Soldier4Christ
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« on: July 21, 2007, 11:18:13 AM » |
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Financial spokesman says Christians need to learn influence of money
Your money could be funding more than your purchase. According to Stephen R. Bolt, president and co-founder of Faith Financial Planners, Inc., some of the most prominent endorsements of the homosexual and transgender agendas come from the financial services industry.
Bolt warns that unless and until Christians decide they care enough about the moral decay of the country to do something about it on an individual basis -- starting with where they spend their money -- nothing's going to happen to change it.
In a recent column for the American Family Association, Bolt gave an example of the problem in which he named major financial companies such as Wells Fargo, MetLife, JP Morgan Brown, John Hancock, Financial Services, and Washington Mutual as companies placing ads appealing to homosexuals or otherwise supporting the cultural lifestyle and lobbies.
"People for example, are unaware that when they get a mortgage from Washington Mutual, that [it[ is a huge supporter of the Human Rights Campaign, [which is[ by far the largest political lobbying organization on behalf of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equal rights, and everything that comes with it," says Bolt.
Washington Mutual and other companies such as Merrill Lynch, Citigroup and Prudential are also listed on HRC's website as proud sponsors of the political lobbying organization.
Bolt says many corporations are now embracing the political agenda of homosexuals because they are a focused group of consumers and customers who will affiliate and spend dollars with businesses that support their cultural cause -- a fact that has been proven by surveys and market analyses of where their dollars have gone.
He says, in essence, it is the same theory behind "socially responsible investing" or SRI, a tactic used by opponents of race-biased apartheid in Africa 30 years ago to help cripple it; and by political liberals to cripple companies that harmed the environment or animals.
Bolt believes Christians need to learn a lesson from that strategy and use their influence on financial services lenders, investors, and mortgage brokers for change by not funding their endeavors if they affiliate with causes antithetical to Christianity.
"Unless and until Christians decide that they care enough about the moral decay of the country to do something about it on an individual basis, nothing's going to happen," explains Bolt. "Now, I can't say whether or not they're going to change their position on supporting the gay and lesbian political agenda, but I will tell you that that's not going to go unnoticed."
Many times, he says, Christians bemoan the fact that the culture around them is decaying morally. But Bolt also says there is no reason to just stand and watch while doing nothing -- and while no one can single-handedly stop the advance of the homosexual agenda's infection into corporate America, there is still power to influence change with a key daily tool: our money.
"But the first thing that has to happen is that we have to care -- and then we have to take action," he says.
Bolt states that education and resources are the starting places. His organization offers a website and study curriculum called "Money on Loan from God," where individuals are taught two major scriptural principles for managing money: first, he says, use the money to make the greatest impact for the Kingdom. Bolt cites Luke 19:11-26, the parable of the talents, as basis for that belief.
The second principle is that individuals should invest their money with companies that do not support organizations or causes that conflict with an individual's faith. "If you're going to take God's money and you're going to get a mortgage on your home, do you think you should do it with a company that blatantly supports the gay/lesbian political agenda? I don't think God's going to be pleased with that," says Bolt.
After researching what involvements a person's financial services companies are involved in and relocating strategically if necessary, Bolt also recommends checking their investments the same way with a certified Christian financial planner.
Bolt believes that "reflecting God's values in the use and investing of our money are the two most important things we need to remember about 'money on loan from God.'"
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