by Phyllis Twombly

Created on: June 05, 2009   Last Updated: June 08, 2009

It often seems like there are two different gods for the rich and the poor. Many people assume money IS the god of the rich. These are often the same people who are incredibly poor. The Bible says the love of money is the root of all evil, yet most rich people treat others with dignity and respect. Money is not usually the god of the rich.

However, it's often the god of the poor. It seems inherent in human nature to worship what we cannot attain. Ironically, many religious institutions seem inclined to stress extreme sacrifice and the dignity of poverty. Oddly enough the Bible spills much ink on how to become rich, in both the material and spiritual sense.

For example, the practice of tithing was instituted in exchange for making one man wealthy. Religious groups cannot operate without some funding but the worst ones encourage personal poverty while enriching leadership. One church in the Bible decided to try communal living, which resulted in poverty and the burden of support from other, better functioning churches.

In another twist of irony, the richest non-believers are often quite generous. Helping others to prosper is beneficial to the entire economy. Many celebrities support worthy causes without any admonishment from a preacher.

This should bring many religious leaders of our day into question. If God is interested in enriching anybody with a solid work ethic, religious leaders should strive for the same end. Instead poverty is upheld as a worthy spiritual goal. Such gaps of logic are often presented as faith.

The West has a tradition of belief in a single God over all. It's a point of commonality that allowed science and technology to progress. It began to break down the class distinctions that held society back. Universal public education, a direct outcome of the Protestant Reformation, improved the overall standard of living. America became known as the land of opportunity.

In the end it's up to human beings to decide which God they follow, worship, and honor. Money is fleeting, and therefore cannot be called god in any enduring sense. The whole world came into being long before the first coin was minted. Money can be an idol but it doesn't qualify to be God.

American pennies have the words 'In God we trust' imprinted on them. Why imprint the name of God on a penny? It's the smallest piece of currency. Rich or poor, everyone sees it. If the phrase was only printed on larger currency the poor might never see it. There was at least an expectation that everyone would be entitled to choose the same God.

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