Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uwm.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!brutus.cs.uiuc.edu!psuvax1!psuvm!TAMAGEN!BWA6067 From: BWA6067@TAMAGEN Newsgroups: bit.listserv.christia Subject: Blood Money Message-ID: Date: 11 Jan 90 20:00:00 GMT Sender: Practical Christian Life Reply-To: Practical Christian Life Lines: 58 Approved: NETNEWS@PSUVM Gateway Original_To: JNET%"christia@finhutc" Mike writes: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Say that in your neighborhood a poor boy becomes incredibly rich through drug dealing. He offers to donate $100,000 to your church for the purpose of evangelism, helping the homeless, or some other worthy cause. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Thus, the $100,000 is legally tainted. ------------------------------------------------------------------- You know that his money has been earned through the destruction of many young lives, that is, it is essentially "blood money". Do you accept this money? ------------------------------------------------------------------- Assuming, of course, that it's not entirely up to me (since I don't know of any Biblical authority for a single executive in a congregation)...but I digress. How do I vote in a business meeting? The money is illegal, so accepting it is basically a money-laundering venture, which would make the congregation an accessory to a felony...I vote NO in light of Romans 13. Further, "do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil (Romans 14:16)." The last one is probably out of context, so take that one with a grain of salt. Nevertheless, it is clear in the N.T. that the church needs to have a good reputation within the community (not at the expense of truth, of course, but this is hardly such a matter). ------------------------------------------------------------------- Would it make any difference if he repented first? ------------------------------------------------------------------- I have no authority to make that judgement, nor is there legal justification for entering into an illegal relationship based upon such a judgement that is so difficult to define adequately. What is the sum and substance of his "repentance?" And by what parameters is it defined? Is that even relevant? I don't think it is relevant. Look at Matthew 27:3-10. This is not ILLEGAL blood money, but just blood money, in this story of Judas. There is no evidence that for the chief priests and elders to accept it was illegal nor that it would bring public reproach upon God's people. Your situation is much different. ------------------------------------------------------------------- gave up drug-dealing and joined your church (the Zaccheus parallel; but it's still blood money)? ------------------------------------------------------------------- "Joining a church" is a terribly nebulous and dubious concept. I think, however, that this is irrelevant. The bottom line, to me, has two facets: 1. To accept the money would be illegal. 2. To accept the money would be tantamount to sanctioning the Machiavellian idea of "the ends justify the means," and would set a very dangerous precedent. How far can we go before we say "this money is *too* tainted?" We risk terrible public outrage which does nothing to enhance our abilities to reach the public with the gospel. queue ball