More Dave Ramsey

Just a couple days ago I blogged about the most unfortunate position financial guru Dave Ramsey has taken towards creditors. Despite professing to be the prophet of Christian Biblical financial principles, Mr. Ramsey was coaching his audience on how to cheat and screw their creditors. Then he took aim at the creditors, calling them names and disparaging their character.

Now lest you think I over reacted, yesterday I was listening to Dave Ramsey's show again (hoping he'd answer the question I left). A caller asks him about settling an overdue debt, and wanted to know what documentation they should get from the creditor, etc. Mr. Ramsey started off well, saying that unless it's in writing, it isn't an agreement. That's sound advice for anyone.

But then he went on to insult the integrity of Citibank and Bank of America. He made jokes and laughed hysterically at the notion that these institutions might be considered trustworthy --- by someone who has defaulted on their obligations and is trying to get the banks to settle a debt for less than they owe. The caller had not mentioned Citibank or Bank of America. But Dave made his cynical remarks and just laughed and laughed over it. Apparently he thinks it's very funny to trash the leading financial institutions in our country ... when consumers are screwing them.

So I'm not one to take this lying down. Being the prophet that God made me to be, I have to confront sin when I see it. I tried to call Dave Ramsey immediately. The phone rang and rang and I never got through. In fact, I tried for about 30 minutes and never got through.

This guy is behaving like an arrogant cad, instead of a Christ-follower. He's advertising tickets to his seminar being hosted at the Potter's House church in Dallas. We can go to church - a house of prayer, and pay to hear him tell us how to get our financial houses in order. From what I'm hearing on his radio show, I'm guessing his standard advice includes screwing your creditors and then demonizing them when they try to hold you accountable for your obligations to them.

Why are Christian churches continuing to support this clown? Am I the only one who sees the heresy and the hypocrisy in this man's ministry? I cannot believe Mr. Ramsey's apparent ignorance about the facts of the debt collection business. But even if I get past that, do we really want Christ-followers to get their financial advice from such a hypocrite?

Dave Ramsey, you are dead wrong. It is time to repent of your sinful ways and dump the hostile bias against lending institutions. It is time to stop embracing the notion that borrowers are entitled to screw their creditors. And it is time to stop demonizing the hard-working people in the debt collection business who are simply trying to get borrowers to keep their promises. Really Dave, do you think Jesus would be dispensing the kind of advice you are?