“If money is the root of all evil, why do churches beg for it?” is a popular bumper sticker saying. “For the love of money is the root of all evil” is from the New Testament (1 Timothy 6:10).
 
“If money is the root of all evil, why do churches want it so badly?” was cited in March 1996. “If money is the root of all evil, why do churches want so much?” was cited in December 1996. The original author of the saying is unknown.
 
     
Wikipedia: Root of all evil
Root of all evil may refer to:
 
Money
. First Epistle to Timothy in the New Testament (1 Timothy 6:10) starts “For the love of money is the root of all evil”
. Greed, one of the Seven Deadly Sins, the excessive love of money and other possessions
. Radix malorum est cupiditas, Latin for “Greed is the root of all evil”
   
Google Groups: alt.sport.officiating
Robert Menschel
Mar 31 1996, 2:00 am
(...)
If money is the root of all evil, why do churches want it so badly?
   
Google Groups: rec.music.filk
Filksinger
Dec 10 1996, 2:00 am
(...)
... If money is the root of all evil, why do churches want so much?
 
Google Groups: talk.atheism
Darryl L. Pierce
Jun 18 1998, 1:00 am
In article

, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (JM) wrote:
;The love of money is the root of all evil.
 
Then why do churches pass around the collection plate? Why do TV evangelists always need your donations? Why do you cash a paycheck?
 
Google Groups: alt.quotations
Dave Wright
Dec 26 1998, 2:00 am
If money is the root of all evil, why do churches want it so bad?
—Unknown
 
30 April 1999, The Advocate (Baton Rouge, LA), Smiley Anders column:
“If money is the root of all evil, why do churches want it so badly?”
 
Urban Dictionary
root of all evil
If money is the root of all evil, why do churches have collection plates?
Its just a tad presumptuous.
by BadLieutenant Aug 15, 2004
     
Google Books
The Science of Wit
By Ian McCarthy
2005
Pg. 99:
If money is the root of all evil, why do churches beg for it?
 
25 July 2006, Atlanta (GA) Journal-Constitution, ‘The Vent,” ‎pg. C2:
If money is the root of all evil, why do churches beg for it?