Wacky Wednesday--It’s Sinful To Declare Bankruptcy

Note: Before reading the following arguments, please understand that they are not what I believe. On Wednesdays, I deliberately argue for wrong ideas, challenging my listeners to call and defend the obvious right answer, which is usually far harder than one would expect. This is a summary of what Wacky Andrew will be arguing, not a representation of what real Andrew believes.

~We are supposed to keep our word.
~We are supposed to honor our obligations.
~We freely took the money in the first place.
~It violates the Golden Rule. Would you want someone to declare bankruptcy on you if he owes you money?
~It’s bad theology, as though you can just escape your debts magically by invoking this bizarre little word.
~If everyone did it, what would happen to our economy and our system of banking?
~People need to learn to solve their problems and work their way out of debt, not just have it waived away.
~Anyone can work out of debt if they’ll only be smart.
~Declaring bankruptcy doesn’t solve the bad behaviors and thinking that produced your financial problems in the first place, so it’s only a temporary fix that actually robs stupidity of its educationally beneficial sting.
~How does this develop for us a good reputation with our secular community or our neighbors? It’s a terrible testimony.
~It affects your credit rating, which is society’s official way of saying you are an unreliable person who can’t be trusted with money.
~If you hadn’t been a poor steward, you wouldn’t even be in this position. How likely is it that an easy escape from prior bad behavior isn’t itself also bad behavior?
~It feels like theft, right? Why do you think that is?
~If it’s not a sin, why do you feel so guilty?
~This is a worldly way of solving a problem by taking the easy way out.
~If people believe they can just skip out on their debts, no one will repay and lending will dry up.

Bible references: Exodus 22:25-27, Lev 25, Deut 15:1-11, Deut 24:19, Neh 5:1-11, Psalm 37:7,12, 21, Prov 22:7, Eccl 5:4-5, Ezekiel 22:12, Matt 5:36-37, Matt 6:12, Luke 11:4

Links:
Bankruptcy in the Bible
What does the Bible say about bankruptcy?
What does the Bible teach about debt and bankruptcy?
Is it a sin for a Christian to file bankruptcy?
12 myths about bankruptcy (MSN)