The problem arises when these categories or their characteristics are false. For example, I grew up in a relatively poor family. We had food, clothes, shelter, electricity, and indoor plumbing (fabulous wealth in some parts of the world). My parents taught me that "debt" was a four-letter word, and that work was done for more than money (to help others most importantly, or to obtain things we needed, or sometimes just for whatever Dad brought home from a side job. God would provide.).
I assumed that others were taught this too, and while businessfolk might need an initial loan to start, once they reached profitability they would become the lenders for others. I have seen family businesses grow and prosper the extended family based on this model. Older folks often bless the younger this way. I thought taking out loans for payroll was a sign of business failure.
But now all our economic woes are blamed on a lack of "liquidity". It seems the businesses we deemed safest, the banks and insurance companies, did not stick to this model. They borrowed from Peter to pay Paul, then insured the debt for a fee. They created money out of thin air, and the bits and bytes of imaginary profit are disappearing.
My world-view is dreadfully old-fashioned. It does not fit well in a secular culture. A person at work told me that people will take advantage of those who go out to serve. So be it. God has a way of finding the people I need to help, and putting me in places of service. He who cheats me cheats my Boss, and deals with Him someday. I just hope I can still be of service when we find out trading bits of green paper is not all it's cracked up to be.
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