Surely, the "good Christians" on the right will support my call for the enactment and

[Atticus]

enforcement of strong usury laws at the Federal level.

Usury is simply the charging of an exorbitant rate of interest on a loan; a rate not justified by ordinary economic concerns, but charged, nonetheless, in order to make an unreasonable profit.

Usury laws are primarily governed by state laws and, predictably, vary from state to state. Actually, I believe 12 states have no usury prohibition at all.

What most state usury laws have in common is that they have been steadily and substantially eroded by exceptions and exemptions and reclassifications. Continuous assaults by bankers groups and their shills, such as the Chamber of Commerce, have left usury statutes nearly useless in preventing or punishing the extortionate lending practices of some of Corporate America's real bottom-feeders.

And, for those fond of Bible-thumping and calls for laws consistent with the literal words of the King James Bible, consider:
"You shall not lend him your money for usury, nor lend him your food at a profit." (Leviticus 25:35-37);and,
"I also, with my brethren and my servants, am lending them money and grain. Please, let us stop this usury!" (Nehemiah 5:10);and,
"One who increases his possessions by usury and extortion Gathers it for him who will pity the poor." (Proverbs 28:8)

There's a lot more where that came from. This usury business is Bad Ju-Ju! So, let's bring our laws in line with good King James and start jailing some of these bankers and credit card execs who are financially raping the poor and the middle class!

Can I get an "AMEN"?

[Sebastian Doyle]

1. Not just the good Christians. I want to see Lieberman front and center on this one.

most of these Scriptures against usury are in the Old Testament, after all.

[zeemike]

3. True enough but but the only time Jesus got really pissed

Is when he saw the money changers in the temple.
so I don't think he dismissed the old testament and the laws of Moses. but Christians do and dismiss the teachings of Jesus right along with it.

[Sebastian Doyle]

4. I always figured when Jesus came back, His first stop was going to be the CBN TV studio

Not to give an exclusive interview to Pat Robertson, but to trash the Hell out of the place, just like He did to the old Temple.

[zeemike]

5. I think you are probably right, that would be his first stop.

No one I can think of is more like a money changer in the temple than him.

[StarfarerBill]

2. I'll see your amen, and raise you a hallelujah.

And that from an atheist.

[jgraz]

6. You're assuming right-wing xtians actually *read* the Bible (or care about what's in it)

Hint: they don't.

[Winterblues]

7. When does an Interest Rate become Usury?

Who makes that determination? I seem to recall a time when anything over ten percent was usury. That seemed to disappear during the Nixon era...I guess because it was a State Law and the Banks started issueing their Credit Cards and Loans from the States without usury laws. It should be a Federal Law IMO and ten percent seems high to me as well.

[el_bryanto]

8. Biblically loaning any money with interest was usury as I understand it

Which is why Jews were the bankers early on - they weren't allowed to loan money at interest to other Jews, but they could to Christians, and Christians couldn't loan money with interest at all (or such I have been told).

Of course without the ability to charge interest on a loan, there is little incentive to loan money, and much of our economy is built on the ability to loan money.

I hear those stupid Christians (of which I am one) aren't allowed to eat shellfish either. I'm sure the wits at DU can come up with something for that.

Bryant

[L0oniX]

9. Silly DU member ...christains don't read the bible.