Religious Leaders Speak “We are concerned that our charitable dollars are in fact funding the profits of the payday lenders rather than helping the poor achieve self-sufficiency.” “Jesus wanted people to make a good living, just not take advantage of the poor.” "Exploiting the working poor with payday lending is an egregious practice that goes against God’s word to help the poor and instead, puts a chokehold on some of America's most vulnerable families.” “They can tell us that this is just about helping people, but it’s an intentionally crafted defective product that is marketed to the financially unsophisticated. They’re bilking billions of dollars out of poor neighborhoods, and the taxpayers get to clean up the mess.” “As evangelicals committed to justice we deeply lament the predatory lending that has disproportionately impacted poor communities. Scripture is clear about its denouncement of usury and calls us to call for laws that defend against it. Silence is not an option.”
