So you think that money is the root of all evil? Have you ever asked what is the root of money? Money is a tool of exchange, which can’t exist unless there are goods produced and men able to produce them. Money is the material shape of the principle that men who wish to deal with one another must deal by trade and give value for value. Money is not the tool of the moochers, who claim your product by tears or of the looters, who take it from you by force. Money is made possible only by the men who produce. Is this what you consider evil?
— Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged
Photo Credit: kevin dooley
I’ll go ahead and point it out. It is “LOVE OF money is the root of all evil.”
And to be more precise, the Greek should read, “all kinds of evil”. Not meaning every single evil that exist, b ut rather all types of evil.
Thanks for beating me to it! 🙂
Yes, Josh … that is the actual verse, which is true, IMO.
However, the “conventional wisdom” cited by a good chunk — if not a majority — of the population is that “Money is the root of all evil.” (Just Google both sayings for proof: 11 million references for the “conventional wisdom” vs ~2 million for the actual verse.)
… which is a good indication that there are many so-called Christians who don’t know their Bible.
Great quote, Len!
Thanks, Ben! It’s an even better book.
Len,
I hear this all the time – ‘money is the root of all evil’ – As was already stated it is the ‘love of money’ that is the root of all evil. The perceptions of money that we are ‘taught’ from family, friends, society is very misleading – money is an exchange for services, which was indicated in your article. Money by itself is just that – money. The emotion that is attached to it is what individuals assess ‘the value of money’ to be. This misquote is one of many from the Bible – sadly many people buy into the lie. To me, time is much more valuable than money – I am working to have money work for me so I have more time with my family!! 🙂 Your blog is great, thanks for all you do………..