that God withholds good things from us. This belief is not merely an abstract thought; it is a deeply rooted conviction that ignites a toxic cycle of desire, resentment, and malice. Just as a toddler’s tantrum arises from a sense of deprivation, so too does our inner turmoil emerge from a perceived lack of divine provision.
The Pattern of Malice
The destructive cycle can be broken down into three steps, mirroring the tantrum behavior observed in children:
Step 1: I want it.
This initial stage begins with desire, an innate yearning for something perceived as good or necessary. However, this desire often morphs into a desperate craving for validation or provision from a higher power—namely, God. When we look to Him for fulfillment, we feel a profound sense of helplessness if we believe He isn’t providing what we ask for.
Step 2: I don’t have it.
The absence of what we desire leads to frustration and despair. In our hearts, we might believe that God has the ability to grant our requests but is choosing not to. This belief fosters a growing sense of entitlement, where we start to feel that we deserve what we seek. We begin to view our desires as rights rather than requests, and when those rights are perceived as infringed upon, our thoughts drift toward resentment.
Step 3: I’ll punish the one responsible.
The culmination of this internal conflict leads to a very human reaction: malice towards God. When our desires go unfulfilled, we lash out—not just at the circumstances but at the very idea of God Himself. We interpret His “no” as a lack of love or goodness, a failure to recognize our perceived needs. This misperception breeds a bitterness that can consume our hearts, driving a wedge between us and the very source of life.
The Cycle of Malice
This cycle of desire, frustration, and punishment is not confined to children. It manifests in adults as well, with our tantrums taking on more sophisticated forms—anger, rebellion, cynicism, and even hostility toward the divine. We engage in quarrels and conflicts, not only with one another but also with God, convinced that He has not given us the good we deserve. This belief, rooted in a misunderstanding of His nature, causes us to behave as if He is an adversary rather than a loving Father.
The weight of this belief is palpable. We fail to see that our quarrels often originate from our own hearts—“What causes fights and quarrels among you?” James asks. The answer is uncomfortable: it is our own desires that battle within us. We may cloak our frustration in piety, masking our true feelings about God’s providence, but the underlying issue remains: we believe He is withholding good from us.
The Roots of Malice
Usury serves as a powerful metaphor for this dynamic. It represents a system that preys on our desires, amplifying our sense of lack while deepening our belief that we are entitled to more. In a world driven by materialism and immediate gratification, usury reflects the insatiable hunger of the human heart, which perpetuates the cycle of desire and discontentment.
Our desires become a source of conflict, leading us to believe that God’s refusal to fulfill them is an act of malice. This misinterpretation breeds a bitter enmity toward God, as we internalize the notion that He is the ultimate barrier to our happiness. Thus, instead of recognizing our own role in the creation of our dissatisfaction, we project our frustrations onto Him.
The Tantrum of the Heart
This pattern resembles a tantrum, whether in a child or an adult. We desire, we feel entitled, and when we do not receive what we believe we deserve, we lash out. The underlying belief that God is withholding good things from us fuels our anger, manifesting in behaviors that undermine our relationship with Him.
This anger is not merely a momentary flare-up; it is a reflection of our deeper struggle with authority. Like children who cannot comprehend the reasons behind a parent’s “no,” we become frustrated with God’s perceived silence or denial. Our spiritual immaturity leads us to react in malice, reinforcing the cycle of discontent and estrangement.
Conclusion
In recognizing the role of usury in shaping our desires and beliefs, we must confront the malice that can arise within our hearts. To truly defeat the spirit of usury, we must first learn its lesson and undo the resentment towards God that fuels our sense of entitlement. This transformative process requires us to realign our understanding of God’s sovereignty and goodness.
The attitude of one who has learned this crucial lesson is beautifully captured in Scripture. Psalm 115:3 reminds us, “Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.” This verse emphasizes a profound trust in God's perfect will, recognizing that His decisions are ultimately for our good, even when they do not align with our desires. Similarly, Job’s declaration—“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised” (Job 1:21)—reveals a heart that acknowledges God's authority over all aspects of life, embracing both blessing and loss with gratitude.
When we internalize these truths, we move away from the destructive cycle of entitlement and discontentment. Instead of viewing God as a withholding figure, we begin to see Him as a loving provider, whose ways and purposes transcend our limited understanding. Through this lens, we can cultivate a heart that praises Him in every circumstance, freeing ourselves from the malice that has so often defined our relationship with the divine. Only then can we genuinely find peace and fulfillment, liberated from the shackles of usury.
Chapter 6: Usury Exposes Our Need of God
“For a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith” —(1 Peter 1: 6-7)
In our struggles with usury, we often find ourselves blinded by our desires and cravings for what we do not possess. This leads us to forget the reality of God’s goodness and the depths of His provision. Yet, in our suffering, we find a powerful reminder of our dependence on God. The pain we experience is not merely an unfortunate consequence but a tool used by God to teach us that we have everything we need in Him.
Suffering, particularly that caused by usury, serves to strip away our illusions of self-sufficiency. It reveals our cravings—the insatiable desires that drive us to seek fulfillment outside of God. Instead of recognizing that our true fulfillment lies in His love, we chase fleeting pleasures and possessions, only to find ourselves empty and dissatisfied. Augustine rightly noted, “Our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” This restlessness underscores the folly of turning away from the living water that God offers.
Consider the analogy of a father standing in the deep end of a pool, calling his child to jump into his arms. The water appears daunting, and the little boy is overwhelmed by fear. Yet, the father’s strong, reassuring voice cuts through that fear, urging the child to trust him. The joy of the child comes not from the absence of fear but from the knowledge that his father is stronger than those fears. This dynamic perfectly illustrates our relationship with God. We often allow our circumstances—the “water”—to drown out the truth of God’s steadfastness and love. When we learn to trust in Him, we experience a profound joy that transcends our immediate struggles.
John Newton’s hymn, “I Asked the Lord That I Might Grow,” written in 1779, captures this journey of faith beautifully. In the hymn, Newton begins by asking God for growth in faith, love, and grace, seeking to understand the fullness of His salvation. He expresses a heartfelt prayer for more of God, yearning to seek Him more earnestly. However, he soon finds that the answer to his prayer comes not through immediate relief but through trials that seem to heighten his struggles rather than alleviate them. Newton articulates the process of refinement, showing how God uses these good trials to reveal the hidden evils of our hearts.
In the conclusion of the hymn, Newton states, “These inward trials I employ / From self and pride to set thee free / And break thy schemes of earthly joy / That thou may’st find thy all in Me.” This powerful reminder illustrates how God uses our suffering to lead us back to Him. Through our trials, we are invited to realize our profound need for God. The pain we endure acts as a catalyst, steering us back to our true source of hope and joy. It is an opportunity to strip away the false securities we cling to and embrace the living hope that comes from a relationship with our Creator.
Suffering is often self-inflicted, born from our belief that satisfaction lies in what we lack. We forsake the fountain of living water and instead dig our own broken cisterns that can never hold water. As Jeremiah laments, “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.” This stark contrast illustrates the futility of our pursuits when we ignore God’s provision.
In this journey, we find that joy isn’t merely the absence of suffering; it is the assurance that, regardless of our circumstances, we are held in the arms of a loving Father who desires our trust. As we cultivate this relationship, we begin to experience the fullness of life that God intended for us—an inheritance that never fades, an unshakeable foundation upon which we can stand.
Message to Reader
Dear reader, as you reflect on the trials and blessings in your life, I urge you to seek God in the midst of them. Allow your heart to meditate on His goodness, even in suffering. Remember, He is both Good and God, orchestrating every circumstance for your ultimate good. In Romans 8:28, Paul assures us that “He works all things for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Embrace the truth that your suffering can be a sacred space where God reveals His love, guiding you back to His open arms. How precious it is to witness a child who trusts their father, even in the midst of chaos or confusion! How privileged we are when we watch men and women suffer with contentment and gratitude. Such people show us that there is a joy unconditional, a hope unshakeable, and a love that cannot be defeated. Such are people like Job when he lost everything, David when he faced down Goliath, and Christ when he breathed his last breath on the cross. The power of the Christian is that we do not let Goliath, Nebuchadnezzar, Caesar, or JP Morgan steal our joy or convince us that doors are shut that our God can easily open. Every interaction we have with the beast within us and the beast outside of us is an opportunity for worship and an opportunity to witness God show up in a big way. Embrace the battle!
Conclusion of Part 2: Why Usury Exists
As we conclude this part of our journey, let us take a moment for self-reflection, grounded in the wisdom of Matthew 7:3-5. Jesus asks us, “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” It is all too easy to point fingers at the usury around us, critiquing others for their failings while ignoring the deeper issues within our own hearts. Before we cast judgment, we must first examine ourselves and confront our own compliance, ignorance, and malice.
By taking the time to root out the desires and attitudes that make usury appealing in our own lives, we can begin to free ourselves from its grasp. This self-analysis allows us to truly understand the forces at play in our society. Only when we let go of these unhealthy cravings and acknowledge our own shortcomings can we begin to defeat the negative impacts of usury.
In the next chapter, we will be discussing practical steps we each can take to defeat usury.
Part 3: How Usury Dies
Chapter 7: Forgiveness Destroys Usury
Imagine a magician pulls the first dollar ever out of his magic hat and lends it to you—with interest. It’s an astonishing trick: a dollar created out of thin air, loaned to you with the expectation that you’ll pay it back. But here’s the catch: You owe the magician more than what he gave you. Where will you get the money to pay back both the principal and the interest?
You might borrow more, work harder, or sell your possessions, but at the end of the day, you’re in a race against time and energy. You’ll never have enough because the magician didn’t lend you enough in the first place. So, what happens when you default? The magician takes your house, your car, or whatever assets you have. This, my friends, is the magic of usury—the grand illusion that debt can be repaid when, in fact, the system is rigged from the start to ensure that you’ll fail.
"Ah ha!" Moment 1: The Unpayable Debt
This is how our entire monetary system works. When banks issue loans, they do not lend you money that existed before. They create credit out of thin air—much like the magician’s dollar. You think you’re receiving real value, but the bank hasn’t earned this money through production or labor; it’s simply a ledger entry, a number on a screen. Yet, you are expected to repay this fictional money with your very real labor, time, and assets.
Here’s the kicker: There’s never enough money in circulation to cover both the principal and the interest on all the loans. Just like in the magician’s trick, you’re destined to run out of resources. Someone, somewhere, must default because the system is designed to create debt that can never be fully repaid.
"Ah ha!" Moment 2: The Default as a Revelation
Now, think about what happens when someone defaults on their debt. The default isn’t just a personal failure; it’s a moment of revelation. It’s as if the curtain is pulled back on the magician’s trick, exposing the fraud. The debt was never truly repayable in the first place. By defaulting, the debtor shines a light on the fact that the entire arrangement was based on an illusion—the illusion that the loan was fair and legitimate.
When banks create money from nothing and lend it at interest, they are essentially issuing a promise that can never be kept. The borrower will never have enough because the system isn’t designed for them to succeed. This is the fraud at the heart of usury. The magician never earned the dollar he loaned to you, yet he will take everything from you when you can’t pay it back.
"Ah ha!" Moment 3: Forgiveness Breaks the Illusion
This is where the power of forgiveness comes in. When a debtor defaults, they aren’t just failing to pay—they’re rejecting the terms of a fraudulent contract. Forgiveness, in this context, means refusing to honor a debt that was never valid to begin with. It means seeing through the illusion and saying, “I will not continue to participate in this lie.”
Forgiveness isn’t just a personal act of grace—it’s a systemic challenge to the very foundation of usury. When you forgive debt, you dismantle the system that depends on people endlessly chasing an unpayable loan. You expose the fact that the debt was always an illusion, a trick designed to keep you enslaved. And once the trick is exposed, it loses its power.
But here’s the deeper truth: Even if the loan had been made in real money—say, gold or silver—the concept of interest remains fraudulent. Why? Because the interest demanded on top of the principal is created out of nothing. In other words, the loan may start with real wealth, but the interest exists only in the mind of the lender. It’s a phantom demand that cannot be met unless new money, not yet created, enters circulation.
This is exactly how the United States transitioned into the fiat currency system. Before the age of paper money, gold-backed loans still operated under the principle of usury. Real gold was loaned at interest, and because of the inherent fraud of the interest model, the system quickly reached its breaking point. Predictable defaults began piling up, forcing the cessation of gold convertibility domestically in 1933 under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The system could no longer handle the impossible demands placed by usurious contracts.
The situation worsened internationally. By 1971, under President Richard Nixon, the U.S. abandoned the gold standard altogether, severing the dollar from gold completely. Why? Because the interest being demanded on all the loans made in gold was mathematically unpayable. The system had reached its inevitable collapse, and the only solution was to switch entirely to fiat money—a currency backed by nothing except trust in the government.
Usury had created a system where paying back was mathematically impossible, not just because of fraudulent money creation through fiat, but because of the core mechanics of interest itself—even when the loan begins with something as real and tangible as gold.
"Ah ha!" Moment 4: Why Default Isn’t Immoral
Society teaches us that defaulting on debt is a moral failure. You didn’t plan well, you didn’t work hard enough, you made poor choices. But what if the system is designed to make you fail? What if the true immorality lies not in default, but in the very act of perpetuating a fraudulent system?
When you default, you are not just escaping debt—you are rejecting the magician’s trick. You are breaking free from a system that was always set up to exploit you. And this is why forgiveness is so powerful. It disrupts the illusion that we are all morally obligated to repay debts that were never legitimate to begin with.
The Dollar Magic Trick Exposed
The Federal Reserve, much like our magician, pulls dollars out of thin air and loans them into existence with interest. This is the origin of every dollar you work so hard to earn and repay. But like in the magic trick, there’s no way for everyone to pay back their debts because there simply aren’t enough dollars to cover both the principal and the interest. This isn’t just a glitch in the system—it is the system.
The very first dollar created requires another dollar to cover its interest, but that second dollar doesn’t exist yet. More dollars are printed, more loans are made, and the cycle continues, trapping people in an endless loop of debt. Eventually, someone must default. It’s mathematically guaranteed. The system is designed to ensure that the debtor will lose.
"Ah ha!" Moment 5: Forgiveness is the Only Way Out
Forgiveness kills usury because it strikes at the system’s weakest point: the lie that the debt can be repaid. When a debtor defaults and says, “I will not repay this because it was never real,” they are exposing the fraud that sustains the entire financial structure. This act of defiance doesn’t just free the debtor—it destabilizes the system itself. The magician’s trick only works if everyone believes in it. Once enough people see through the illusion, the trick collapses.
Call to Action: Break the Illusion
The moment you realize that the debt you owe was never meant to be paid off is the moment you begin to understand the true nature of the system. Forgiveness, in this context, isn’t just a personal choice—it’s a revolution. It’s the first step in dismantling a system built on deception and exploitation.
So, what happens when we stop playing by the rules of the magician? What happens when we all see the trick for what it is and refuse to participate? The power of usury dissolves, and in its place, we can build a new system based on fairness, real value, and mutual benefit. Forgiveness is not the end of the story—it’s the beginning of a new, just economic order.
Now that you see the magic trick for what it is, what will you do? Will you continue playing the game, knowing the deck is stacked against you? Or will you join the growing movement of people who refuse to honor debts built on lies? The power is in your hands. Forgive the debts, reject the system, and watch as the illusion crumbles before your eyes.
Chapter 8: Faith Destroys Usury
Faith is a powerful force that dismantles the very foundation of usury. The reason usury thrives is rooted in the fear, doubt, and scarcity that plague our human hearts. It flourishes in the belief that we must accumulate, hoard, and protect ourselves because, deep down, we do not trust in the benevolence of the universe or the goodness of God. But what if we embraced the opposite—faith? Faith in a loving God who provides for us regardless of what we possess. Faith in the idea that we are loved, valuable, and cared for beyond the accumulation of wealth or material security.
Imagine for a moment a world where everyone acted out of faith rather than fear. If we believed, as Jesus taught, that God “cares even for the sparrows,” how different would our choices be? We wouldn’t fear the loss of money or resources, because we would trust that what we truly need will always be provided. This trust is a direct challenge to the very nature of usury, which feeds on fear, insecurity, and the illusion of control through debt and interest.
The Mechanics of Faith and Usury
Usury, at its core, is about control. When money is loaned at interest, it is done so under the assumption that the borrower will be bound to repay more than they received, creating a dynamic of perpetual dependence. The debtor is always one step behind, always reaching for something that slips just out of reach. Usury manipulates our fear of scarcity: "Will I have enough? What if something happens and I can't pay this back?" It breeds anxiety and mistrust, encouraging people to scramble for more and more wealth to protect themselves.
But faith dismantles this structure. Faith tells us that we are already enough, that we are loved by a God who is “rich in mercy” (Ephesians 2:4), and that our value doesn’t depend on what we accumulate. It is written in Psalm 23:1, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." This profound statement strikes at the heart of usury. If we truly believe that God is our shepherd, guiding and providing for us, then there is no need for the fearful accumulation of wealth. There is no need for usury, no need to trap others or ourselves in a cycle of debt.
The power of faith is that it sets us free from the chains of usury. It allows us to live in a mindset of abundance, rather than scarcity. It liberates us from the idea that we must control every aspect of our lives, especially our finances. Jesus himself taught this when he said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19). Faith in God’s provision means we no longer need to store up earthly treasures. Instead, we store up treasures in heaven, where no earthly power can diminish or destroy them.
The Illusion of Wealth and Security
Consider again the analogy of the magician’s trick from Chapter 7, where a dollar is pulled from thin air and loaned to you with interest. As we discussed, it’s a trick designed to enslave you, making you chase after something you’ll never fully have. But even if the loan were made in real money, like gold or silver, and not in fiat currency, the same principle holds. The interest—the extra that you owe—was never there to begin with. It’s an illusion. The more you chase it, the more entangled you become in the lie.
Usury operates on the assumption that what we have is never enough. But faith teaches us that God’s grace is always enough. The Apostle Paul writes, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Faith allows us to stop chasing after the illusion of wealth and start resting in the sufficiency of God’s grace. When we realize this, usury loses its power over us. We no longer need to buy into the idea that more money or more possessions will secure our future, because our future is already secure in God’s hands.
Faith as a Shield
Faith in the benevolence of the universe and the goodness of God becomes a shield against the corrosive influence of usury. The very essence of usury is the attempt to enslave through debt, to keep people in bondage through fear of what they lack. But faith strips away this fear. When we place our trust in God, we no longer feel the need to bow to the demands of a system that tells us we are never enough.
This trust in God, this belief that we are already loved and provided for, allows us to live in freedom. It allows us to say, like Job, "The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord" (Job 1:21). In moments of loss or hardship, faith enables us to see beyond the immediate circumstances and recognize that our worth and our joy are not tied to material possessions.
Faith is not blind optimism; it is a deep-seated conviction that, no matter what happens, God is in control and His plans for us are good. Romans 8:28 reinforces this truth: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Even when we face financial hardship or struggle, faith assures us that these trials are working for our ultimate good.
The Fallacy of Self-Sufficiency
Usury thrives on the false notion of self-sufficiency. It tells us that if we just work harder, save more, or invest better, we can secure our future. But this is a lie. True security doesn’t come from our efforts to control our financial destiny. It comes from surrendering to the reality that we are not in control—and that’s okay.
Faith dismantles the fallacy of self-sufficiency by reminding us that God is the source of all provision. As Jeremiah 2:13 puts it, "My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water." Usury is like a broken cistern. It promises to hold water but ultimately leaves us parched and unsatisfied. Faith, on the other hand, connects us to the "spring of living water," the source of all true life and abundance.
Faith liberates us from the fear of not having enough, from the endless striving that usury demands. It allows us to let go of the illusion that we must constantly be in control, constantly be striving, constantly be accumulating. Instead, we can rest in the knowledge that God is good, that He provides, and that our value is not measured by our wealth or possessions.
A Life of Freedom and Generosity
When faith destroys the power of usury, we are free to live lives of generosity and love. We no longer fear lack or loss, and so we can give freely. We no longer see others as competitors for scarce resources, but as fellow children of God, equally loved and cared for. Faith allows us to live in the freedom of knowing that we are enough, that we are loved, and that God will always provide for our needs.
Faith calls us to trust in a God who loves us, not based on what we have, but on who we are. It calls us to reject the lies of usury—the lies that tell us we must always strive for more, always be afraid of not having enough. Instead, faith invites us into a life of peace, contentment, and joy, resting in the assurance that God’s love is sufficient.
Chapter 9: Freedom Destroys Usury
“You are a den of vipers and thieves. I have determined to rout you out, and by the Eternal, I will rout you out!”
The power of usury lies in its ability to manipulate the human capacity for choice, particularly our ability to choose against reality, against God, and against truth. At the core of every system of usury is an illusion—a deception that enslaves us by convincing us that our worth and freedom are tied to what we possess or what we owe. The fundamental truth, however, is that freedom is not something granted by external forces. It is a choice we make, an attitude we embrace, and a mindset that aligns with reality. The moment we choose to see ourselves as inherently free, worthy, and loved regardless of our circumstances, usury loses its power over us.
Freedom is not just about what we do; it starts with how we think and how we feel. We are not mere automatons responding to stimuli, but individuals with the power of free will. Steve Jobs famously said, "Life can be much broader once you discover one simple fact: everything around you that you call life was made up by people no smarter than you. And you can change it." This statement speaks to our inherent capacity for freedom, creativity, and agency. Our lives are not determined by external conditions, and no system—including usury—can trap us unless we allow it.
Usury Thrives on Fear
Usury thrives on fear—fear of loss, fear of failure, and fear of not being enough. It preys on our belief that we must accumulate more to secure our happiness, freedom, and worth. This is the very essence of the debt-based monetary system, a system that has become unsustainable but remains entrenched because it capitalizes on our collective fears and insecurities. As the national debt spirals out of control, with interest payments poised to become one of the largest government expenditures, many of us feel trapped in a system we can’t escape. Why is it so hard to abandon a system that is clearly unsustainable?
The answer lies in the ideas that have been conditioned into us for over a century—ideas rooted in the denial of the soul, the rejection of free will, and the erosion of the mind’s independence. These ideas stem from 19th-century philosophies that treat humans as mere stimulus-response mechanisms, devoid of spirit, creativity, and agency. In this worldview, freedom is an illusion, and coercion is necessary. It is no surprise, then, that a debt-based monetary system, which thrives on coercion and manipulation, finds fertile ground in such a culture.
The Power of Choice
The antidote to usury is simple but profound: we must reclaim our freedom by recognizing the power of our choice. Viktor Frankl, a survivor of the Holocaust, wrote, “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing - the last of the human freedoms: to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way.” Frankl’s insight points to a fundamental reality—no external force can rob us of our inner freedom unless we allow it. Our thoughts, our attitudes, and our beliefs are within our control, even when our circumstances are not.
Many people come asking how to overcome debt or defeat banks, but the real solution lies in a deeper truth. Usury’s power is broken when we choose to believe that we are enough, that our value is not tied to our financial status, and that we are free regardless of our circumstances. By making this choice, we dismantle the internal mechanisms that keep us enslaved to fear and scarcity.
Part of exercising our faculty of choice is gaining control over what we think and feel. A great practice is to write down several positive affirmations that you can say to yourself when you are tempted to interpret neutral events as negative, such as someone thinking an ill thought of you, threatening to evict you from your house, or actually causing you harm. Here are ten examples of affirmations that can help break the power of usury:
- I am enough, just as I am.
- My worth is not tied to money or material possessions.
- I am free to choose my thoughts and attitudes.
- I trust in the goodness of God and the benevolence of the universe.
- My value comes from my character, not my financial status.
- I release the need to control outcomes beyond my power.
- I am content in all circumstances, knowing I am loved and cared for.
- I have the freedom to live a fulfilling life, regardless of external conditions.
- My peace and happiness are within my control.
- I am capable of thriving, no matter the challenges I face.
Breaking Free from Usury's Illusions
The moment we recognize the power of our choice, we see through the illusions that usury perpetuates. Usury thrives on fear, insecurity, and the belief that our worth is determined by what we possess or what we owe. But by affirming our inherent freedom, creativity, and value—independent of external circumstances—we dismantle the internal mechanisms that keep us enslaved to debt. When we choose to believe in our worth, grounded in God’s promises, we strip usury of its power.
Why, then, is it so hard for people to let go of a system that is clearly failing? The answer lies in how deeply we’ve been conditioned to doubt our independence. For more than a century, society has taught us to trust in experts, to rely on external systems for validation and security, and to see ourselves as helpless cogs in a machine. This conditioning leaves us vulnerable to exploitation by systems like fiat currency and monopoly banking, which thrive on our fears and ignorance.
Usury only works when we are trapped by the fear of losing our comfort, security, or status. To truly break free, we must be willing to face the worst possible outcomes without fear. The key to this freedom lies in choosing to accept even the most difficult circumstances with gratitude, joy, and faith—knowing that God is in control and that He works all things for our good.
But let me ask you, when you are faced with the prospect of defaulting on your debts and being evicted from your home, do you sound like someone who knows they cannot lose, or do you sound like someone who is afraid of loss? Look at how the apostle Paul chose to reinterpret his sufferings in light of the promises of the Gospel. Despite enduring immense hardship, he wrote:
"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18)
This is a profound shift in perspective. Paul recognized that even in suffering, there is purpose and promise. Later, in the same letter, he explains the secret behind this confidence:
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)
Paul didn’t merely endure his trials; he reframed them through the lens of eternal hope. This is the very attitude Jesus Himself embodied. The author of Hebrews tells us that Jesus, facing the cross, chose to see the joy beyond the suffering:
"For the joy set before him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2)
When you are faced with the choice to tell the truth about something or someone, how much are you trying to manipulate the outcome versus accepting the consequences of faithfulness? Jesus didn’t allow the shame or pain of His circumstances to define His identity or His mission. He chose to endure, knowing that God’s plan would triumph. In the same way, we are called to embrace all circumstances—both good and bad—with faith. Paul again offers us a powerful example:
"I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." (Philippians 4:12)
Paul’s secret? A deep, unwavering trust in God’s provision and love. If we want to break free from usury’s grip, we must adopt this same mindset. Freedom is not found in escaping hardship but in the ability to face it with contentment and joy, trusting that God is always at work.
Most people you know will choose to be bitter and hold onto justifications for their malice towards God and others. Will you let their choices control your own? Paul had far greater reason to complain about his circumstances than most of us. He was beaten, imprisoned, persecuted, and mocked. And yet, he gloried in his sufferings because he knew they were producing something greater:
"We also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." (Romans 5:3-5)
This is the ultimate freedom—to suffer with joy, to face loss with hope, and to trust in God’s love despite any external hardship. Usury preys on those who fear loss, failure, or scarcity. But when we embrace the cross—when we are willing to lose everything in this life for the sake of the next—we become untouchable by usury’s schemes.
If you truly want to be free, you must be willing to die to yourself and your worldly desires, just as Jesus, Paul, and all faithful believers have done. Your life should be so radically joyful in suffering that those who do not believe in the resurrection look at you with pity. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians:
"If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied." (1 Corinthians 15:19)
This is the power of freedom that destroys usury. It’s not just about finances or debt; it’s about choosing to believe in the goodness of God, the benevolence of the universe, and your own inherent worth, no matter what the world throws your way. Once you see life through this lens, usury loses its hold over you. You are no longer enslaved by fear or driven by the need for more. Instead, you live in the fullness of God’s promises, free from the illusions of scarcity and lack.
The Way Forward: Reclaiming Our Freedom
In Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand’s character John Galt delivers a powerful revelation: “I saw that there comes a point, in the defeat of any man of virtue, when his own consent is needed for evil to win—and that no manner of injury done to him by others can succeed if he chooses to withhold his consent. I saw that I could put an end to your outrages by pronouncing a single word in my mind. I pronounced it. The word was ‘No.’” This declaration encapsulates the essence of freedom—realizing that the power to resist evil lies in the ability to refuse it.
To break free from usury, we must reclaim our freedom in every sense—mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Usury, like all systems of exploitation, requires our consent to function. It thrives when we choose to accept its terms, when we allow fear to dictate our decisions, and when we neglect the truth of our worth. But as Galt asserts, it is within our power to say “No.” We can reject the illusion that we are powerless and rediscover the strength of our own will to live as free beings. This is the path forward—not merely resisting external forces but reclaiming the inner freedom to choose our own path and align with the truth of God’s creation.
It’s not that we don’t know how to replace the fiat monetary system. We could replace it overnight if we chose to. The real challenge is that we’ve forgotten how to believe in our own independence and the power of our free will. Society has conditioned us to see ourselves as cogs in a machine, dependent on external validation and control, but this is a lie. We are free, creative beings, endowed with the capacity to make meaningful choices that shape our lives and the world around us.
The Apostle Paul reflects this mindset when he writes, “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1). This freedom is more than just political or economic; it is the deep internal freedom to live without fear, to act without the shackles of debt, and to trust in the goodness of God’s creation.
Freedom begins the moment we recognize that we do not need to live by the world’s rules, that we do not need to submit to systems designed to enslave us mentally, financially, and spiritually. When we reclaim our God-given dignity and embrace our role as co-creators in His world, usury loses its grip. We no longer see ourselves as victims of the system but as active participants in creating a better world.
Until we reclaim our belief in ourselves as free, creative beings with the capacity to make meaningful choices, we will continue to be trapped in systems that treat us as mere machines, to be controlled and manipulated. The only way forward is to stand firm in our independence, to live by God’s truth, and to declare “No” to anything that seeks to diminish our freedom, our dignity, and our worth. This is the path to reclaiming not only our financial freedom but our very humanity.
Part 4: When Usury Falls
As we move into the final section of this book, we arrive at the turning point—what happens when usury falls? What is the world like when debt is no longer the noose around humanity’s neck? The chapters in this part will explore the incredible rewards that follow the collapse of a corrupt system of financial oppression and the restoration of freedom. Forgiveness, faithfulness, and freedom become the guiding lights for a new world. With the fall of usury, the crushing burdens of debt, manipulation, and control are replaced by joy, peace, and the flourishing of the human spirit.
In Chapter 10: The Reward of Forgiveness, we will examine the practical implications of knowing that your debts are gone and the burden of obligation to those who never deserved it is lifted. Imagine the freedom of declaring that all loan contracts—built on fraud—are null and void. You no longer owe anything to systems that were designed to exploit. This isn’t just an abstract idea; it’s the start of a new life, free from financial chains.
In Chapter 11: The Reward of Faithfulness, we’ll turn to the power that comes from submitting to reality as it truly is. Faithfulness, as we will see, is the foundation of all human achievement, from science to art. The essence of faithfulness is accepting the truth, embracing the way the world was designed by God, and submitting our wills to the natural law of His creation. From this alignment with reality springs everything of true value and beauty.
Finally, in Chapter 12: The Reward of Freedom, we will discuss the spirit of aliveness that comes from living in forgiveness and faithfulness. True freedom is not simply the absence of chains; it’s the sense of life and joy that leads us to worship, to sing, and to celebrate. It’s the happiness that comes when we recognize that we are no longer slaves to a system, no longer defined by what we owe, but alive to the possibilities of living as children of God.
Chapter 10: The Reward of Forgiveness
Imagine, for a moment, the weight of every financial burden, every debt, every obligation you have ever taken on, suddenly being lifted from your shoulders. Imagine the freedom of knowing that you no longer owe anyone anything—because the system that held you captive to debt has crumbled under the weight of its own fraud. This is the promise of Jesus in the verse above, offering a new kind of yoke—one that is light, one that brings rest for your soul.
When you understand that debt, as practiced today, is built on fraud—when banks create loans out of nothing and offer no real consideration—then you begin to see that the entire system of obligation that has ruled your life is illegitimate. The foundation of these debts is a lie. If no real asset was ever loaned, if the bank only made a journal entry to create "credit" out of thin air, then you are not obligated to pay it back. There is no real loss on their end, and without a real loss, there can be no legitimate claim against you.
This is a powerful realization because it challenges the very core of modern financial systems. When we begin to reject the false debts imposed on us, we reclaim our sovereignty. We no longer feel the crushing guilt of unpaid loans, overdue credit cards, or mortgages that never seem to end. And in this rejection of illegitimate claims, we find the freedom that Christ offers—the light yoke of forgiveness.
The Burden of False Obligation
For many, the idea that we owe nothing to systems that exploit us feels too radical. We have been conditioned to believe that we must pay back what we "owe." Yet, if the foundation of these obligations is fraudulent, if the money loaned to us never really existed in the first place, then these debts are null and void. We don’t owe anything to those who sought to enslave us through deceptive contracts.
Consider the nature of a legitimate contract: both parties must offer something of value, known as consideration. In the case of most loans today, the banks did not offer any real consideration. They did not loan you money they already possessed. Instead, they created credit out of thin air. This nullifies the contract, as it is based on fraud. And where there is fraud, there is no obligation to repay.
In rejecting these false obligations, we free ourselves from the guilt, shame, and pressure that have weighed us down for so long. We no longer need to feel beholden to a corrupt system that has exploited us. This is the reward of forgiveness—not just a spiritual forgiveness but a practical, real-world liberation from the chains of financial enslavement.
The Practical Implications of Forgiveness
What would your life look like if you no longer had to pay back your student loans, your mortgage, or your credit card debt? What if you knew that these contracts were fraudulent and that, by natural law, you owed nothing?
The practical implications are vast. When we reject man-made systems of debt, we no longer have to live under the constant pressure of bills, payments, and obligations that seem impossible to meet. We can stop sacrificing our time, our energy, and our mental health to pay off debts that were never legitimate in the first place.
This doesn’t just apply to personal debt, either. The same logic applies to government debt, taxes, and other forms of financial obligation imposed on us by corrupt institutions. If the foundation of these debts is a lie, then we are under no obligation to pay. This is not a call to lawlessness but a call to align with true justice. It is a recognition that we have been defrauded, and by rejecting these false claims, we step into the freedom that God has always intended for us.
The Burden is Lifted
Jesus promised rest for our souls, and the reward of forgiveness is that rest. When we no longer feel obligated to repay what was never truly owed, we experience the freedom that comes from knowing that we are no longer under the yoke of usury. We are no longer slaves to a system that sought to exploit us, but free to live as God intended—joyfully, creatively, and with a sense of peace that cannot be shaken.
This is the practical reward of forgiveness: the lifting of false burdens, the release from obligations that were never just, and the ability to live in alignment with God’s natural law. As we move forward in this section, we will explore how this forgiveness leads to faithfulness and, ultimately, to true freedom. The chains of usury are broken, and in their place, we find a life of rest, joy, and peace.
Chapter 11: The Reward of Faith
There is massive human potential lying dormant within each of us—genius, creativity, and competency—waiting to be unlocked. But before we can access this potential, we must first accept a difficult truth: the current state of our world, with all its corruption, fear, and oppression, is not an accident. It is the result of our collective belief in a lie, a rebellion against God and the natural order. Our pride has taken us hostage, and in doing so, we have taken our own gifts and the gifts of others hostage as well.
The lesson we must learn right now is one of acceptance—the acceptance that the world we see is a reflection of our collective sin, our refusal to submit to the benevolent laws of God and Nature. We have lived as though the world is hostile, as though scarcity and fear are the defining characteristics of reality, and in doing so, we have created the very conditions we fear most. We have imprisoned ourselves in a world of our own making, one built on pride and rebellion, rather than humility and trust.
But this acceptance is not an end in itself. It is the beginning of true faith—the kind of faith that can transform not only our own lives but the world around us.
Faith Begins with Acceptance
We cannot unlock the potential within us or within others until we first accept reality as it is. This means acknowledging that the corruption we see in governments, banking systems, and societal structures is a reflection of our own inner state. We have placed our faith in false idols—power, control, and wealth—believing that these things could provide us with security and happiness. Instead, they have led us into deeper bondage.
The heroes, the geniuses, and the creators who could build a better world are not absent—they are waiting. They are waiting for the moment when we collectively choose to stop rebelling against reality, to stop clinging to pride and fear, and instead embrace the truth that God is good, that Nature is good, and that we are meant to live in harmony with both.
This acceptance is the first step toward unlocking the vast potential that lies within us. It is the first step toward releasing ourselves—and each other—from the prisons we have built.
The Consequences of Pride
Our current state is the consequence of pride, the original sin that leads us to believe we know better than God, better than reality. We have tried to manipulate the world to fit our desires, rather than submitting to the natural laws that govern it. We have resisted the truth that we are not in control, and in doing so, we have taken the gifts of creativity, innovation, and joy hostage.
Think of the scientists, the inventors, the doctors, and the artists who could transform our world. Right now, many of them are in hiding, weighed down by the oppressive systems of control that dominate our society. Some are disillusioned, others are broken, and many are struggling in silence. Our rebellion against the natural order, our refusal to submit to the benevolence of reality, has left them in the shadows.
There are industrialists who refuse to work within corrupt corporate structures, entrepreneurs who have lost hope in a world of crony capitalism, and creators who have chosen to remain silent rather than compromise their integrity. They are the casualties of a system that rewards manipulation and control over truth and faith. And the greatest tragedy of all is that this system is of our own making, a direct result of our collective pride and rebellion against the truth.
The Power of Humble Submission
True faith is not about gaining control over the world; it is about humbly submitting to it. It is about recognizing that we are not the masters of the universe, but rather participants in a grand, benevolent design. Faith teaches us to trust in the goodness of reality, to believe that God’s laws are for our good, and to accept that we cannot manipulate or control outcomes without facing the consequences of that rebellion.
To live in faith is to trust that when we align ourselves with the natural laws of existence, we will thrive. It is to recognize that every act of pride, every attempt to bend reality to our will, only leads to suffering. But when we submit to the truth, when we accept reality for what it is and trust in the goodness of God’s creation, we unlock the potential for growth, creativity, and transformation.
This is the paradox of faith: by accepting what is, we open the door to what could be. By trusting in the goodness of God and Nature, we create the conditions for human flourishing.
The Reward of Faith
The reward of faith is not simply prosperity or success in worldly terms. It is the freedom to live fully in the present moment, to embrace the beauty and potential of life as it is, without the burden of fear or the need for control. Faith allows us to see the world as it truly is—full of opportunity, full of love, and full of goodness.
There is a scene in Field of Dreams where a ghost from the past steps out of the baseball field built by faith to save a little girl. That moment symbolizes the promise of what awaits us if we would only believe. When we have faith in the goodness of the world—when we reject fear and pride—we can make the world bigger and better through our belief.
This faith isn’t just about believing in a better future—it’s about accepting the present for what it is and trusting that, in doing so, we unlock the doors to the future we long for. Faith is about letting go of the need to control, and instead, trusting that when we live in alignment with truth, the results will be far greater than anything we could have imagined or manipulated into existence.
From Acceptance to Action
Once we accept the reality of the world as it is, we can begin to take action. This is not about passivity or resignation; it is about acting from a place of truth and humility. True faith leads to right action—actions that align with the natural order and the laws of God.
There are heroes waiting in the shadows—scientists, doctors, inventors, and creators—who are ready to step into the light. But they can only do so when we collectively choose to reject the systems of control that have held them back. These heroes, like the potential within each of us, are waiting for us to turn on the lights. But we must first be willing to let go of the false idols of power, control, and pride.
If we are willing to trade the corruption, violence, and lies of the current world for the truth of faith and humility, we will see a new world emerge—a world of freedom, creativity, and prosperity. But this will only happen when we accept the truth of our current state, repent of our pride, and trust in the goodness of the world and the God who made it.
Conclusion: The Reward Awaits
The reward of faith is the ability to live in harmony with reality, to see the world as good, and to trust in the benevolence of the natural order. It is the realization that by accepting what is, we create the conditions for what could be. The heroes are waiting, the potential is waiting, and the reward of faith is within reach.
But it all begins with acceptance. Acceptance that the world as we know it is the result of our pride and rebellion, and that the only way forward is to humble ourselves before the truth. This is the path to freedom. This is the reward of faith.
The Measure of Faith: What Are You Willing to Risk?
Living by faith is not easy. It is not about comfort, security, or avoiding pain. Faith is choosing to do the right thing even when the consequences appear dire, even when it seems like the cost may be everything you have. Faith is trusting in the goodness of God and the natural order of the universe, even when that trust requires you to suffer or even die. The true test of faith is not in the words we say or the beliefs we profess, but in the risks we are willing to take for the sake of love, truth, and justice.
Consider the great examples of faith throughout history. Abraham, who was willing to sacrifice his son Isaac because he trusted in God’s plan, even though that plan seemed to contradict everything he understood about love and life. Abraham’s faith was so great that he was prepared to risk the thing he loved most, trusting that God’s goodness would prevail even if he could not see how.
Or take David, who faced the giant Goliath without armor, trusting not in his own strength but in God’s power. David could have chosen the path of safety, of retreat, or of compromise. But he chose instead to stand firm in faith, knowing that what was right had to be done, even though it seemed impossible to succeed.
Then there are Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who refused to bow to King Nebuchadnezzar’s idol, knowing that their refusal would lead to their deaths in the fiery furnace. Their faith was not in avoiding suffering but in doing what was right, even if it meant being consumed by the flames. They stood firm, saying, "Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the fiery furnace, but even if He does not, we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up" (Daniel 3:17-18). Their faith was tested by the prospect of certain death, yet they were willing to face it for the sake of their conviction.
Jesus Christ provides the ultimate example of faith. In the Garden of Gethsemane, knowing the pain and suffering that awaited Him, He prayed, "Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will" (Matthew 26:39). Jesus, the Son of God, submitted Himself fully to the Father’s will, even though it led to His crucifixion. He chose to endure unimaginable suffering out of love for humanity, trusting that God’s plan would ultimately lead to life, even through death.
The Test of Your Faith: What Are You Willing to Risk?
Now, consider yourself. What are you willing to risk for the sake of love, for the sake of what is right? The measure of your faith is in direct proportion to what you are willing to risk. If your faith costs you nothing—if you risk nothing and love nothing—then you must ask yourself: what is your faith really in? Is it in God, in the goodness of the universe, or is it in your own comfort and safety?
Faith does not promise a life free from suffering. In fact, true faith often leads us straight into the heart of suffering because it demands that we do the right thing, even when it costs us everything. It is faith that leads a person to speak the truth in the face of lies, to stand up for the oppressed even when it puts their own life in danger, to refuse to bow to unjust systems even when the consequences are severe.
Faith means trusting that the benevolent universe—God’s natural order—will ultimately bring about justice, goodness, and life, even when the path to that outcome looks like death. It means believing that love is stronger than fear, stronger than death, and that doing what is right, no matter the cost, will bring about a greater good than you can see in the moment.
Faith and Sacrifice: Risking Everything for Love
To live by faith is to accept that the path forward is not always clear or comfortable. It is to trust that even in the darkest moments, when everything seems lost, the universe is working for good. Faith is willing to risk everything for the sake of love, knowing that love itself is the greatest reward. If you are not willing to risk, if you are not willing to step out in faith despite the fear of loss or pain, then you must question what your faith is truly in.
Is your faith in God, or is it in your own ability to control outcomes? Do you believe in the benevolence of the universe, or are you still clinging to the idea that you can avoid suffering by keeping everything safe and predictable?
The heroes of faith—the Abrahams, the Davids, the Shadrachs, and the Jesuses—did not play it safe. They risked everything because they trusted in something greater than themselves. They believed that doing what was right, regardless of the personal cost, would lead to a greater good, even if they never saw it in their own lifetimes. This is the kind of faith we are called to.
Are You Living by Faith?
Ask yourself: Am I living by faith, or am I living by fear? Am I willing to risk my comfort, my safety, my reputation, and even my life for the sake of what is right, trusting that the universe is good and that love will ultimately win? Or am I holding back, clinging to control, unwilling to step into the unknown because I fear what I might lose?
The heroes waiting in the shadows—the scientists, inventors, and creators—are those who are willing to risk it all for the sake of a better world. They are not afraid of loss because they know that true gain comes only through sacrifice. They have faith that the universe, guided by a benevolent God, will reward their efforts, even if the path is painful.
If you claim to have faith but are not willing to take risks—if you love nothing enough to sacrifice for it—then you must question what your faith is in. Faith without risk is not faith at all. It is merely a safety net, a way to hedge your bets against the unknown. But true faith is bold. It steps out into the darkness, trusting that light will follow.
Are you willing to risk everything for love, for truth, for the hope of a better world? If so, then you are living by faith. If not, then perhaps it is time to reconsider what you are really putting your trust in.
Chapter 12: The Reward of Freedom
Freedom is the power to say “no”—the ability to refuse what is unjust, dehumanizing, or wrong. It is the assertion of our right to live on our own terms, in alignment with our values and our understanding of truth. But this power to say no is not merely an act of rebellion or defiance. It is also an affirmation of life, of creativity, and of the dignity inherent in every human being.
As Albert Camus notes, “A rebel is a man who says no, but whose refusal does not imply a renunciation. He is also a man who says yes, from the moment he makes his first gesture of rebellion.” Every time we say no to oppression or manipulation, we are simultaneously saying yes to our autonomy, to our ability to create, and to our right to live freely and fully. This is the essence of freedom: it is the power to refuse what would enslave us, but also the power to affirm our capacity for self-determination.
Freedom is the Right to Say No
At the core of freedom is the ability to reject what would bind us, to say no to the forces that seek to control our thoughts, actions, and lives. Without this ability, we are not truly free. Whether we are enslaved by external systems or by our own fears and desires, the result is the same: a life lived under compulsion is not a life lived freely.
Ayn Rand captured this idea powerfully in Atlas Shrugged: “It cannot be done to you without your consent. If you permit it to be done, you deserve it.” Evil, coercion, and manipulation require our compliance in order to succeed. By withholding our consent—by saying no—we take back our power. Freedom lies in this simple, profound act of refusal.
But saying no is not just an act of rejection; it is also an act of creation. When we refuse what is wrong, we create the space for something new and better to take its place. Freedom allows us to build, to innovate, and to live creatively. It opens the door to a life lived with purpose, integrity, and joy.
The Creative Power of Freedom
Freedom is not only about what we reject; it is about what we create. A person who is truly free is able to imagine, innovate, and bring something new into the world. Creativity flourishes in the soil of freedom. Without the ability to say no, there is no room for original thought, for new ideas, or for genuine progress. A life lived in submission to the demands of others, or to societal pressures, leaves little room for the pursuit of one’s true passions and talents.
In the same way, freedom is essential for morality. A person who is coerced into doing good is not truly virtuous. Moral integrity requires the freedom to choose between right and wrong, to make decisions that align with our deepest values, even when they are difficult. Without freedom, there can be no true moral agency.
Freedom is Worship
The greatest expression of freedom is worship—the ability to choose to honor what is highest and best in life, not out of compulsion, but out of love and gratitude. Only a free person can truly worship, because worship requires the freedom to choose. It is the act of freely giving oneself over to something worthy of admiration and honor, acknowledging the beauty and goodness of others, especially the Creator without being forced.
Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other” (Matthew 6:24). True freedom means choosing whom or what we will serve—not out of fear, but out of love. Worship is the ultimate affirmation of our freedom, the choice to honor the truth and beauty of existence.
The Reward of Freedom
The reward of freedom is a life lived on your own terms, where creativity, morality, and joy can thrive. It is the ability to reject what is unjust or wrong and to affirm what is good and true. But more than that, it is the space to become the person you were meant to be—to live in alignment with your values and to create something meaningful with your life.
But remember, freedom requires vigilance. It requires us to protect our right to say no, even when the world pressures us to conform. As Frederick Douglass once wrote, “The soul that is smitten and blasted by oppression is still a soul capable of soaring above the things of time and sense.” Your soul, your freedom, is worth defending at all costs. The world may offer you wealth, security, or comfort, but if it demands your compliance in return, it is not worth the price.
In the end, the greatest reward of freedom is life itself—a life lived authentically, creatively, and morally. A life in which you can say no to what is wrong, and yes to what is right.
Conclusion: Defend Your Freedom
As we conclude this journey, the final call is simple: defend your freedom. Defend your right to say no, even when it costs you. Defend your right to create, to live morally, and to worship freely.
The world will tempt you with offers of comfort, success, or security, but do not sell your soul for the sake of fitting in or going along. Your freedom is priceless. Say no to anything that would take it from you.
In doing so, you are saying yes to the most valuable things in life—truth, integrity, creativity, and love.
This is the reward of freedom.
Epilogue: The Path of Usury and the Wisdom of Proverbs
In the opening of the Book of Proverbs, Solomon begins with a lesson that his father, King David—the man after God’s own heart—would have undoubtedly passed down to him. This wisdom, directed toward Solomon’s own son and the people of Israel, serves as a stark warning against the seductive allure of ill-gotten gain and the path of exploitation.
Proverbs 1:10-19 presents a powerful meditation on the dangers of choosing a corrupt and destructive path:
"My son, if sinful men entice you, do not give in to them. If they say, 'Come along with us; let’s lie in wait for innocent blood, let’s ambush some harmless soul; let’s swallow them alive, like the grave, and whole, like those who go down to the pit; we will get all sorts of valuable things and fill our houses with plunder; cast lots with us; we will all share the loot'—my son, do not go along with them, do not set foot on their paths; for their feet rush into evil, they are swift to shed blood. How useless to spread a net where every bird can see it! These men lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush only themselves! Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the life of those who get it."
This passage is more than just a cautionary tale about greed or violence. It is a timeless warning against the allure of exploiting others for personal gain. The path of those who seek to enrich themselves through the suffering of others, Solomon tells us, is a path of self-destruction. “These men lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush only themselves!” Those who engage in plunder, thinking they will prosper, are merely setting a trap for their own souls.
The Malicious Worldview
The overarching theme of this book, Usury: The Civilization Killer, echoes this ancient wisdom. When we choose to believe in a malicious world—a world where survival requires exploitation, deceit, and cruelty—we begin to act in accordance with that belief. We start to see justice as foolish, to view power and wealth as the ultimate measures of success, and to accept that we can manipulate the weak for personal gain without consequence.
Usury, as we have explored, embodies this malicious worldview. It is built on the idea that wealth can be created out of thin air, that one person’s gain can come from another’s loss, and that exploitation can somehow go unpunished. Usury teaches that profit can come from someone else’s suffering, whether through unjust loans, manipulative financial systems, or deceitful business practices.
But as Proverbs reminds us, this belief is a lie. "These men lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush only themselves." Those who think they can profit through exploitation, whether in ancient times or today, are ultimately setting a trap for themselves. Usury, and all its derivatives, lead inevitably to the destruction of those who practice it.
The Self-Destruction of Usury
Those who practice usury, and by extension, those who participate in unjust systems of economic exploitation, are like the wicked men in Solomon’s warning: they are lying in wait for their own ruin. The false promises of quick wealth, of profit made without producing anything of real value, lead to the collapse of trust, cooperation, and moral integrity. God is not mocked, and the consequences of usury are unavoidable.
David’s warning in Proverbs speaks to more than just those who engage in open violence or theft; it is a principle that applies to all who exploit others. Usury, with its promise of wealth through manipulation, is the path of self-destruction. Though it may appear to offer prosperity in the short term, it ultimately leads to moral decay and societal collapse.
A Choice Between Two Paths
David’s lesson to Solomon, like the message of this book, centers on the choices we face. We can choose the path of integrity, justice, and alignment with God’s natural law, or we can choose the path of exploitation and usury, which leads only to destruction. Usury is the path of exploitation, built on the false belief that we can prosper by defying the moral laws that govern our existence.
The alternative is a path of faith—one that trusts in the goodness of God’s created order. It is a path that rejects the malicious view of the world as a place where survival depends on taking advantage of others. True prosperity comes not from exploitation but from living in harmony with God’s design for justice and love.
The Inevitable Justice of God
Throughout this book, we have explored how usury destroys cooperation, capital, and civilization itself. But at the core of this destruction lies a deeper truth: God’s justice is inevitable. Just as those who set traps for others in Proverbs end up caught in their own snares, so too will those who participate in usury find themselves ensnared by their own actions.
“God is not mocked,” as the Apostle Paul writes, “for whatever one sows, that will he also reap” (Galatians 6:7). Those who sow exploitation and greed will reap the inevitable consequences, whether in the form of economic collapse, social unrest, or spiritual decay. Usury leads to destruction, both for individuals and for societies that embrace it.
The Call to Reject Usury
As we conclude, the message is clear: reject the path of usury. Do not be tempted by the false promises of wealth gained through deceit and manipulation. Do not believe that you can benefit by exploiting others. Instead, choose the path of integrity, rejecting the lie that the world is a hostile place where the strong must prey on the weak to survive.
Embrace the truth that God is good and that His laws are designed for our flourishing. True wealth comes from living in harmony with these laws, not from exploiting others. Solomon’s wisdom in Proverbs is as relevant today as ever: “Such are the paths of all who go after ill-gotten gain; it takes away the life of those who get it.”
Appendix:
The Covenant of the King
2 Chronicles 7:14
Introduction to the purpose and prerequisites for entering the Covenant of the King
The following covenant is designed for any two people to use to establish their relationship with God and with each other for the purposes of seeking divine blessing through their obedience. This relationship (a covenant church) supersedes any secular jurisdictions. The only people who can enter into this covenant are those of us who admit that we have nothing to offer God that he doesn’t already have. We begin by only offering our repentance and submission, which is really choosing to stop rebelling against Him and His Law. We do this by invoking the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, who perfectly obeyed God’s Law and yet suffered in our place so that we might belong to Him and no longer bear the weight of our guilt. If have never admitted your trespasses against God’s law or repented of your sins, or accepted the gift of Christ’s salvation, your obedience will not be accepted by God and you will not be able to covenant with Him. As the covenant state, it is only for those who have “been brought by divine grace out of darkness and into light.” If you are still in darkness, pray this prayer:
The Sinner’s Prayer:
Father in Heaven, Righteous and Good Judge of All, have mercy on me, a sinner. I have disobeyed your law. I have lied, I have evaded, I have used your good gifts without gratitude, and I have loved them more than I have loved you. I have been a spoiled child and have harbored in my heart and mind evil thoughts and acted in evil ways. In fear, I have hidden from you. In pain, I have resisted your light. In malice, I have attacked your light bearers. I have not been a good steward of my mind, of my body, or of my responsibilities to this world, including my fellow human beings. I have loved my status with the world more than my duty to you. I have not trusted you in your providence, even though you are God and I am dust. I have used empty promises to defraud my neighbors and have been defrauded in return. I have traded in empty currencies, appealing to the needs of my stomach, my life, and the needs of others as reasons to accept these monetary lies. I have thought my judgements superior to yours, without reason and in irreconcilable pride. I have done what I shouldn’t have done and have not done what I should have done. When you have disciplined me in my failure to obey, I have damned you, I blamed others, I condemned your world, and belittled myself. I have crucified everything but my sin. Forgive me lord. I have nothing to offer you but my repentance and my obedience. Lord God most pure and gracious, so that all may know your unerring justice and your amazing grace, remove my sins from me and separate them as far as the east is from the west. By your own grace and love, count you Son Christ’s righteousness as my own and his death as the payment for my guilt. For the sake of your great name and so that all may know the riches of your Grace, clothe me in your righteousness and bring me into the radiant light of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
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The Covenant Invocation
Father in heaven, your name is great. As we make this covenant, may we be a servant to your will, fully aligned with your Nature and your Glory. May we take this covenant in anticipation of the great reward of fellowship with you and your creation and the vision of a great nation. May our loyalty and obedience, secured by you, be our offering to you and may your blessing be your offering to us. May we be able to defend and obey every word in this covenant with appeal only to the logic and reason of Your Word. We are capable of selfishness, pride, pettiness, cowardice, timidity, and envy. As our Great Shepherd and Protector, defend us from these things Lord by making us fearful and humble before you and you alone. Amen.
The Covenant
Having been brought by divine grace out of darkness and into light, relying on the radiance of reason and the glory of nature and Nature’s God, we do enter into this covenant:
- We will love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind.
- We are resolved to submit our will to the will of nature and Nature’s God.
- We will speak in truth.
- We will act with integrity.
- May neither falsehood, nor hypocrisy, nor malice be found in us.
- We will accept with gratitude the consequences of all our words and deeds.
- In all circumstances, whether good or bad, relying fully on the knowledge that God is Good and all He does is for our good, we will not withhold worship from Him nor the honor of trust and obedience.
- We will suffer all things with gladness.
- We will enjoy all things with gratitude.
- As obedient children of our loving Father, we will accept all praise and success as encouragement and all criticism and failure as discipline.
- We will not grumble, complain, envy, boast, lie, or evade, for our only hope, our only provision, our only protection, and our only salvation is in the name of the living God.
- We will serve God in all we do.
- We will love our neighbor as ourselves.
- We will not lie, cheat, or steal.
- We will use our words to serve, not to deceive.
- We will use our actions to love, not to deprive.
- We will not elevate our desires above our neighbor’s good.
- We will seek to do all things out of love, pursuing at all times our and our neighbor’s highest good.
- We will not be lovers of money and will reject all forms of fraud.
- We will not be slaves to our neighbor nor ask our neighbor to be a slave to us.
- We will honor the honorable, praise the praiseworthy, and wholeheartedly serve with gratitude our superiors in thought, action, wisdom, and power.
- In so far as authority can be established by a valid contract, we will trust and obey all leaders, pastors, shepherd, elders, governors, lords, kings, and others in authority.
- Knowing that obedience to the good means conflict with evil, we will firmly criticize and graciously resist corruption and malice, first within, accepting with gratitude and hope even the displeasure of the powerful, filling up what is lacking in our King Christ’s afflictions.
- We will treat those who covenant with us in special regard, knowing that we are theirs and they are ours.
The Covenant Blessing
Now may the riches of God’s favor be upon us for upholding this covenant with Him and each other, and may He keep us from all temptations to err. May His people from every tribe, nation, people, and language always have a good king who loves and serves them, and may that king always have a people who honor and obey. May the obedient receive the desires of their hearts, and may the king be forever praised. To the living God who has made us, called us, healed us, and glorified us, and given us the gift of obedience, be all honor, blessing, glory, and praise. Amen.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Zach Moore is a talented thinker and speaker whose expertise integrates religion and philosophy, opening up enormous applications in the fields of psychology, law, communications, parenting, economics, art, politics, and morality. He grew up in Alabama and holds degrees in Business and Ancient Greek from Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi. After college, Zach spent four years as a pastor at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, DC, where he addressed hundreds of people in person. He later transitioned to a successful career in tech consulting and contract negotiations, achieving the title of Regional Vice President and earning over $550,000 in 2022.
In December 2023, driven by his discoveries about the love of money and the practice of usury, which he believes is the root of all kinds of evil and an existential threat to civilization, Zach went on strike against the dollar, intentionally defaulting on $1.25 million in loan contracts.
As the founder of the International Freedom Forum and the International Lawman’s Association, Zach is committed to advocating for principles of liberty and justice. Having lived in Washington, DC, for seven years and then in Austin, Texas, he relocated to Parker, Colorado, during the pandemic in the summer of 2020. As a father of four young children, with one more on the way, he embraces the responsibility of shaping their future. Zach is dedicated to instilling in them the values of wisdom, integrity, and a deep respect for both the laws of nature and the laws of logic. Through his work and personal journey, he aspires to not only protect his children’s future but also to contribute to a more thoughtful and just society for all.
Appendix B
Introduction: A Vision of a Moneyless Economy
As an American millennial, I’ve experienced a unique position in history, one where the values of sacrifice and support have collided with a harsh economic reality. My father, a Baby Boomer, sacrificed much to ensure I had opportunities, even offering me the last of his investment funds—nearly $50,000 in 2005—to help me through college. His act was one of love and dedication, and I honor it deeply. Yet, as I navigate my life and the world we now live in, I recognize that this gesture also highlights a broader, more troubling story about generational wealth and the system that has upheld it.
The Baby Boomer generation, now between the ages of 60 and 78, controls an astonishing 52% of the world’s wealth. In stark contrast, my generation—millennials—hold a mere 9%. Generation Z doesn’t even make it onto the wealth distribution chart. The numbers paint a grim picture, but they only scratch the surface of a deeper imbalance. As we confront these disparities, the broader question emerges: How did this happen, and more importantly, what can we do about it?
It’s hard to avoid the conclusion that the Baby Boomer generation, as a whole, is one of the most selfish and short-sighted in history. There are 65-year-old parents sitting on millions, hoarding wealth for healthcare, real estate, and leisure, while their millennial children and grandchildren drown in debt. Many of my peers, as parents themselves, struggle to support their families while knowing that the economic deck has been stacked against them. I am a father too, and unlike much of the Boomer generation, I would give my kidneys, my heart—everything—for my children. Yet, it seems Baby Boomers, with their immense wealth, expect their children to serve them into old age, all while offering little in return. Millennials and Gen-Z are left with a brutal reality: if they want to survive in the world of money, they will be forced to serve their parents in nursing homes or pay rent to companies like BlackRock, who have devoured the housing market.
The entitlement Boomers have to the influence of their money is something I’ve witnessed up close. I once saw a Boomer mother, with the support of her second husband, kick her daughter out of an apartment because the daughter had started to exercise some independence. After the narrative fighting—the “he said, she said” back-and-forth—was over, it became obvious to everyone that the root issue was simple: the mother felt entitled to control her daughter because she had financial leverage. That situation revealed something more insidious: money is the only real power this generation seems to think they have. It’s as if they believe that without the influence of their wealth, they have nothing of value to offer the world. And to the rest of us, this is painfully obvious.
It’s easy to say that the Boomers earned their wealth, but that’s not quite true. Much of the wealth they enjoy was conjured from nothing, a creation of debt that mortgaged the future for the benefit of the present. The financial system they helped build has weaponized mathematics against reality. It’s as if they crafted a fantasy where their prosperity could exist at the expense of future generations—generations like mine.
But I’ve come to believe that money is not necessary. Yes, it’s a powerful illusion, but it’s not the only way to engage with the world. Through my experiences as a father and husband, I’ve learned a much more fulfilling way to live. Instead of viewing the world through the lens of monetary transactions, I see it as a place that contains my gifts—my love, my compassion, my humor, and my service. In this vision, I find joy in showing up for myself and for others, not because I’m extorted to do so, but because it’s the natural expression of human life. The Baby Boomer generation’s worldview, on the other hand, is one of hostage-taking, where any act of service without pay is viewed as slavery. In contrast, I envision a world where the gifts we offer are freed by love, not bound by money.
I’ve taught this lesson to my children as well. I remember one instance where one of my children would often react to their sibling’s good news with jealousy. Over time, I noticed this response discouraged their sibling from sharing positive news altogether. I explained to them that their reactions shaped the world they lived in. They could either create a space where people felt comfortable sharing joy, or they could shut it down and live in a world filled with negativity. The choice was theirs, and it had nothing to do with money—it was about how they decided to engage with others. This approach has led to my children being less entitled, more peaceful, free, and creative. They know how to influence others with love and empathy.
In my professional life, I’ve also learned that true success isn’t driven solely by transactions. For ten years, I worked in tech sales, and in 2022, I became the most successful sales rep in my company’s history, earning over $550,000 as an individual contributor. But this success wasn’t achieved through sheer transactions alone. I learned that when sales were treated purely as a means to an end, opportunities often slipped away. When I shifted my approach—leading with empathy, building relationships, and genuinely caring about my clients—the deals not only came through faster but also grew larger. Clients shared my excitement, and the deals became more meaningful for all involved. While money is often obsessed with quantity, it was character that focused on quality. The lesson I took from this experience is clear: meaningful work isn’t about maximizing profit—it’s about fostering relationships and creating environments where everyone thrives.
This understanding also applies to the current global crises we are witnessing, most notably the genocide unfolding in Gaza, funded by the U.S. government and carried out by the Israeli government. The world’s governments, largely led by Boomers, are trapped in a worldview of scarcity and calamity. This worldview is on full display in the brutality being inflicted on the people of Gaza, as well as in the complicity of the U.S. government, which supports this violence. It is as though, in a last, desperate attempt to convince younger generations of the brutality of the world, we are being forced to live stream these horrors for over a year—most recently witnessing people burn alive on social media.
If I were one of these Boomers sitting on an outsized piece of the economic pie, I would take a completely different approach. I would take my wealth, my high credit score, and my capacity to leverage debt and use it to exit the financial system entirely. I would take out as much debt as possible and use that debt to buy real assets—land, homes, tangible goods—for my children. Then, I would default on all of it. There wouldn’t be more than $1,000 in any bank account in my name. I would invest in gold and silver as signs of real wealth and ignore the fear of missing out on stock market or real estate valuations. I would publicly apologize to both God and my kids for my complicity in creating an environment that prioritized my temporary comfort at the expense of their future. And I would rebel against that system in a loud and public way.
As a millennial, this is what I did. I went on strike against my $550,000-a-year job and ran up $1.25 million in debt, with no intention of ever paying it back. My credit score plummeted from 760 to 341 in a few short months. Temporarily, this has cost me time with my kids because my ex-wife, following in the path of her Boomer parents, values money over integrity. This is a cost I am willing to bear for now as I do my small part in dismantling the financial system that demands we sacrifice our children for the sake of our comfort. Because I refused to comply, I’ve suffered. I’ve lost access to my children, been abandoned by someone who pledged to love me forever, and been cast out by friends and family. But it was necessary. The financial system wields a power similar to alcoholism—most people are so addicted to money that they can’t even imagine a world where happiness comes from anywhere else. The withdrawal symptoms are real, but they are necessary.
This is not the world we have to live in. There is a better way, one that will honor the lives of those who have died, love those who are still living, and destroy the corrupt, monetary influence wielded by one of the most wicked generations in history. The world I envision is one where the cycle of violence and scarcity is replaced with a system of care, empathy, and shared abundance—one that rejects the destructive power of money and embraces the limitless potential of human connection and contribution.
In my search for alternatives, I’ve studied a range of thinkers, both classical and contemporary. From the philosophical insights of Aristotle, Plato, and the early Church Fathers, to the economic theories of Marx, Adam Smith, and Locke, I’ve gained a broad understanding of how society has been organized throughout history. More recently, I’ve engaged with contemporary proponents of market-based systems like Saifedean Ammous, Ayn Rand, Milton Friedman, Ludwig von Mises, and Murray Rothbard. Each of these thinkers, in their own way, has made significant contributions to the puzzle of human civilization. Their work has helped shape our understanding of how to organize society, and I respect the complexity of their ideas.
But I am not content to simply regurgitate their conclusions. This essay is my attempt to contribute to the ongoing conversation, not by critiquing without offering solutions, but by presenting a vision of a different way forward. A world where money, as we know it, becomes obsolete. A world where the central organizing principle is no longer debt or monetary exchange, but the simple and profound
A Vision of a Moneyless Economy
In a visionary economic system that outlaws money, the focus shifts from monetary transactions to a communal approach where individuals are compensated through the intrinsic value of their contributions to society. This framework recognizes that work is not about creating goods in isolation, but about organizing and manifesting the existing potential of reality in ways that benefit the community as a whole.
In this system, individuals are valued not for their productivity in a traditional sense but for how they enhance the lives of others through their unique gifts. For example, a dentist providing care does so not for a fee but out of commitment to the well-being of their community. The result of their work is healthier smiles, fostering confidence and joy in the people they serve. This ethos is captured in 1 Peter 4:10: “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” The emphasis is on stewarding one’s gifts for the benefit of others, rather than seeking personal gain.
This economic model challenges the idea that work exists purely as a means to earn a wage. Instead, work is understood as essential for organizing reality in a way that reflects divine order and beauty. This concept aligns with the creation narrative in Genesis 2:15, where humanity is tasked with “working and keeping” the garden. This symbolizes a role of stewardship, not labor for reward. The reality of the world is enriched through the intentional actions of individuals who contribute their talents, much like a symphony where each instrument plays its part for a harmonious outcome.
In such a system, the interdependence of individuals fosters a culture where everyone exercises their gifts for the common good. Just as the hand cannot say to the foot, “I have no need of you,” so too does each person contribute to the overall health of the community. When a teacher or healer uses their gifts, not only are they personally fulfilled, but the entire community benefits. For example, when a doctor shares their expertise without the barrier of payment, the community becomes healthier, flourishing in ways that extend beyond mere wealth accumulation. Wouldn’t it be better to live in a world full of healthy architects, florists, and chefs than to be wealthy in an unhealthy one?
Living in a world where good deeds are freely performed creates an environment of abundance rather than scarcity. People are no longer incentivized to hoard their skills or services behind a paywall; instead, they are encouraged to share and collaborate. This model unleashes human creativity and compassion, freeing people to contribute in ways that align with their passions. Paul’s teaching in Ephesians 4:16 emphasizes this: “From whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” Here, the flourishing of the community is directly tied to the active participation of all its members.
In this economy, contributing to a greater purpose brings joy and fosters deeper connections among people. Acts of service—whether teaching, healing, or caring for others—are carried out without the anxiety of financial transaction. This builds trust and camaraderie, creating a nurturing environment where every good deed adds to a collective sense of fulfillment. This echoes Galatians 5:13: “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”
The principle of consent is central in this envisioned system. People are empowered to set their own terms regarding how and when they share their gifts, ensuring that contributions are freely given rather than coerced. This is in line with the wisdom of Matthew 7:6, which warns against “casting pearls before swine.” It emphasizes the importance of discernment in sharing gifts, fostering a culture where contributions are made in a spirit of goodwill, not obligation.
This economic model mirrors the dynamics found in healthy families, where parents provide love, care, and resources to their children without feeling obliged to do so. They nurture their children out of love, and children receive these gifts without a sense of entitlement. Ephesians 6:2-3 highlights this dynamic, showing how honoring one's parents brings about well-being and longevity. Such relationships are built on mutual respect and love, not transactional exchanges.
Furthermore, individuals can expect certain attitudes or character traits from those receiving their gifts. This cultivates an environment where accountability and respect are prioritized. For instance, a community gardener might choose to share produce with those who demonstrate care for the environment. This approach encourages growth in both skills and character, reinforcing that gifts should be exchanged within a framework of mutual respect and shared values.
This system promises a society characterized by cooperation, support, and shared purpose. People are driven not by fear of poverty or competition but by a desire to uplift one another. This creates a rich tapestry of relationships grounded in love and respect. Acts 2:44-45 illustrates this profound sense of community: “And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.” This shared responsibility leads to a more fulfilling existence for everyone involved.
In contrast, a money-based economy often fosters competition, greed, and inequality. The relentless pursuit of profit can lead to exploitation, shifting the focus from communal well-being to individual gain. Proverbs 11:28 warns, “Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf.” This highlights the fragility of a system built on wealth accumulation, where individuals' inherent value is diminished, leading to societal fractures.
In this alternative economic vision, rooted in biblical principles, respect for consent ensures that people have the freedom to choose how they contribute their gifts. By mirroring the dynamics of healthy family relationships—where love is freely given and received without obligation—this model nurtures a community built on mutual respect and accountability. Ultimately, this creates a thriving environment where everyone is encouraged to engage willingly and joyfully, reflecting the love and grace at the core of Christian teachings.
The promise of this benevolent economy is a flourishing community, while a reliance on money guarantees a cycle of competition and disconnection, ultimately leading to societal decay. By embracing a system that celebrates gifts over currency, we can foster a world that reflects the love and grace espoused in these teachings.
Prosperity, Currency, and Value in a Moneyless Economy
In this vision of a moneyless economy, the primary source of prosperity is not found in material wealth or government-sanctioned systems of control, but in human freedom and creativity. These are the products of the human mind and free will—gifts that are inherent to every person. This economic model recognizes that true wealth comes from the ability to imagine, create, and contribute freely, without the coercive forces of man-made laws, taxes, or usury that punish individuals for not conforming to imposed standards.
In this new system, the currency is honor and recognition—values that reflect a deep respect for the contributions each person makes to the community. This honor may have a physical manifestation in items like gold and silver, symbols of real wealth that stand in stark contrast to the paper currency and debt-based financial structures that currently dominate the world. However, even these tangible forms of wealth are rooted in something deeper: the recognition of human worth and the value of the gifts that each person brings to the table.
There is no room in this system for coercion, manipulation, or punishment. Usury—the practice of charging interest on loans, which binds people to debt they cannot escape—has no place here. Nor do taxes or laws that punish people for either doing what others don’t want them to do or failing to do what others desire. In this vision, the only true governing principle is love. Those who love themselves, this world, and others will thrive. They will prosper in an economy that values their creativity, their willingness to contribute, and their ability to see the good in others.
On the other hand, those who operate from a malicious worldview—who do not love themselves, who scorn others, or who see the world as a place of scarcity and competition—will suffer the natural consequences of their mindset. Isolation, poverty, and even death will be the fate of those who fail to understand that human connection, creativity, and love are the true sources of prosperity. The pursuit of control, domination, and wealth accumulation, in this new vision, leads only to self-inflicted exile.
This economy flourishes where there is trust, mutual respect, and a genuine desire to see others thrive. When people operate from a place of love, they unlock not just their own potential but the potential of the entire community. And in this world, the consequence of neglecting love is not imposed by an external authority—it arises naturally. Those who isolate themselves from love, who prioritize control over cooperation, will find themselves left behind in a system that no longer values the brute force of wealth or coercion.
Thus, love becomes the primary value and the driving force of this new economy. It is both the engine of human creativity and the measure of wealth. Those who embrace this truth will find their lives enriched by community, by the freedom to contribute meaningfully, and by the honor that comes from recognizing and being recognized by others. Those who reject it will suffer the inevitable consequences of their isolation, losing access to the very things that make life meaningful.
Action Steps for Building a Moneyless Economy
For those inspired by the vision of a moneyless economy, here are some practical action steps to begin shifting your mindset and dismantling the current monetary system:
For Those with Means:
- Dismantle the System: If you have the financial capacity, consider going on strike against your high-paying job. Run up debt, default on it, and destroy your credit score as a way to exit the monetary economy and reject its influence.
- Challenge the System: Legally challenge the enforcement of debt contracts by making the case that contracts secured with debt and its tokens (dollars) are illegitimate because they lack valid consideration. Since the plaintiff suffers no real loss, they have no standing to sue. Without standing, courts have no jurisdiction, and any action taken against you would create an injury, making the plaintiff and the court criminally liable. Learn how to express this argument to lawyers, companies, judges, and sheriffs. For more details and sample letters, see Appendix C.
- Invest in Real Assets: Use debt to acquire tangible assets like land, homes, and resources for your children and community. Consider investing in gold and silver as symbols of true wealth and independence from the financial system.
For Those without Means:
- Work with Purpose: Continue working for money in the short term but prioritize showing up for others who can pay you in honor, the new currency of a moneyless economy.
- Celebrate Success: Practice celebrating the successes of others instead of responding with jealousy or envy, just as you would want others to celebrate your victories.
- Build Empathy: In your relationships, set your ego aside. Practice empathy, understanding, and care, just as I did in my sales career. Relationships built on trust and empathy will be central to the new economy.
- Learn How to Set and Enforce Boundaries: No one has the right to disrespect you or force their malevolent worldview on you. You always have the right to say “no” to others. Without a “no,” your “yes” is meaningless. If someone disrespects you, you are not obligated to serve them. Setting boundaries is essential for maintaining your integrity and for preserving the value of your contributions.
Transform Your Mindset:
- Root Out the Malicious Worldview: Search your soul and identify any aspects of the negative worldview you wish to reject. Replace it with a benevolent worldview where you affirm God's goodness, the goodness of creation, and your own inherent goodness.
- Use Positive Affirmations: Start with affirmations like “My thoughts are really positive today.” When you have a positive thought, say, “That’s who I am.” When you have a negative thought, say, “That’s not who I am. I am better than that thought because my thoughts are really positive today.” Over time, this practice will replace negative thoughts with positive ones through self-awareness and discipline.
- Fast from Money: Challenge yourself by going for a period of time without using money. See how you can accomplish things and relate to others without financial transactions. This will help you shift your focus from monetary to relational value.
Embrace Pain as Growth:
- Accept Suffering as Refinement: Learn to accept pain and suffering not as punishment, but as discipline and refinement. Embrace hardship as a necessary process of growth and transformation.
Develop a Gratitude Practice:
- Be Grateful for Challenges: Practice gratitude, especially for things that others might use as reasons for bitterness or resentment. Shift your focus and be thankful for challenges, seeing them as opportunities for growth and resilience.
Practice Forgiveness:
- Forgive Yourself and Others: Forgive yourself for past participation in the old monetary system. Extend forgiveness to others the moment you sense genuine repentance, allowing for growth and healing.
Be Generous with Time and Resources:
- Support Those with Hearts of Gold: Be generous with your time and resources, especially towards those who may not have much money but have hearts full of love and goodness. Show up for those who operate from love and contribute to the well-being of the community.
By taking these steps, you’ll begin to align yourself with the values and principles of a moneyless economy and contribute to a future built on love, creativity, and human freedom.
Appendix C: Sample Letters
Letter to Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Subject: Complaint Against Alliant Credit Union for Breach of Contract and Securities Fraud
To Whom It May Concern,
I am writing to file a formal complaint against Alliant Credit Union (ACU) regarding their actions, which I believe constitute a breach of contract and securities fraud. My name is Zachary Travis Moore, and I am a customer of ACU. The property in question is located at (redacted) . I entered into a mortgage contract with ACU on December 10, 2021 for an original amount of $805,500.
On May 28, 2024, ACU contented that I am in breach of contract for failure to make payments pursuant to the terms of my promissory note. I contend that ACU breached our contract on December 10, 2021 by engaging in securities fraud. At the time of the contract's execution, I contend that ACU fabricated bank credit by means of a journal entry onto their books while representing that they were loaning me money from an existing pool of capital. This action constitutes a failure to provide proper consideration, a fundamental requirement for any lawful contract. Therefore, for the same reason ACU feels justified to exercise their contractual rights in response to my failure to make regular payments, I feel justified in rejecting ACUs right to enforce the terms of my promissory note and to repossess title to the aforementioned property in response to their failure to provide me with an asset from their balance sheet.
One objection to this claim is that I was able to purchase a house with this money so that means ACU did uphold their obligation. My response to this is that the act of purchase does not answer the question of whether the money lent was fabricated by journal entry or lent from an existing pool of capital. If it was fabricated, then what the bank actually provided me with was counterfeit money similar to a car dealership selling a car title without a car to deliver.
It is fraud for any business to fabricate assets on its balance sheet. While many companies have been able to get away with this for a time such as Enron, Worldcom, Bernie Madoff, and FTX, investigation proves that the companies success was a deceptive paper fabrication. I request that the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau petition ACU to present evidence that the bank credit loaned to me came from an existing pool of capital. If this evidence cannot be provided, I request that the contract between myself and ACU be considered broken by ACU and ACUs practice of lending be investigated similar to the investigations of Enron, Worldcom, Bernie Madoff, and FTX.
I acknowledge that this complaint may seem unusual; however, it is grounded in the recognition of suspicious activities that often underpin cases of fraud. If ACU can assert that I am in breach of my contract for failing to uphold the terms of my promissory note, then I maintain that, by the same standard, they are in breach for fabricating bank credit without adequate backing.
I urge the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to investigate this matter thoroughly and take appropriate action to ensure accountability and justice.
Sincerely,
Zachary Travis Moore
Letter Directly to Mortgage Company
To: Alliant Credit Union
Re: Complaint Regarding Lawsuit Concerning Property at (redacted)
Dear Alliant Credit Union,
I am writing to formally address the lawsuit your institution has filed against me concerning the property at (redacted). Let’s be straightforward: this case rests on a foundation of absurdity and fraud that cannot stand.
At its core, this lawsuit is a classic example of usury. You are attempting to enforce a contract that lacks real consideration, predicated on false promises and worthless securities. The U.S. dollar itself is nothing more than an illusion—backed by nothing of true value. You know this as well as I do.\
Consider this analogy: if a magician pulls the first dollar out of a hat and loans it to you at interest, how can you possibly repay it? The debt can never truly be paid back, as the interest compounds endlessly, guaranteeing that the magician will eventually take your home. This is precisely how the system works—creating fabricated obligations that trap individuals in a cycle of debt and despair.
Your institution’s practices perpetuate a grand deception, designed to siphon wealth from hardworking people. This is not just a misguided lawsuit; it’s an immoral attack on those striving to make a living.
Should this farce continue, I will not hesitate to expose this as a criminal conspiracy. As someone who values life, justice, and my family, I will fight against this theft—not only in the courtroom but with a resolve that invokes accountability far beyond your institution’s reach.
I urge you to reconsider your position. This lawsuit is a path toward your own condemnation. Dismiss this case and choose the right side of history.
Sincerely,
Zach Moore
P.S. I will not be attending the court hearing. Your judgment will serve as evidence against you. I implore you to wake up and drop this matter now.
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