I want to discuss this on a theological level: Are MLMs inherently sinful?

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marcsababa

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I have such a distaste for MLMs, that I can hardly discuss it without feeling physically ill and/or a sense of rage that seems inordinate.

This seems like a “watercooler” topic, but I would rather leave those aspects out. Can we discuss the “goodness” or “badness” of MLMs in a logical manner?

I would like to start the tone of the discussion by raising the issue of “leading into temptation”. We are called not to do that to anybody including ourselves. Now if I were to join an MLM, then I know that I would begin to be affected by the “get rich” rhetoric that they have. Yes they say: make a living helping people, but I know I would start thinking about how I will spend the money I make if I just get more people under me selling the product.

I suggest we ignore what the product is. Except for one case: The only MLM that I know of that is good is the one that sells Christ. We call others to join us in our faith and reap benefits from that “sale” etc.
 
Multi Level Marketers.

Think AMWAY, Melaleuca, Mary Kay, that sort of thing…
 
I guess if you didn’t marry into a family that seems to have a new MLM product it is excited about every year, then you don’t have an opinion. I didn’t care that much either until my in-laws got me excited about selling vacation days a la MLM. I became interested for some reason. Then I realized that my whole mind set had changed and even though I was a “trial” member for all of a week, I viewed all my friends and relatives as potential people to get involved under me so that I could have a nice thick layer of sellers under me and I could rake in the dough…

I didn’t like that brief foray into the world of MLM and I struggle with being invited in every so often. I also struggle in having respect for my in-laws when they start talking about this sort of stuff.
 
marcsababa said:
I guess if you didn’t marry into a family that seems to have a new MLM product it is excited about every year, then you don’t have an opinion. I didn’t care that much either until my in-laws got me excited about selling vacation days a la MLM. I became interested for some reason. Then I realized that my whole mind set had changed and even though I was a “trial” member for all of a week, I viewed all my friends and relatives as potential people to get involved under me so that I could have a nice thick layer of sellers under me and I could rake in the dough…

I didn’t like that brief foray into the world of MLM and I struggle with being invited in every so often. I also struggle in having respect for my in-laws when they start talking about this sort of stuff.
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No, I can’t say that I’ve experienced that. I generally avoid that type of thing out of hand.
 
I have purchased items from many of these sellers over the years.
I even became a seller of one, a company called Nutrimetics, not sure if you guys have that in America, it is skin care and make up.
I gave it up though as I no longer had time for it.
I never signed up anyone else so never got any benefits etc.
I think these MLMs are ok if the people involved don’t get too greedy, but it seems to be that once you start moving up in these schemes, greed comes naturally.
My friend’s brother passed away a few years ago and he was up very high within the Amway circle.
His funeral was at a Catholic Church.
Now normally at Requiem Masses, there may be 1 priest, 1 or 2 people saying a eulogy, and family and friends who are pallbearers.
This man had that and more. No joke, I counted at least 20 members of his Amway group up on the altar, all giving their own eulogy about him, and how they were grateful for all his work with “the company” etc.
It was like an hour long live commercial for the company. I really felt quite ill with it all being done on the altar.
I agree that MLMs can cause people to sin, and can lead us to temptation.
That is if people don’t keep getting brought down to earth about the value of the product they are selling, and not the money they are making.
 
So then if there is such a risk of being exposed to temptation to sin. And also that there is NO value added to the product by the sales person. The product could be sold in a store, and there would not hav eot be sooo many sales people wasting their God given talenst on selling something that could be bought off a shelf.
 
marcsababa said:
The only MLM that I know of that is good is the one that sells Christ. We call others to join us in our faith and reap benefits from that “sale” etc.
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Like televangilism? Selling prayerbooks, memberships, etc?
 
The problem I see with MLM’s is that they are like a pyramid scheme. The original few get rich the others do the work and have little chance of getting rich. Now that is ok except getting rich is what many people get into these for IMO.
 
That is exactly what MLM are, pyramid schemes. IF you are in at the beginning, you may make a few bucks, but odds are you will be in the middle or bottom. Some can be very expensive, some can be cheap.

We bought some Amway products (and a 'franchise") years ago (maybe 20 years ago), but we really did not wnat to get into the business of selling these products and this way of life to our friends and neighbors.

It was ‘only’ a hundred bucks or less, but it was not for us. The products were okay but a bit on the expensive side. We still have some it around after 20 years.

The thing I really did not like about Amway and some othe MLMs are that they can be deceptive. They often invite folks to sales meetings under the guise of a social get together, and then spring their Amway speal. It’s a good way to lose a lot of close friends or acquaintenaces. IF you ever want to get rid of friends, just invite them to an Amway meeting, you likely will never hear from them again.

BTW none of my Amway friends ever made it rich.
 
Valke2 said:
Like televangilism? Selling prayerbooks, memberships, etc?
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No, silly. I am mean “selling” as in sharing the good news, showing Christ to others in our day to day lies through our love…that sort of thing.

I has struck me that MLMs operate on the sam eprinciple as Christ did. He sent out twelve who in turn recruited a few thousand, who in turn recruited many more… There are nodes in this big MLM headed by Bishops etc.
 
Is the company, Pampered Chef, an MLM?

I sometimes go to parties that people hold for this company. They are fun, because someone comes to your house and cooks a new recipe in front of you, while talking about kitchen appliances that they wish to sell.

I’ve thought about getting into this but I am uncomfortable with the thought of using my friends to branch out a business. Also, just talking with the lady that I know who works this business, it doesn’t sound as though she is actually making any money.

I know nothing about finances but some of what she mentioned to me bothered me. For example, she never shows a profit on her income tax. This is because she deducts all her gas mileage and the supplies needed. I understand deductions but aren’t you supposed to want to make a profit? According to her, you should put your income back into the company so that you can deduct your expenses and not make a profit so you aren’t taxed. This is very confusing to me.
 
marcsababa said:
No, silly. I am mean “selling” as in sharing the good news, showing Christ to others in our day to day lies through our love…that sort of thing.

I has struck me that MLMs operate on the sam eprinciple as Christ did. He sent out twelve who in turn recruited a few thousand, who in turn recruited many more… There are nodes in this big MLM headed by Bishops etc.
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That also struck me. We were in Amway fo a few years and I used to think that if Catholics were as zealous about spreading the Faith, the whole world would be Catholic.

They operate on exciting a person’s greed and covetousnes. All that emphasis on material possessions and how rich you will be, holidays, cruises…I could see people getting so caught up in all that and spending ALL their time thinking about it and planning.

The other thing was that every person you meet is a PROSPECT. It affects the way you see people, they become someone who is useful to you… or not. That is their value.

Thank God I had a conversion experience and became more interested in learning more about my Faith than in self-help books and listening to Amway motivational tapes. Now i am always listening to an apologetics tape when I’m driving, so I did pick up something useful from the experience.
 
Deb1!

The tax aspect of what you mentioned makes perfect sense. One not should be taxed on money that was spent to earn a living so you deduct it from your income. Also the “putting of money back into the company” deal sounds fine as well. I am sure someone with a better knowledge of taxes can enlighten us on this. I think it is what you do when you incorporate your company. The company actually hires you and then pays you just enough that you don’t have to pay any income tax. Then the company also buys you other things that you need to survive.

Re Pampered Chef, I don’t know if there is a Multi Level aspect to the system. It could just be an indoor version of the door to door salesman. Nothing wrong with that I think. I don’t mind people selling a product as long as they leave me alone when I ask them to. Though some of the vacuum sales guys put a lot of pressure on you to buy now and that makes me ask them to leave even if I am interested in their product. It is the whole other realm of getting others under you to sell the product and you make a profit off them and they in turn should be encouraged to do the same because then you make more etc. Life becomes very quickly involved with encouraging other people to encourage other people to etc. It is a waste of God given time and as I mentioned before a well travelled road to various types of sin.
 
I think I heard that Pampered Chef is a big supporter of Planned Parenthood. Anyone else hear that?

Peace,
Linda
 
LindaS said:
I think I heard that Pampered Chef is a big supporter of Planned Parenthood. Anyone else hear that?

Peace,
Linda
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I don’t know the answer to that but any company relying on consumers and wanting to be around 20-30 years from now who supports PP is crazy. Imagine supporting those who are killing off your future consumers!

Is there any limit to man’s stupidity?
 
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