unchanged. The prohibition of interest payments in the Christian world by the Popes during the Middle Ages in Europe, for instance, just shifted the problem to the Jews, who became, at that time, the leading bankers of Europe. While the Jews were not allowed to take interest from each other, they could do so from the Gentiles. In Islam, people do not pay interest for a loan, but the lending banks or individuals become shareholders in their business and take part of the ensuing profits. In some cases this may be better - in others worse - than paying interest. Nowadays the Christian churches and charitable organizations exhaust their followers with calls for donations to alleviate the worst social problems in industrially developed and developing countries. This remains symptomatic treatment as long as the systemic fault in our monetary system continues. What is needed instead is the dissemination of information and an open discussion about the effects of the present monetary system and the solution in terms of monetary reform. In Latin America, for instance, the Catholic Church is split between the conservative top hierarchy tending towards the western model of capitalism and the progressive base which is oriented towards the communistic model. The historic opportunity now is to present an interest-free economy as a third type of solution which is to be found neither in communism nor in capitalism but transcends both. It would go farther in providing social justice than any aid program. It would create a stable economy and offer the churches significant assistance in their efforts to bring peace to this earth. In spiritual terms everything we find in the outside world is a reflection of our own inner selves, our belief systems, our wishes and our thoughts. A transformation of the outer world, therefore, requires a transformation of the inner world. One without the other is not possible. The proliferation of esoteric knowledge and skills in many parts of the world indicates a profound shift in consciousness of an increasingly larger number of people. Their work on inner change provides the basis for outer change. Without this work a peaceful transformation of the monetary system may be impossible. Therefore, a great responsibility rests with those who serve humanitarian goals and are aware of the practical possibilities of monetary reform as one aspect of global transformation.
BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY In an interest and inflation free economy the prices of goods and services would be regulated, as in today's capitalist societies, by supply and demand. What would change, however, is the distortion of the "free market" by the interest mechanism.
33