On Financial Integrity

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Recently OPJ considered a video from Quaker Earthcare Witness found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyQZqM_ewZE&t=1s from which we learned that even so-called socially conscious investing platforms are doing quite a bit of harm to people and the planet.  

In meeting today, I was thinking about this question: "how can I conscript money to God's purposes?"  I already am very clear about not having money conscripted for war, but what about making money by doing nothing? I'm talking about the stock market, bond market, insurance schemes, etc.  When we invest in these systems that support extractive technologies, digital technologies and even war technologies and then conveniently forget that our relationship to money requires integrity -- we enter into cognitive dissonance by pretending this relationship doesn't matter. 

When Jesus overturned the tables of the money changers in the Temple (Mathew 21:13) declaring “My house will be called a house of prayer,” but you are making it “a den of robbers.”  What I think he was pointing to is the idea that we cannot separate what we do with money from worship.  How can we separate spiritual devotion from commercial profit?  He objected to the money changers making money from nothing as they changed Roman coins (that hailed Caesar to be descended from god)  to the shekels the Pharisees decreed were not objectionable in the temple. (even though ironically the shekel had the image of Melqart, a pagan god, on them)   

Our meeting is invested in Friends Fiduciary, an organization which as 800M invested, only 6% of which are so-called "green funds."  The Quaker Growth and Income Fund has 660M invested in the top 10 companies in the world.  How is this spirit led?  Are we, in OCMM, following our leadings in the realm of money? Is there a way we can make ethical investments? 

I'd like to offer a modest proposal to this investment trap.  The trap I refer to is the one we fall into when we believe our money needs to make money in financial markets. 

Here are some queries to consider: 

• Why are we not investing OCMM money into our community? 
  • loan small sums to people in Columbia county -- microloans in third world countries have been fabulously successful
  •  
• Why not start a non-profit that makes things (like the Shakers)? 
  • We could employ people in specific industries that are profitable (such as solar installations for example) or the making of a specific product (like a fan -- the global ceiling fan market is 11.8B in 2023) or consumables that people need every day (like salad)  

• Some will say "But what about the risk of starting an entrepreneurial venture?"  To that I say that history has shown that stock markets crash and people lose money in the stock market all the time. 
• Some say "But that is work.  Who is going to manage a new business?"   I don't think laziness is a good excuse for operating with integrity. This is an employment opportunity for Quakers and to teach Quaker values. 

As the world gets turned on its axis by AI, we might consider how our dollars are participating in things we consider "evil" or "out of integrity with our values."  Use whatever term you will. 

These values of peace, privacy, taking care of our home, equality, honest work for an honest wage, etc are not supported by investments in surveillance, war, AI, fossil fuel extractors, financial companies etc, etc.  Please fill in the blank __________________. 

It is no secret that I am engaged in standing up a TRUE GUILD in Northern Columbia County. I started this initiative over a year ago because I saw a world changing in ways that is not good for humans. The guild initiative is just one way we Quakers can put our money where our values are.  

On a more personal note, the mortgage to my home is held by a Quaker.  That feels good.  I was the beneficiary of Quaker values in action when I took a stand for peace.  We can do that for our community and why not? 

WHAT STAND ARE WE COLLECTIVELY WILLING TO MAKE?    

~ Joseph Olejak