"If you want to know what the Lord God thinks of money, just look at those to whom he gives it." - Dorothy Parker. Discuss.

In the case of Paris Hilton, it is a classic case of rich girl gone bad. Her exploits around Beverly Hills made possible because of her prestigious and affluent background have been in the limelight, topping them all with her recent one day jail term. Evidently, money here could be seen as a catalyst for many or if not all the worries and badness of the world, as goes the cliched phrase of the "root of all evil". God apparently has chosen to bestow money on bad and contemptable characters, illustrating his perhaps distaste or even the little good that he thinks of it. Thus, exacerbating the effect of money as an agent of evil.

Bernard Madoff is other example of placing money in the wrong hands. Making his company one of the top ones on Wall Street, Madoff was believed to be an extremely wise businessman. However, he abused his marketing ability to create the largest ponzi-scam ever in history, whereby almost $65 billion went into his own pockets. Now the money is nowhere to be found. Several charity foundations were forced to close as a result, and victims who were left penniless could have used the money to invest in other business that could have ensured them comfortable lives. Through this example, we cannot not admit that the money is given wrongly to a less suitable person.

While Parker may feel that money was given inappropriately and undeservingly to certain individuals, there are exceptions whereby money was given to kind souls. Bill Gates is known to be one such person. As the founder of a software company Microsoft, he evolved into a philanthropist as well, establishing a non-profit organization named Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. This goes to show the good that people can do with money, and that God sees money as a tool of opportunity instead. By giving money to the people like Bill Gates, who was born into an upper middle class family, wealth distribution around the world can be enhanced and there is hope in resolving poverty problems.

All in all, we believe that money is merely a tool that is utilised by almost each and every human globally. How this "tool" is being used and for what purposes determines its value and worth in society. We cannot say that without a doubt, God has given money to either deserving or undeserving individuals, and thus thinks of the value of money in a certain manner. God has given almost everyone money. What people do with this money is what matters most. We are all given a choice. It depends on what we do with it.

Done by: Serena, Michelle, Xiao Xiao & Chelsia (09S06J)