Campaign for Interest-Free Money

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Introduction

*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!      

*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