Ethical Investing

FRANKFURT -- Ever since man first laid aside resources for better use elsewhere, man has been investing. This practice has come a long way since then. Even the days of speculation seem to be over; the notion of more traditional and longer-term loyalty investments is slowly reconquering the minds of bankers and investors around the world. This is a special report by the World Trade Foundation (WTF) documenting the rise of this latest fad.

One of the pioneers and principal supporters of this trend is religion. More and more banks are now offering special banking services to suit the requirements of various religions, reflected in the growing availability of options such as Sharia banking in the world today.

However, a recent incident at a German Roman Catholic bank reveals that some of these banks are already abusing their clients' trust. In this particular case, invested some of its clients' assets in impious ventures such as defence, birth control, and tobacco.

Following the revelation of this trespass of beliefs and values, the bank issued a statement of apology. Nonetheless, the WTF warns that similar abuse of trust is imminent and poses a significant threat to modern society.

In our modern day and age, church and the state are separate. However, in order to continue to preserve the positive morals and values of our society and ancestors, the church must exercise some form of power: religious ethical banking is the solution. Yet if our banks continue to invest in these sinful practices, no matter how profitable, society will never be able to rid itself of evils such as birth control and stem cell research.

Related reading: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8180739.stm