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Credit sin: Does credit save or condemn you?

See what your religion says about card use

By Jay MacDonald

Is it a sin to use a credit card?

Your banker won't tell you. Nor will your card issuer.

But we have your back on this thorny theological topic.

The modern embossed-plastic version aside, buying on credit is as old as the concept of lending in times of need -- for instance when drought, flood or pestilence would decimate crops or livestock. Over the centuries as trade grew, it became commonplace for lenders to charge interest to cover their risk.

As interest in interest grew, so did usury, the practice of charging an unlawful or unreasonably high rate of interest, typically to those less fortunate who were unable to obtain better terms. And as usury grew, so did the moral debate over whether such practices violate divine law.

Is buying on credit a sin?

We put the question to academic experts representing the world's major religions.

Choose a religion below to see how anti-credit a faith or belief system is.

See related: The spiritual side of debt counseling, How the Amish deal with credit cards and the credit crunch, The world's 10 weirdest currencies,

Published: October 27, 2009

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