Is it possible to be rich, good and religious?

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igator99

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I’ve known many rich people. Some from my own family that became rich by taking advantage of people including family. He never missed a Sunday Mass but when one of his brothers that worked for him came down with cancer he tried to have his insurance dropped. I know countless poor, middle class hardworking people that are as good as gold. If this life is about pain, is it possible to be rich and truly religious?
 
igator99 said:
I’ve known many rich people. Some from my own family that became rich by taking advantage of people including family. He never missed a Sunday Mass but when one of his brothers that worked for him came down with cancer he tried to have his insurance dropped. I know countless poor, middle class hardworking people that are as good as gold. If this life is about pain, is it possible to be rich and truly religious?
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There are canonized Saints who were rich; Kings, Queens etc.

God Bless
 
Yes, I think it is possible, but more difficult. To whom much is given, much is expected. Rich people who want to please God must always be thinking of ways they can use their wealth to further God’s kingdom and to help alleviate the suffering and need of others. Catholic Social Teaching is fairly clear that we should have enough to meet the needs of our families in a way fitting the culture we live in, and then we must help others. Of course, this leaves alot of wiggle room. How much is enough? I think if people are prayerful about it and allow God to lead them, they should be OK. What worries me is the “wealth and prosperity gospel” we have in America that says “if my faith is strong enough, I will be blessed with material wealth.” That doesn’t jive with what Jesus said, or what the Church says. Material wealth brings along with it a huge obligation to help others. We all have that obligation, in fact, according to our own circumstance.
 
bilop said:
There are canonized Saints who were rich; Kings, Queens etc.

God Bless
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Then why do some have so much through doing evil deeds and so many have so little that do good things every day?
 
igator99 said:
I’ve known many rich people. Some from my own family that became rich by taking advantage of people including family. He never missed a Sunday Mass but when one of his brothers that worked for him came down with cancer he tried to have his insurance dropped. I know countless poor, middle class hardworking people that are as good as gold. If this life is about pain, is it possible to be rich and truly religious?
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If a person has amassed wealth in his/her lifetime, using it to further the Kingdom of God, and using it for the betterment of less fortunate people–then, I don’t think God would have a problem with that. Not pretending to ever know the mind of God–but just saying, that if a person ruthlessly gains his wealth, and hoards it…never giving to the poor–and becomes a miserable miser with it…then, the wealth has become that person’s ‘god’ and therefore, could be seen as idol worship. Anytime we place something ahead of God–be it money, a person, a lifestyle, anything really…then it’s idol worship, which God warns us about. That’s how I see it.
 
igator99 said:
Then why do some have so much through doing evil deeds and so many have so little that do good things every day?
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We are not of this world, Jesus told us…we are in it, but not of it. If a person does evil to gain money–he is worshipping something else–not God. And thus, God will allow a person to amass wealth, but in the end, that person will reap what he/she sows, if he/she never gets the picture, that everything comes from God.
 
montanaman said:
I believe it is possible, and I intend to find out!
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What are you willing to do for it? Destroy a friend or family member? Step over people at the workplace? I know very few people that get great wealth without doing some sort of evil to get it. Why not back stab and do evil things to amass great wealth then donate all of it charity when you die? According to the logic I’m hearing here then everything will be okay with your soul.
 
igator99 said:
What are you willing to do for it? Destroy a friend or family member? Step over people at the workplace? I know very few people that get great wealth without doing some sort of evil to get it. Why not back stab and do evil things to amass great wealth then donate all of it charity when you die? According to the logic I’m hearing here then everything will be okay with your soul.
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Wow… this is SO rude. Just because the only rich people you know got there through evil, does not mean they are all that way.

Look at Bill Gates. He was the biggest geek in his school. If anyone got stepped on, it was him. He started Microsoft in his garage and worked his butt off to make the best software out there. His software is a huge part of the reason why we all have PCs in our homes! He worked hard for everything he has, and he is one of the world’s greatest philanthropists. He gives away more money every year than I will make my whole lifetime. And he gives it to good causes, educational programs, humanitarian relief aid…

I’m with montanaman… I plan to find out. And NO, I will not destroy anyone to get there. :mad: Stepping over people at the workplace is different… if I am an efficient, hardworking employee getting promoted over lazy, indifferent empolyees… that’s called FAIR. I would not be plotting how to screw others out of their deserved promotions… Doing evil to amass wealth and then donating it all to charity to atone at the end is the same attitude as choosing to sin because you know you can be absolved later. I forget what that sin is called, but it’s like that.
 
duskyjewel said:
Wow… this is SO rude. Just because the only rich people you know got there through evil, does not mean they are all that way.

Look at Bill Gates. He was the biggest geek in his school. If anyone got stepped on, it was him. He started Microsoft in his garage and worked his butt off to make the best software out there. His software is a huge part of the reason why we all have PCs in our homes! He worked hard for everything he has, and he is one of the world’s greatest philanthropists. He gives away more money every year than I will make my whole lifetime. And he gives it to good causes, educational programs, humanitarian relief aid…

I’m with montanaman… I plan to find out. And NO, I will not destroy anyone to get there. :mad: Stepping over people at the workplace is different… if I am an efficient, hardworking employee getting promoted over lazy, indifferent empolyees… that’s called FAIR. I would not be plotting how to screw others out of their deserved promotions… Doing evil to amass wealth and then donating it all to charity to atone at the end is the same attitude as choosing to sin because you know you can be absolved later. I forget what that sin is called, but it’s like that.
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Didn’t mean to be rude. I want to make something clear. I’m talking about those that destroy, lie and cheat to get it. I’m not talking about someone that works hard to get great wealth which by the way doesn’t always happen. Plenty of poor people work hard every day. Nor am I talking about those that are born into great wealth. Most of the wealthy I know got it through destroying, breaking trusts etc… to get it. That’s just me.
 
igator–I also know people who stab people in the back, etc…and who are not wealthy…I agree with duskyjewel–one doesn’t equal another. If one is wealthy/rich, it’s not a guarantee that he/she used evil methods to ‘get there.’
 
igator99 said:
Didn’t mean to be rude. I want to make something clear. I’m talking about those that destroy, lie and cheat to get it. I’m not talking about someone that works hard to get great wealth which by the way doesn’t always happen. Plenty of poor people work hard every day. Nor am I talking about those that are born into great wealth. Most of the wealthy I know got it through destroying, breaking trusts etc… to get it. That’s just me.
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It would be obvious that a person who cheated, back stabbed, and stepped on others to amass wealth–hasn’t a clue about what it means to follow Christ…If the person ends up at mass every week, I would be hopeful that he/she would grow closer to Christ, but if the very next day he/she returns to evil ways…then, he/she is missing the point of mass/Christianty, completely. Being present at mass doesn’t give one a free pass to hurt others once mass is over. God knows our hearts–we can never fool Him.😉
 
Wealth or poverty and faith/goodness probably have less of a connection than say wealth and intelligence with a lot of hard work and a few good opportunities tossed in. I’ll give you a personal example.

I have an aunt who is very intelligent and hardworking. She met and married a very nice man who is the same. They both used their hard work to get scholarships and college educations. They lived modestly for many years while both were working, investing and saving. They have always been generous in supporting their church and helping out extended family. My aunt stayed at home to raise her own children when they came along.

When my uncle got out of the military, they took the offered stock options in the early days of Fed/Ex (husband’s civilian employer). Now they are “wealthy” and finally living in their dream house which cost them multiple millions including the land that it sits on. They are not Catholic and they are generous with their support of their church.

They are not ostenatious even with their fabulous new house because they built it large to accommodate any and all extended family who want to come for holidays and vacations anytime. They still teach Sunday school and otherwise live their faith abundantly without hurting anyone to get or keep their wealth. They have people over from the church to enjoy their home also.

God blessed them with their inital intelligence and they were good stewards of that gift by working hard and making wise decisions. It was not necessary for them to hurt other people, lie, cheat or steal to get what they have and what they so generously share.
 
jc-servant said:
Wealth or poverty and faith/goodness probably have less of a connection than say wealth and intelligence with a lot of hard work and a few good opportunities tossed in. I’ll give you a personal example.

I have an aunt who is very intelligent and hardworking. She met and married a very nice man who is the same. They both used their hard work to get scholarships and college educations. They lived modestly for many years while both were working, investing and saving. They have always been generous in supporting their church and helping out extended family. My aunt stayed at home to raise her own children when they came along.

When my uncle got out of the military, they took the offered stock options in the early days of Fed/Ex (husband’s civilian employer). Now they are “wealthy” and finally living in their dream house which cost them multiple millions including the land that it sits on. They are not Catholic and they are generous with their support of their church.

They are not ostenatious even with their fabulous new house because they built it large to accommodate any and all extended family who want to come for holidays and vacations anytime. They still teach Sunday school and otherwise live their faith abundantly without hurting anyone to get or keep their wealth. They have people over from the church to enjoy their home also.

God blessed them with their inital intelligence and they were good stewards of that gift by working hard and making wise decisions. It was not necessary for them to hurt other people, lie, cheat or steal to get what they have and what they so generously share.
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They do sound like good people and well deserving of all that God blessed them. I guess it is possible. I don’t know many people like that. Why would God bless evil ones that will amass a fortune and do nothing with it but sin? I actually know of one banker that had most of his money stuffed in giant steel box that served as his coffin. The box was covered with I believe was cement and buried. All so his children could not get to the money! :eek:
 
igator99 said:
Didn’t mean to be rude. I want to make something clear. I’m talking about those that destroy, lie and cheat to get it. I’m not talking about someone that works hard to get great wealth which by the way doesn’t always happen. Plenty of poor people work hard every day. Nor am I talking about those that are born into great wealth. Most of the wealthy I know got it through destroying, breaking trusts etc… to get it. That’s just me.
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Actually, I know a lot more people who are poor who are sneaky, destory, lie and cheat, than those who are rich. I know too many who cut corners on their work, and cheat employers because they think they are owed more than the wage on which they agreed. If some of them spent more time concentrating on their job and living honestly, instead of trying to “stick it to da man” they’d be better off.

Plenty of rich people work hard every day- honestly.
 
lizaanne said:
I totally agree - that was out of line. :mad:

~Liza
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I was misunderstood and I apologized you can take it or leave it. The ones I know are pretty evil. One guy I know got his family and friends to invest in his business. It was a great success. He then took the profits of the original business to build his own eventually abandoning the first business making it worthless. He is worth 38 million dollars today. It was completely legal but I think evil. Look from my experiences few people get mega wealthy not destroying, cheating and hurting others.

These leads me to another question about money. Have any of you guys ever known someone that was a good person and they came into money and became a jerk? Have you ever seen a priest bend over backwards for parishioners that are loaded and treat them special? I have. I think money can be used for good or evil obviously. It just seems to lead to evil from my experiences most of the time. I’m not rich nor am I poor. I’m happy I work hard and I’m raising a Christian family.
 
OutinChgoburbs said:
Actually, I know a lot more people who are poor who are sneaky, destory, lie and cheat, than those who are rich. I know too many who cut corners on their work, and cheat employers because they think they are owed more than the wage on which they agreed. If some of them spent more time concentrating on their job and living honestly, instead of trying to “stick it to da man” they’d be better off.

Plenty of rich people work hard every day- honestly.
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Excellent point. Not putting in a full days work and accepting a full days pay…is that not stealing? Again I didn’t say all rich people are evil just most of the ones I know got it doing terrible things.
 
Well, I have to say that my experience is that there are a lot of people who aren’t very ethical in business dealings.

Whether it’s padding the expense account or lying about the number of customers you have or not paying people just debts, it happens.

Then, there are people who are very ethical. The business world is a mine field full of ethical dilemmas for them, unless they themselves work for an ethical person.

I can certainly understand how high-net-worth people have a hard time trusting God - the very attitude that drives success makes it hard to give anyone else credit.

But, who’s that Domino’s guy, Tom Monaghan? Catholic Philanthropist.
 
igator99 said:
These leads me to another question about money. Have any of you guys ever known someone that was a good person and they came into money and became a jerk? Oh yes. One was already not exactly what I would call nice but basically a good person, and when she came into her money, she became tight-fisted, paranoid and a little off her rocker. The other widow- It didn’t make her a jerk, exactly, but because she wasn’t used to money, and had no training in how to deal with it, it didn’t do her a lot of good. She spent a lot of it on follish things she no longer has. Fortunately, relatives talked her into buying herself a house outright, and setting aside a portion for taxes. Have you ever seen a priest bend over backwards for parishioners that are loaded and treat them special? I have. On occasion I have, too. It is not pretty. However, more often than not I’ve seen priests reaching out a helping hand, and tapping those who have to help those who do not. I think money can be used for good or evil obviously. It just seems to lead to evil from my experiences most of the time. I’m not rich nor am I poor. I’m happy I work hard and I’m raising a Christian family.
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