The Book of Lucre

Chapter 1

1
And it shall come to pass that in those days Lucre
shall become the supreme god among mankind.

They shall profess many beliefs, and claim many gods, but all will worship
Lucre.

2
And Lucre shall govern their acts, and govern their lives, for
there shall be no life without Lucre, and nothing shall be
accomplished without Lucre.

3
Lucre shall be the measure of virtue, and Lucre will be
the measure of worth, and all things will be measured by Lucre.

4
And nothing shall have value or worth, save that it be
measured by Lucre.

5
Many will worship Lucre in secret, for they will assume
powerful places among those who worship other gods, yet, in secret,
Lucre shall be their god, and they will love Lucre and worship
Lucre only.

6
All thoughts will be measured by the standards of Lucre, and
the measure of all men, and, if a man hath not Lucre, then his
thoughts are as nothing, not even as the breezes are the thoughts of
those who have not Lucre.

7
And a man hath not good, save that he hath Lucre,
and the measure of his life is by Lucre. His life is
worthless, save that he hath Lucre.

Chapter 2

1
For Lucre is all good, and Lucre is all holy, and Lucre
is all-powerful.

2
In Lucre all things have their being. Lucre is the
wellspring, and Lucre is the goal, and without Lucre
there is nothing.

3
Lucre hath neither pity nor compassion, for these things are
not of Lucre, and have no value. Lucre hath no remorse,
for what does not lead to Lucre hath no value, nor hath it any
consideration, lest it lead to Lucre.

4
All begins in Lucre, and in Lucre have all things their
end. From Lucre all things spring, and unto Lucre do
all things attain.

5
For Lucre is the reason for being of all things, and of all
mankind.

Chapter 3

1
Now it shall come to pass that in those days men shall cry
out, for they have not received justice, and they shall cry out, “
Where is Justice, O Lord? We are aggrieved, and downtrodden, and men
persecute us.”

2
But they shall have no justice, for they have not Lucre, and
in Lucre is all justice. For Lucre careth not for
justice, and justice is not of Lucre, yet shall Lucre
determine justice, for those who have not Lucre shall have not
justice, and Lucre shall not hear their cries.

3
And those that have been robbed shall cry out for justice likewise,
and Lucre shall hear them not, for they have not Lucre,
and they have not life or justice, nor shall there be mercy shown
them, for they have not Lucre.

4
And those who fall sick shall die, if they have not Lucre,
and they who have not Lucre shall have no homes, nor shall a
mother even purchase milk for her newborn, unless she have Lucre.

Chapter 4

1
For it hath been said that in early days Lucre was but a
servant, and served mankind.

2
And Lucre caused men to have trade with each other, so that
they could obtain goods, one from another, and obtain services, one
from another, because men had made Lucre, and Lucre
served them.

3
But men began to become befuddled by Lucre, and said, “only
gold is Lucre,” and “Lucre maketh value.”

4
And men began to worship Lucre, and to desire only Lucre,
and all their aim was for Lucre.

5
And all their efforts were for Lucre, and their eyes were
fixed upon Lucre. Their love was for Lucre, and they
held nothing of value but Lucre.

6
And they desired not food nor drink, nor did they crave the love of
women, nor of men, nor did they love justice, nor health, nor ways of
virtue.

7
For they said: “With Lucre can all these things be had,
and without Lucre, none, for Lucre alone is desirable,
and Lucre alone hath beauty. Lucre bringeth health, and
justice, and the love of men and women. Lucre bringeth food
and drink, and Lucre provideth shelter. Therefore shall Lucre
be the judge of good and evil, and those who have Lucre shall
be good, and those who have not Lucre shall be evil. Those who
have Lucre shall be counted among the just, and those who have
not Lucre shall be counted among the unjust. Those who have
Lucre shall live, and those who have not Lucre shall
die.”

8
And they made a god of Lucre, and called Lucre
by many names, yet by whatever name, Lucre is the same.

9
If some say that Lucre hath rebelled, and become god from
being a servant, yet shall they be deemed in error, for Lucre
hath no mind for rebellion, nor for service, but, made into a god,
becometh God, and becoming desired, becometh desirable.

10
And so they made Lucre into a god, and made Lucre into
their god, and they worshiped Lucre, and Lucre alone,
and loved Lucre, and Lucre only, and desired Lucre,
and Lucre only, and all their thoughts were for Lucre,
though Lucre thinketh not, nor loveth, nor desireth, nor
careth Lucre for worship.

11
For Lucre hath no thought, nor hath Lucre love, nor
desire. Lucre heareth not, and seeth not. Lucre hath no
pity, nor hath Lucre tenderness, nor compassion. The love of
Lucre giveth no reward but the love of Lucre, and the
desire of Lucre is requited only by the desire of Lucre.
For the desire for Lucre is not quenched, nor is it ever
satisfied, if one hath Lucre, or if one hath not. For one who
worships Lucre is ever in thrall of Lucre, who careth
not, loveth not, pitieth not, and rewardeth not.

12
And so they made their god of Lucre, and did worship
Lucre, and did hold Lucre above all things. And Lucre
became unto them the judge of all being, and all life, and all
acts.

13
And so in Lucre do all things have their being. In Lucre have all
things their life, and for Lucre do all things perish.