Are you materialistic?

Goldiver

Why, yes I am according to the JWs. This is an topic that has always irked me with the JWs. Anyone who had a good paying job and nice things was materialistic. When I was growing up I was taught to not worry about higher education or even worry about retirement as the world would come to an end long before it would come time for me to retire. I did graduate high school and during that time I chose to take vocational courses on construction.

After I graduated I had a few low paying jobs and eventually I was lucky enough to land a good paying job before the fade was complete and started enjoying having nice vehicles , a nice home and nice things. Now I'm not talking being extravagant by any means but simply enjoying the fruits of my labor like a normal person. The JWs sure took notice and in no time I was being labeled as "materialistic". Of course I used my job as an excuse for my non-presence at metings and FS.

As I look back at so many JW people I have known it saddens me to see they have no retirement funds to draw on. To say most are dirt poor is an understatement. Many do not help themselves but depend on others to pay thier way and become a burden. They suffer because of what they believe in and what they are taught, it is just not right.

Now that I am in my mid 40's I am glad I was able to see the true light before it was too late and I too became a burden instead of being able to help myself. I'm just a normal person taking care of my family and myself to the best of my ability. It is just so sad that they discourage people from getting ahead and making sure they take care of thier future, and if they try to they are automatically labeled "materialistic" and subjected to forms of shunning because they are not "trusting in Jah".

Captain Obvious

My wife and I have moved far from our families to make a very good living. Now we have nice things and a real financial plan and future.

So yes, by JW standards we are. By REAL standards, we do not hold ourselves to a certain financial standard or have a lifestyle we thing we need to keep up. We would be happy with much less, but are making decisions that are not counting on the world ending within 5 years.

EndofMysteries

Anyone who says anything to you, quote them from the new JW bible, Ecc 10:19 - "Money answers EVERY need".

Goldiver

That is a good one! I don't recall that one ever being quoted by the JWs.

Julia Orwell

I have more money now I've left JWs even though I actually earn less because of health problems. Does that count?

WTWizard

I believe there is a link between materialism and spirituality. But, not the one the washtowel pushes. They get everything the reverse--always taking the wrong course when they know the truth.

Materialism is part of spiritual development. People are at their best when their material needs and wants are abundantly supplied. That doesn't happen just above the poverty level. They need jobs where they feel they can accomplish something other than being enslaved to a corporation. They need to spend the money to have reasonable amounts of fun--including style. They need to be secure about their rent or mortgage and other necessities, and prepare for financial disasters and emergency situations (especially common ones, such as blackouts). You simply cannot get around that.

Beyond bare necessities, it is helpful for one's spirituality if one has plenty to enjoy. Some enjoy video games. Some like the movies. Others, having plenty of different colored LED lights--while still others enjoy having stylish items in their living spaces. It also helps to buy into quality, because there is nothing to disrupt spiritual growth like a sudden failure in something you count on. You waste time, you get disturbed, and often it takes multiple attempts to fix it. You are less likely to have this issue if you buy quality in the first place, which the jokehovians seem to abhor. They seem to like cheap crap that breaks all the time.

And, where you shop can make a difference. When you are poor, you are forced to shop Wal,mart. I wonder how many people would rather shop at independent shops, even if the prices are higher there, than at Wal,mart. Trouble is, they cannot afford it. And Wal,mart caters to people that want to have the items but cannot really afford higher prices. The aura there is dismal, the merchandise cheap crap (usually with more bad energy infused from the slaves in China that made it), the service unhelpful (even the layout makes finding what you are after difficult, so the workers are not always to blame), the other clients riffraff, and the color scheme designed to infuse more gray energy on people. To make things even worse, things at Wal,mart tend not to last long. I have bought cheap crap sneakers at Wal,mart, usually ruined after 4 months on the job. Going to L.L. Bean online, I pay 3 times as much for shoes that last 6-7 times as long and perform better. In that case, my "materialism" saves money--buy one get one free.

Granted, materialism is just one facet of spirituality, even in Satanism. If one's soul is weakened, it can be detrimental in future lives. (Which is why I have had limited results--a warning to anyone that is thinking of continuing with the jokehovians.) You continue with the jokehovians, you will also have major difficulty in getting results in spirituality. You will be sexually hindered, financially broke all the time, have health problems, and not enjoy the nice things. This will carry forward when you are reincarnated. You will not know why you cannot get anything to work, but you are being programmed by religion. Next life, you will probably make the same mistakes and wind up in the jokehovians (or worse, Boston Movement or Twelve Tribes cults). Stagnation and soul rot await those who are faithful to joke-hova.

(Edited to attempt to defeat the pro-Wal,Mart links with commas added to the word)

Found Sheep

yup

THE GLADIATOR

I used to be spiritually minded but am now materialistic. It’s a better way to live in my opinion. We are material people living in a material world. We stay alive by eating organic material. Our entire reality is material. All the while we dwell on this planet we will seek comfort in material things. It is our nature to be materialistic. Who is to say what constitutes being ‘excessively’ concerned with material possessions?

The reason various religious leaders caution against being materialistic, is that it is a distraction from supporting their particular persuasion. They earn their living by directing people towards heaven, earthly activity is discouraged. They have cleverly retagged materialism as ‘greed’ and called it a deadly sin. Oh please!

skeeter1

I attended a normal church. You know what normal Christianity's take on this is? In a nutshell, each of us is unique. Some have a talent and they use it to make money. People benefit from their talent and are willing to pay for it. Others have time. People with a talent for making money, that's great especially if they can donate so the others with time can volunteer. So, imagine this as how a church is run. The people with money build a food bank. The people with time, get local restaurants and stores to donate food, and take the food to the poor.

Phizzy

What does that mean "materialistic" in the JW mind ? to them it equals making a normal life, decent home, well fed and clothed kids, nice car, holidays etc if the standard of those normal things that you enjoy is slightly above theirs, then you are accused of the Big M.

What is the opposite in the JW mind,? what is Spirtuality to them ? lots of FS, always at meetings, volunteering free labour to the WTScam etc

What throws some of them is when you get what we had in our Congo, several wealthy Pioneers and Elders, who did all the "works", but still had a top-notch life-style. The average JW was envious, but could not really point the finger.

As pointed out above, normal Churches have a more sensible view. The JW one is skewed on both issues, as to what is Materialism and what is Spirituality.

And they have no idea how pleasurable a normal life is either.

Are you materialistic?

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