The Money-Contaminated Western Civilization
The concept of God is so overwhelming. But money is also a big concern for everybody.
There are two things that appeal to any man in the world: God and money. If he is a European, an African, an Asian, or a native American, he can understand what God and money mean.
But the society is built on the economy. How people can earn money is the core of the human society. Therefore, there are always two types of people in the human society: the rich and the poor. As long as the society is built based on the economy, it is inevitable that some people get more money than others.
To satisfy one's desire, a man needs much money. To gain big money in a society means to take money from others. Any professions are means to take money from others. Businesses manufacture and sell goods or offer services in exchange of money. Corporate workers are taking money from consumers. Even a government takes money from people through a taxation system. Public servants are thus taking money from taxpayers.
To earn money, people use their brains. Or to take money from others or the general public, people exercise wisdom. As a consequence, new products and services are invented. Science and technology are developed. Industries are operated. But all these human activities are measure by the amount of money, since the human society is built around money that makes people satisfy their desire.
But, the society can be built on the faith in God. Every human activity, including manufacturing and selling goods or offering services can be centered around God. Put extremely, economic activities can be all made no to satisfy human desire but to promote faith in God.
Money will not be used in the society that is directed to God. The economy can be controlled according to the teaching of God. There will be no rich men and thus no poor men. Science and technology will be developed to realize the Kingdom of God but not to satisfy human desire.
In this context, the Western Civilization is oriented to money but not to God. So, there is no wonder that some Muslims hate the European culture, though it does not mean that they are true followers of God.
God or money, this question is more crucial and significant than the hate of some Muslims for the money-contaminated Western Civilization. But, if you hate the money-contaminated Western Civilization, you may want those extreme Muslims to find a true way to God instead of resorting to terror. But if you don't hate the money-contaminated Western Civilization, you may just want Western military forces to wipe away those extreme Muslims.
Anyway, in the future, there will be time when mankind stop using money. But, it might not necessarily mean that mankind will start to use a symbol of faith in God in lieu of money. Something worse than money might be used.
There are many scenes in the Bible where money is depicted. Christ Jesus lived and acted in the society where money had been already circulated. One of reasons for God to have sent Christ Jesus to this world must have been to stop the power of money, since even Judas Iscariot was paid silver coins.
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Luk 12:8 Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:
Luk 12:9 But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.
Luk 12:10 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.