Anti-Payday Loan Study Should Lose Its Religion (Pt. 3)

What’s religion got to do with it?

Last time, we talked about how Graves and Peterson’s study on payday loans and the Christian right made false claims regarding whether the short term loan product targets the poor or minority groups. Now, let’s continue our look at Lawrence Meyers‘ critique of a very flawed treatise against payday loans with his exploration of how the authors misstep in their views regarding whether it is usury that should be condemned by the Christian right.

Usury and Christianity

As a refresher, here are a few key Bible scriptures through which the Christian right claims that usury is condemned:

Exodus 22:25 - "If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shall thou lay upon him usury."

Ezekiel 22:16-16 - "In thee have they taken gifts to shed blood; thou hast taken usury and increase, and thou has greedily gained of they neighbors by extortion, and hast forgotten me, saith the lord GOD. Behold therefore I have smitten mine hand at thy dishonest gain which thou hast made, and at they blood which hath been in the midst of thee. Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong in the days that I shall deal with thee? I the LORD have spoken it, and will do it. And I will scatter thee among the heathen, and disperse thee in the countries, and will consume thy filthiness out of thee. And thou shalt take thin inheritance in thyself in the sight of the heathen, and thou shalt know that I am the LORD." ... click here to read the rest of the article titled "Anti-Payday Loan Study Should Lose Its Religion (Pt. 3)"