American Christianity and materialism...?

Question

Many Americans that consider theirselves to be righteous christians believe that their material success is a sign of blessing from their Lord. Do you find this to be absurd, or is this precisely where you see your blessings coming from?

Answer 1

Many examples in the Old Testament show God blessing His people with material wealth, such as David, Solomon, Abraham, etc...
I don't think there is anything wrong with wealth, but there may be something wrong with how it's used or if you are consumed with material possessions.
Personally, I would rather have less. That way I don't worry about losing what I don't have.

Answer 2

Any blessing I have I attribute to God. But, I don't consider the quality of my blessings as a sign of spiritual success. Just an act of a gracious God. There are many devoted Christians in other parts of the world that I wouldn't be worthy to stand next to who have less material possessions than I do...but, I would never suggest that I'm more righteous than they are. In fact, I believe that their faith would probably be stronger than mine. As an American Christian, I've never had to face someone with a knife or any weapon because I profess faith in Jesus Christ. But, they face such people every day of their lives. And they take a stand....sometimes paying the ultimate price. God only knows what I would do if I were placed in that situation. I tend to get cranky even when the electricity goes out in the summer & there's no A/C. So, such fine material blessings could end up being a curse if you set your heart upon them.

Answer 3

Ahhhh, herein lies the great debate between morality and modern, organized religion. Before I answer your question I have a question for you to ponder...Do you find it both arrogant and absurd that each major religion believes themselves to be the only right religion? Is it not hubris to believe that YOUR religion is right and the majority of the rest of the world is WRONG? Then, once you are able to ponder that question then you must ask yourself was it God's plan to create a race of murderers? It is been prooven that more wars have been fought, as well as most people have been killed in the name of religion than for any other reason. Now, to answer your question, if you believe that there is a God and that he is in the form of a human being and not another higher and smarter form of life, then you would be forced to conclude (logically) that any sort of material success is a blessing from the lord. It would then follow that mass murderers like Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, George Bush, many African warlords as well as many Colombian drug dealers are rewarded daily by God. Good luck with your search for truth.

Answer 4

I am a Christian, but will be the first to say that we mess up just as much as everyone else. I even tend to be concerned by people who call themselves "righteous christians" because those usually are the ones farthest away from God. In my own life I've seen that the closer I get to God, the more I see in myself that needs fixing. Rather ironic.
Anyway, about your question. I think a lot of times material success can come from God if the person tithes (gives money back) and has a thankful and humble mindset. At the same time, there are plenty of nonChristians who have the same or even greater financial success. The difference, I believe lies in the fact that Christians simply attribute their success to God. Its not that God just provides them with money, but that they recognize God as the giver as their talents and abilities to earn money.

Answer 5

That's a tricky question. You can't say God gave you material wealth if you achieved it sinfully, of course. Do you think God or Buddha or Allah or whomever would smile when you said He/She allowed you to sell drugs in order to maintain materialistic wealth? It's a bunch of BS, really. I attended a Jesuit college and had a course about Faith and Poverty. The Bible mentions that we should help those who are suffering and who are also poorer, but many wealthy people believe that this is more about emotional suffering and poor is defined, to them, as spiritually poor. Economics is lacking in the Bible to those who are not struggling, apparently. I think money is just that..money. We are more blessed by the things we learn from life and how we treat others. Does that answer make sense?

Answer 6

I have many blessings including my beautiful family, my friends, & even material things, but nothing is a larger blessing than my testimony of the Savior. No I do not find it absurb to give the Lord credit for allowing me the intelligence, the desire & the ability to live in a time & place that allows me to have material wealth.

Answer 7

There may be some like that. I guess it depends on what your priorities are. For me, as a christian, I feel blessed for all that God has given to me. Material objects aren't on the top of my list of priorities, so I certainly don't gage my obedience to the number of objects I have. Besides, what would that say about the poor, faithful people in our society? That they aren't really faithful because they don't have many material objects. I count it all blessings, not just the material things.

Answer 8

All blessings--all good things come from God. With great blessings also come great responsibility. "To whom much is given much shall be required." Unfortunately, the Old Testament clearly demonstrates that when God blesses mankind with wealth and prosperity this generally leads mankind to become self satisfied and walk away from God, which leads God to eventually withdrawal his blessings. Poverty, war, disease, and despair often draw mankind back to God, yet when God forgives and blesses for obedience, the whole cycle eventually begins over again.

Answer 9

in case you study the recent testomony and Jesus's words you are able to desire to no longer believe that the two are even close. Jesus taught us to love God first, then others, to forgive and do sturdy. He taught that our Heavenly Father needs us with Him in Heaven. Their allah is an unapproachable deity (even however he does not even exist) that they attempt to assuage any way attainable interior the hopes that they are going to spend eternity having intercourse and being gluttonous. that often is the adult men for sure. i do no longer understand what the girls folk think of however the way they're taken care of right here in the international they could surly desire heaven. a number of non-Christians are open and involved in Christianity and a few purely hate us as a results of fact we upward push up for what we believe.

Answer 10

it is totally absurd, my mother is the same way. i love her dearly but when it comes to this subject, she is fundamentally extreme. she even reads books writen by christians on how to get more money, make more money now, blah blah blah. and she also considers it a gift from god. sad.