What do you make of the term "filthy rich"?

Question

Are people tainted by alot of money? Why is it that people are jealous of people with money but at the same time they complain because they have none. I have noticed several questions on this site complaining against Churches that have a supply of funds, saying they should give it to the poor. (you can't help the poor if your poor too)

Answer 1

I don't like it. My family is rich, and it seems to me that "filthy rich" is just an expression of jealousy or a rich person stereotype. People hear rich and assume that rich people are the slime of the earth, because they have money and many don't do much with it. But that's not the case. Some rich people donate a lot, and I feel horrible if I ever turn down a request to do charity. It's true, rich people have it better than others, but it doesn't make them horrible people!

Answer 2

We are social creatures. In the past, from Cave-man days until the Roman Empire (and sometimes beyond), we have always shared everything...a kind of socialism. In ancient Greece, there have many a times when people overthrew the government and re-divided wealth and property. The ancient Celts and Germans had wealthy chieftains, but those chieftains regularly passed out the Gold to those below them. The same goes for the pharoh.(Rome was the first ancient civilization to put an end to that.)

Now, let me speak openly of one particular televangelist. I remember watching them brag about how much money they raised for an orphanage in Eastern Europe. I ran up to near a million dollars. And what did they give the kids? A television, some Christian cartoons on video tape, some dolls (that were also donated), and they paid the electric bill for a few months so the kids could watch the television. No food. No blankets. No money to provide them with better housing. No clothes.

Don't you think that they could have done more with near a Million dollars?

I won't say who this televangelist is, but they've been caught doing this many times over.

Answer 3

Who says you can't help the poor if you are poor? When my children were young, we were very poor. One day, my eldest daughter was taking cans of food from the cupboard and putting them in a bag, and I asked her what she was doing. She told me that the school was having a food-drive, to help poor families, and she wanted to help. I laughed and said to her, "We are one of those poor families". She said, innocent and wide-eyed, "We are"? So, I answered, "Yes, but not as poor as others. Take the food".

Churches should distribute food that has been offered to God, thereby filling not only the hungry stomachs of the people, but to serve the spirit as well. If a church is very rich, then they should be open all the time, so that all who seek food, shelter, and guidance can come and be replenished. That is the work of the preacher and the priest, to serve and guide people to God, distribute charity, and be always compassionate.

Some people become very rich, and immediately forget that they are the same person they were when they were not rich. They become attached to their wealth, and identify themselves with it. The more money they have, the more they want, and the more they are willing to sacrifice in terms of morality to get it. Filthy rich implies that the person has so much money, it is obsene. It also implies that the character of the person is low, because of how they obtained it. When you have all of your needs met, and have satisfied your desires, what is the use of the money? If it is simply used to aquire even more luxury, without thought to the responsibility to our fellow man, it is filthy.

Answer 4

People are not jealous of people with lots of money they only want some of it. complaining comes cause they cannot get none of the riches money and one finds fault. Sure you can help th poor and sometimes that is how we become blessed unto our own riches someday.

Answer 5

Filthy rich (to me) implies lots of money. As long as they are a good steward of their money and do not allow it to get in the way of their relationship with God...then there's nothing wrong with having lots of money. God wants us to be successful and prosper.

As for Church's that have money, it's because it's given as tithes and offerings. There's nothing wrong with that as long as they are good stewards of the money. That means using it for the Kingdom and God's ministry.

Helping the poor with food, clothes, utilities and shelter is always a good thing. Teaching them how to use the money they have will always go further than just handing over a fist-full of cash.

It's the love of money that is the root of many evils.

Answer 6

I think "filthy rich" just means being rich to the point of being obscene. In other words, if you have more money than you could ever possibly use, your filthy rich.

I've also heard that it's easier for a camel to get through the eye of a needle, than it is for a rich man to get into heaven.

Answer 7

I think the term filthy rich generally means people that have so much money and they don't know what to do with it.
But I agree, people immediatley suspect anyone that is rich in society's terms, even though a lot of rich people today are philanthropists and entrepeneurs.

Answer 8

I think that comes from the verse, "For the love of money is the root of all evil".
Money or riches in itself isn't bad. It is when you start putting it before God, mankind, and making it the driving force in your life.

Answer 9

I've always wanted to be filthy stinkin' rich.

Two out of three ain't bad.

Answer 10

who cares if your filty rich you dont have to wash i guess