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From 1996, here's a Christmas gift for the upwardly "mobile": His-and-Hers luxury autos. A Chicago-area car dealership offered such a holiday deal -- a black-and-burgundy Rolls-Royce Silver Spur "for him" and a burgundy Bentley Brooklands "for her."
The package price for the two cars: $315,000. However, the dealership was quick to point out that this price "represents a savings of nearly $15,000" compared with the cars' individual sticker prices!
The comment about the $15,000 "savings" is typical of the outlandish ways we often find to justify behavior that is blatantly worldly. Yet, Scripture reminds us, "The love of the Father is not in those who love the world" (1 John 2:15).
Source: Newspot, 12/16/96
Topics/Tags: Materialism; Christmas
Here's a novel way to mark the beginning of the holiday shopping season: for just one day, buy absolutely nothing. "Buy Nothing Day," organized by a loose coalition of international groups, was held last year [1996] on Nov. 29, the day after Thanksgiving and the unofficial start of the Christmas and Chanukah gift-buying rush. It is usually one of the busiest shopping days of the year. Organizers hoped more than 100,000 people in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Britain, South Africa, Japan, Sweden and Belgium would participate.
To no one's surprise, the NBC, ABC and CBS television networks refused to run a Buy Nothing Day campaign spot produced by the Media Foundation. In refusing to sell airtime for the 30-second ad, Richard Gitter, Vice President of Advertising Standards at NBC said: "We don't want the business. We don't want to accept any advertising that's inimitable (sic) to our legitimate business interests."
Not surprising -- since the unfettered promotion of materialism seems to be THE only "legitimate" business interest in our society.
As believers, we must be on constant guard against attitudes of materialism and acquisitiveness.
Source: Newspot, 11/26/96; www.adbusters.org
Topics/Tags: Materialism
The family of British civil servant Peter Chetnik feared the worst when he called repeatedly from Thailand to say he had been kidnapped and persuaded them to send thousands of dollars in ransom money. But local police found the 30-year-old living with his girlfriend in a Thai beach resort rather than being imprisoned by kidnappers. Chetnik confessed he made up the ransom threat to get more money from his parents because he feared they would not send him the cash if he simply asked for it.
This is one example of the extremes to which we can be driven by materialism and greed.
Source: NEWSpot online news service, 11/26/96
Topics/Tags: Materialism
China has a surplus of three shirts for each of its adult male population, part of an enormous over-production of consumer goods, the Liberation Daily reported Monday. The country has stocks of 1.5 billion men's shirts and its factories continue to turn out more than one million a day. Seventy percent of the output of 3,000 cosmetics factories sits in warehouses. China has 10 million watches and 20 million bicycles in storage and has imported an excess number of production lines for washing machines, color TVs and refrigerators.
China is indeed a country that has become rich in material things. Yet, because of its resistance to missionary efforts, the nation continues to live in spiritual poverty.
Even more tragically, there are millions who HAVE heard the gospel, yet still cling to a faith in all things material instead of to a faith in Christ.
Source: NEWSpot, 12/2/96
Topics/Tags: Materialism; The Lost
SUNKEN LIVING ROOMS MAKE A COMEBACK...
HEATHROW, FLORIDA, 10/30/96 (Source: Infobeat) -- ...at least in one Florida mansion. Frozen-food magnate Gino Paulucci woke up one morning to discover that his living room had sunk about a foot overnight. Monumental pillars were left dangling in thin air, and Paulucci's valuable art collection was in danger of being destroyed.
Heathrow, home to multi-million dollar mansions, is located in central Florida in an area notorious for "sinkholes" that open overnight, swallowing cars and even entire buildings.
I'm reminded of the parable Jesus told about the foolish person who built a home on a foundation of sand (Matthew 7:24-27). No matter how hard we might try to convince ourselves otherwise, we'll NEVER be able to build our lives on a "solid-rock foundation" if we place our trust in material things. By contrast, a life that's built upon the Rock of Jesus Christ will be able to withstand even the most devastating "sinkhole."
Source: Infobeat, 10/30/96
Topics/Tags: Security, false; Materialism
"If it takes you more than 15 minutes to pack, you've got too much stuff."
— Mother Teresa
Source: source & date unknown.
Topics/Tags: Simplicity; Preparation; Materialism
The delta regions of extreme southeast Arkansas are among the most impoverished regions of our state. Unemployment rates and poverty rates are high, simply because economic opportunities are not there. The families who have been hit hard by these conditions ... these are not folks who are in the situation that I've been in, and possibly you too, that of simply having to watch every penny, and having a tough time meeting ends meet: rather, these are folks who literally have nothing except the clothes on their backs and what passes for shelter over their heads.
Driving the roads of these counties reveals families living in conditions that will shock you even as you look on from a distance, and which would surely appall you if you were able to actually step inside and stay for awhile. Shanty houses stand in disrepair, roofs needing patching, porches sagging practically to the ground. Five, six, seven or more children play outside houses no bigger than a one-car garage; it's clear that they all somehow live in there together.
All of these homes are slightly different. Some of them well-kept to the greatest extent possible; others have obviously been let go. Some look inviting, as steps have been taken to make guests and visitors feel welcome; at other homes, great steps have been taken to isolate and shut out the world. But, for all the difference, there's one very curious common element that can be seen at very, very many of these homes. It's a feature that these families' homes share in common with the homes of middle-class and even upper-class families. Satellite Dishes. In the front yard. Hooked up, in working order. These families who are living in abject poverty, as many as three-quarters of them in some regions, have access to paid satellite television.
I thought it was funny the first time I saw it--just one of those ironies of life. But the more I think about it, I'm convinced that this is just another symptom of a culture that values entertainment above all else. Here are families that have convinced themselves that being constantly entertained is even more important than having safe shelter!
Source: Zeke Moore
Topics/Tags: Comfort; Materialism; Priorities
Dorothy C. Snyder, a retired executive secretary, humorously recounts her recent experience of learning to use her new home computer:
"After almost a year since our rocky relationship began, we have called a truce of sorts. I think we are both winners. I have come to respect the efficiency and speed of the computer and have learned just how logical and precise it is. I like to think the computer silently calls me 'master' when I sit down and turn it on."
Dorothy has the right idea. Unfortunately, though, many people have allowed their computers (or other material possessions) to become their masters. We must make sure that our possessions serve us, not the other way around.
Source: Mature Living, October 1998, p. 21.
Topics/Tags: Technology; Computers; Possessions; Materialism
Mike Warnke was once known as "America's Number One Christian Comedian." His records have sold well over a million copies. Warnke's ministry was based largely on his story about how he was saved after deep involvement with satanic cults and rituals. Warnke's 1973 book about those experiences, entitled The Satan Seller, has sold over 3 million copies since its release. Mike Warnke's press material includes credits for appearances on "The 700 Club," "The Oprah Winfrey Show," "Larry King Live," "Focus on the Family," and ABC's "20/20." Mike has won numerous awards from the recording industry, including the 1992 Grady Nutt Humor Award. As of 1992, he was performing two hundred live shows a year.
Warnke's public ministry came to a halt, largely because of increasing evidence that his stories about his past were not true. In their 1992 article "Selling Satan: The Tragic History of Mike Warnke" (which appeared in Cornerstone magazine), Jon Trott & Mike Hertenstein suggest that Warnke was never a Satanist or a drug addict, but simply a master storyteller.
Even at the height of his ministry, though, it was clear at many points that Warnke did not truly have the purposes of God in his line of sight. By the late 1980's, Warnke had parlayed his ‘expertise' and comedic talent into an annual income of nearly $500,000—and it was apparent to close friends that the lure of profit had become great for him. His second wife Carolyn reported that, in the late 1970's, "it wasn't uncommon for us to make five thousand dollars on the road, spend two to three thousand a day, buy whatever we wanted, go where we wanted, do whatever we wanted." By 1989, Warnke and his third wife Rose owned two condominiums—one worth $398,000, the other worth $231,000.
______
Whatever ministry God calls you to, make certain that you resolve to do it "unto Him"—not unto your own desires.
Source: "Selling Satan," Cornerstone, 1992.
Topics/Tags: Ministers, christian, character of; Success; Materialism
Jake is struggling through a bus station with two huge and obviously heavy suitcases when a stranger walks up to him and asks, "Have you got the time?"
Jake sighs, puts down the suitcases and glances at his wrist. "It's a quarter to six," he says.
"Hey, that's a pretty fancy watch!" exclaims the stranger. Jake brightens a little.
"Yeah, it's not bad. Check this out..." —and he shows him a time zone display—not just for every time zone in the world, but for each one of the world's 86 largest cities.
He hits a few more buttons, and from somewhere on the watch a voice says,
"The time is eleven 'til six" —in a very 'West Texas' accent. A few more buttons, and the same voice says something in Japanese. Jake continues: "I've put in regional accents for each city."
The stranger is dumbstruck with admiration. "That's not all," says Jake. He pushes a few more buttons and a tiny but very high-resolution map of New York City appears on the display. "The flashing dot shows our location by satellite positioning," explains Jake.
"View recede ten," Jake says, and the display zooms out to show eastern New York state.
"I want to buy this watch!" says the stranger.
"Oh, no, it's not ready for sale yet; I'm still working out the bugs", says the inventor.
"But look at this", and he proceeds to demonstrate that the watch is also a very creditable little FM radio receiver with a digital tuner, a sonar device that can measure distances up to 125 meters, a pager with thermal paper printout and, most impressive of all, the capacity for voice recordings of up to 300 standard-size books, "though I only have 32 of my favorites in there so far" says Jake.
"I've got to have this watch!", says the stranger.
"No, you don't understand; it's not ready..."
"I'll give you $1000 for it!"
"Oh, no, I've already spent more than…."
"I'll give you $5000 for it!"
"But it's just not…."
"I'll give you $15,000 for it!" And the stranger pulls out a checkbook.
Jake stops to think. He's only put about $8500 into materials and development, and with $15,000 he can make another one and have it ready for merchandising in only six months. The stranger frantically finishes writing the check and waves it in front of him. "Here it is, ready to hand to you right here and now. $15,000. Take it or leave it."
Jake abruptly makes his decision. "OK", he says, and peels off the watch.
They make the exchange and the stranger starts happily away. "Hey, wait a minute," calls Jake to the stranger, who turns around warily. Jake points to the two suitcases he's been trying to wrestle through the bus station. "Don't forget your batteries."
_________
How much "excess baggage" are you carrying around in your attempt to keep up with the secular world?
Source: "Art Lindsley"
Topics/Tags: Materialism; Technology
Browse By Topic M Materialism