Laytheo is written for the laity; it is a passion project. Some day it might be a source of financial gain for me, though some part of me is morally opposed to the implications of that. Today it is not a source of financial gain. Technically, it is a moderate source of financial loss. The gain is worth that loss, but it gives me an excuse to make a small case for bitcoin.
Scripture treats money as a moral object.
A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.
Proverbs 11:1
Fiat money fails that test quietly, since its weights are adjusted by parties the holder never sees, but the convenience probably balances the ethics: a robust currency system is worth having, and putting up with some distortion is the price of one. Bitcoin is a different thing. It is probably a bad form of money. But as a store of value it is owned in a way a dollar bill is not, held outright rather than as a claim on someone else's honesty, and I suspect there is a theological validation hiding in that. Maybe I will write the essay some day. Today it means I can put a payment link on this page without registering as a business with a bank that takes a portion of your donation off the top.
