To answer your first question, surely a currency that is backed by tangible assets such as one of the most prized precious metals throughout history is much better than a corrupt government's "promise". Also, for it is the "love of money" that is bad, not money itself. 1 Timothy 6:10:

10But the root of all these evils is the love of money, and there are some who have desired it and have erred from the faith and have brought themselves many miseries.