The medieval church forbade usury and claimed that usurers went to hell. However, as the feudal system of the Middle Ages declined and merchants emerged as an emerging power, usury businesses amassed enormous wealth. Usurers donated their corrupt wealth to monasteries, and when they died, they could be buried there. It was a bonus that the donor usurer could receive the sacrament of confession shortly before death. Fear of the afterlife caused poor churches to accumulate wealth, used to decorate walls or build larger, more elaborate structures, leading to the Renaissance era. The unjust usury business sparked a literary and artistic revival. Let go of the illusion that only good things can change the world for the better or the right. The innocence of ignorance about how the world works makes it easier to accept sin and corrupts the world into evil. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”
There’s a saying that after a flood, no water is left to drink. Those who see this as a metaphor grasp that it signifies that “usefulness” outweighs “quantity.” In contrast, literal interpreters might invest in stocks for “mineral water” due to an anticipated rise in demand for bottled water post-flood. This illustrates how interpretation and action can diverge significantly. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”