What is all the talk about materialism - I dont understand.?

Question

What does it mean and how is it offensive to all the fundermentalists out there. Is it just another excuse not to like change.

Answer 1

Change? There's nothing new about materialism?

In religious terms, materialism amounts to storing up treasure on Earth. This is directly opposed to Jesus's teaching to "Store up treasure in Heaven."

Christians are not opposed to purchasing or owning nice things. But there's a difference between buying things you need and buying things you want.

The occasional indulgence in a luxury item is not bad. But, if left unchecked, the desire to store up treasure on Earth might overtake the desire to "Store up treasure in Heaven."

If this happens, greed will have caused you prioritize your material goods ahead of God - out of greed.

Long story short, materialism breeds greed, and the sin of greed drives people away from God.

Answer 2

The accumulation of wealth and belongings takes away the spiritual focus on God, according to fundamentalists. "Stuff" becomes your new god if you are a materialist. The bible states that you should have no other gods besides the Lord God, so that is why they view materialism as evil.

Unless you are talking about philosohical materialism, in which case it is offensive to fundamentalists because it takes God completely out of the picture, which is the basis for their belief system. Materialism is distinguished by its insistence on direct observation of nature and on explaining everything that happens in the world in terms of the laws of nature. In other words, from the beginning materialists have always based their theory on the best scientific evidence at hand, rather than on some putative "first philosophy" waiting to be discovered through abstract philosophical reasoning.

Answer 3

Material things don't satisfy you to the fullest degree. Technology and fads are constantly changing so you can never be happy. You always want more and more. King Solomon was one of the richest men in the bible and had hundreds of beautiful women but stated that serving God was what really made him happy. Donald Trump is loaded but I doubt he has time to go to church and if you count how many times he's been married somethings lacking in his life. I doubt divorces and child support are entertaining and fun! Money truly isn't everything, it's necessary but not the answer to hapiness!

Answer 4

if by fundamentalists you mean christians then it is very simple. my reward is in heaven not here on earth so why should i buy the latest and greatest as it will all fall away anyway. its like the dresser in a hotel room do you use it or do you put everything away, im only staying for a few days so ill keep my stuff in the suitcase and not have to worry about leaving something behind

Answer 5

materialism is the desire for material things, money, cars, nice house, nice clothes

Religious people believe that you should concentrate more on your spiritual side, like being a good person with high ethical standards, etc. I tend to agree, though I'm not religious.

Answer 6

I personally know a person that is very materialistic.
He denies his children the things they need.
He denies the mother of those children the things and support that she needs.
All so he can have the toys that he thinks show that he has made it as a man.
The things that a man has does not define the man himself.
They are only possessions, nothing more.
A man is defined as someone that puts his wife and children above everything, especially himself.

Answer 7

What I understand about materialism is this: a person has more worth by the number and quality of items of their belonging... so the more a person has, the better off they are....

Answer 8

Are people talking about materialism because the world didn't end the other day? I don't think it is wrong to want things unless you hurt people to get them.