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Introduction
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*Where we've come from*
The Campaign for Interest-Free Money was launched
on 28th January 1998, by a group of people, mostly
from London UK, who wanted to get this debate rolling.
It is a highly non-hierarchical, non-ageist, non-party
political, inter-cultural, inter-faith, ecumenical
and very, very all-inclusive activity. It's designed
as a journey being shared by people who are investigating
the age-old question of charging interest on lent
money: usury, riba and various other names - some
unprintable!! - have been given to this activity!
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*Where we are now*
In the course of a year's worth of e-mails, letters and
weekly open meetings are aware that this question is deeply
uncomfortable for some people and so we see that the Campaign
(note: *the* Campaign and not *our* Campaign!!) needs to
stick sensitively with this question: asking all to examine
it in the spirit of love and respect.Thus, in the course
of the Campaign's first year, we have met many people who
are quite clear that charging interest on lent money is
the scam of scams, the sin of sins, the evil of evils.To
that extent, then, we detect that, at this point on the
Campaign's journey that it is right to have a space clearly
marked for all to enter in that spirit of love and respect
that we have highlighted above. At present, we are unaware
of any other space that starts from the questioning of the
rightness of interest charging on lent money, and, for that
reason alone we continue joyfully into the Campaign's second
year - inviting all to join the debate.
*Where we are going*
John Lennon said that: "Life is something that
happens to you while you are planning to do something different!"
This year: * we are starting monthly evening meetings in
the Debtors' Prison in Clink Street * we will carry on networking
with Campaigns both local and world-wide * we'll keep having
weekly meetings on Wednesdays 11am-1pm at the Global Table
* we'll keep on sending out materials (both collected and
sent to us) * and we'll keep on being led forward by the
enthusiasm and love of all, for all. We also aim to use
this web site to offer links to related Campaigns and their
activities and we'll aim to set up a news/bulletin board
- so that all can find a welcoming space on the journey.
All in that spirit of all-inclusiveness, love and respect
for all, to all and from all.
*And finally*
Since the Campaign was launched, we have become amazed
at the range of subjects that are influenced by the the
rightness (or otherwise!) of charging interest on lent money.
We, quite routinely, get to consider matters of personal
philosophy, spirituality, care of the planet, our relationship
with other species, violence, health issues, the food we
eat, town planning, public services, theology, art and science,
the future and the past, and on and on!Interest and lent
money seems to touch every single aspect of the planet's
life! Please do keep alongside these debates: the future
has been along time coming!
John Courtneidge
After General Meeting:
26 February 1999
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