Is it possible to be rich, good and religious?

[MomaMary8]

I was misunderstood and I apologized you can take it or leave it. The ones I know are pretty evil. . 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.

Perhaps you need to get to know a different sort of people. Money is not evil. The Devil is evil and inspires people to sin.

The common attitude that many have (not you, persay) if you are rich, you must have sinned or the assumption that if you are a business owner, you must be putting yourself before the employee makes me want to :banghead:

We just had a newborn. The bill will be at LEAST $15,000. My dh owns his own business and could have signed up for insurance that would have covered the cost, and all premiums for us would have been paid out of the business. It would have saved us thousands. He rejected the plan, knowing the debt we would incure. WHY?? Because the plan was too expensive for his employees to be able to afford!! He thought of his employees first. And what are the employees now saying?? Give me a raise! Why don’t we have insurance yet??! I wan’t more!!!

Give your boss and business owners a break!! If it wasn’t for the CEO’s out there, few of us would have jobs! Geesh!!

You may not see the whole picture. It is not for us to judge. The very wealthy people I know are very good about giving, and also very QUIET about their charity. I also see them being asked by too many people for “help.”

This really rubs me the wrong way. Take my :twocents: or leave it for me to give to the poor.

 

[igator99]

Perhaps you need to get to know a different sort of people. Money is not evil. The Devil is evil and inspires people to sin.

The common attitude that many have (not you, persay) if you are rich, you must have sinned or the assumption that if you are a business owner, you must be putting yourself before the employee makes me want to :banghead:

We just had a newborn. The bill will be at LEAST $15,000. My dh owns his own business and could have signed up for insurance that would have covered the cost, and all premiums for us would have been paid out of the business. It would have saved us thousands. He rejected the plan, knowing the debt we would incure. WHY?? Because the plan was too expensive for his employees to be able to afford!! He thought of his employees first. And what are the employees now saying?? Give me a raise! Why don’t we have insurance yet??! I wan’t more!!!

Give your boss and business owners a break!! If it wasn’t for the CEO’s out there, few of us would have jobs! Geesh!!

You may not see the whole picture. It is not for us to judge. The very wealthy people I know are very good about giving, and also very QUIET about their charity. I also see them being asked by too many people for “help.”

This really rubs me the wrong way. Take my :twocents: or leave it for me to give to the poor.

Some of you guys are taking this on a personal level. Some have brought up the valid point that some poor people can be the most dishonest, evil and hateful people you want to meet. I have found the opposite to be true. I know like some of the ones I mentioned are rich and evil. Why would God allow them to have so much only to use it for evil? Perhaps something that I’ve missed is that money in this world equals power thus if you do have it through evil means and do evil deeds, why did God allow you to do this? As far as judging people, if you defraud family and friends to amass your wealth I would think that in God’s eyes is pretty bad.

 

[Sailor_Kenshin]

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?

Yup!

 

[hasikelee]

It might be more accurate to speculate that the very wealthy commit evil acts after obtaining their wealth.

This might not be due to their wealth directly, but due to them having the power and opportunities that comes with their wealthy status.

I think a lot of corporations, if you trace their beginnings, had very good and honest roots with hard work and morals. The people who started out small and went big did it the right way for the most part.

For example, I was just doing a study on The Home Depot for my business class. The people who started HD were family men, intent on doing the right thing and treating employees fairly. But as time went on, things got out of hand. Pretty soon, with so many people involved in the process of running the business, what you might personally want isn’t always going to be followed.

Another distinction can be made between 1st generation and subsequent generations in a wealthy family. The 1st generation appears to be hardworking, ethical and socially good. Yet the 2nd generation tends to inherit the wealth and make bad decisions.

This is true with extended family, where she is 2nd generation owner of a successful business. She doesn’t have the socially ethical, morally good lifestyle or ideology of her parents, but instead sounds more like a Margaret Sanger on meth.

 

[montanaman]

What are you willing to do for it? Destroy a friend or family member? Step over people at the workplace?

As Mr. Burns once said, “I’ll keep it short and sweet – Family. Religion. Friendship. These are the three demons you must slay if you wish to succeed in business.”

So yes–all of the above.

---

No, of course not. I intend to work my butt off and build a business that provides passive or near-passive income for my family. And as it so happens, excellent customer service, good business ethics, and personal integrity are GOOD for business. With a few notable exceptions, people who wage a scorched-earth business policy don’t tend to stay in business for very long, or, it comes back to bite them hard some way somewhere down the line.

My fledgling business is already seeing good return and referral business because I provide a needed service and I treat people fairly and ethically. I model the “softer” stuff (i.e. professionalism and integrity) on my dad’s business style. He’s a simple, professional, personable businessman. More than that, he’s a GOOD man, and he happens to have quite a bit of wealth and a few big boy toys, too. He’s well-known and respected in his community, and he’s never stabbed anyone in the back to get it.

I’m sorry you’ve seen bad examples of business people, but if you want to see how an honest man without much more than his good name creates some wealth, come work for me. I’m looking for a few good men.

 

[whatevergirl]

Some of you guys are taking this on a personal level. Some have brought up the valid point that some poor people can be the most dishonest, evil and hateful people you want to meet. I have found the opposite to be true. I know like some of the ones I mentioned are rich and evil. Why would God allow them to have so much only to use it for evil? Perhaps something that I’ve missed is that money in this world equals power thus if you do have it through evil means and do evil deeds, why did God allow you to do this? As far as judging people, if you defraud family and friends to amass your wealth I would think that in God’s eyes is pretty bad.

Hi igator;

You know, in times past I used to think about these things, and then I came to the realization --maybe the Holy Spirit enlightened me to this…that I was expressing jealousy when asking ‘why God would allow evil people to be wealthy?’ I didn’t ‘feel’ jealous, but maybe in some ways, I was envious of another’s wealth, and the fact that they weren’t following God–and why oh why would God bestow all of that upon them? If you allow it to, this line of thinking will actually cause you to become very cynical, and start lumping all wealthy people into this category. My dad was pretty wealthy, and he was not doing evil things to get there–he was actually quite generous–he wasn’t a millionaire, but we lived very nicely growing up, but one of his sister’s husbands was very ruthless…and was a millionaire…and his kids (my cousins) are very rude and arrogant, and have never worked a day in their lives. I used to not understand it, but after a while, I came to the conclusion that due to free will, people here on earth can accomplish quite a bit in the name of greed, power and evil. So, don’t be dismayed by the ruthless money makers of the world–something, someday, will cause them to pause, and hopefully grow closer to the Lord. We should pray for these people, and in those prayers, hopefully, they will change their ways.

Just be careful to not to let it get you down…God sees everything…we simply don’t know the ways that He will touch people to bring them to change.

 

[Sailor_Kenshin]

Most of the high-level execs I have known are not only ethical, but work harder than any three people put together.

I’m sure there are unethical wealthy people. There are also unethical poor people.

What’s one got to do with the other?

 

[whatevergirl]

Most of the high-level execs I have known are not only ethical, but work harder than any three people put together.

I’m sure there are unethical wealthy people. There are also unethical poor people.

What’s one got to do with the other?

I think it’s easier to be angry with rich evil people, than poor ones…lol

 

[forgiveall]

This is ridiculous, Everyone is becoming very Judgmental. We are not God, who are we to say what the intentions of others are. Stop judging each other and give glory to the Eternal Father.

Ridiculous, just plainly ridiculous!!

This behavior saddens me!!

 

[eliza3b]

is it possible to be rich and truly religious?

All things are possible with God. Some saints who were wealthy or came from wealthy families are:

St. Jane Frances de Chantal
St. Thomas More
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
St. Ignatious Loyola
St. Therese de Liseux
St. Helen
St. Lucy
St. Elizabeth of Hungary
St. Francis of Assisi

And let’s not forget Joseph of Arimathia (sp?) who paid for Jesus’ burial.

Wealth is a blessing from God. It’s what one does with his or her money that can be good or bad.

I live in a very wealthy part of the country. Very successful people usually work very hard and make tremendous sacrifices to get to the top of their professions. As someone mentioned earlier, they usually create jobs for many other people. The wealthy ad exec who lives in the mansion in best part of town usually employs a landscaper or gardener, cleaning person or housekeeper, pool service guy or perhaps even a nanny. All those people have work because of one household.

 

[MomaMary8]

Why would God allow them to have so much only to use it for evil? Perhaps something that I’ve missed is that money in this world equals power thus if you do have it through evil means and do evil deeds, why did God allow you to do this? As far as judging people, if you defraud family and friends to amass your wealth I would think that in God’s eyes is pretty bad.

Its called free will.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

What’s the verse, something along the lines of the rain falls on the just and unjust?

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

This is ridiculous, Everyone is becoming very Judgmental. We are not God, who are we to say what the intentions of others are. Stop judging each other and give glory to the Eternal Father.

Ridiculous, just plainly ridiculous!!

This behavior saddens me!!

??? Explain. How is everyone being judgmental by defending rich people who might or might not be ethical, and poor people who might or might not be ethical? There is nothing uncharitable in this thread.

 

[igator99]

What’s the verse, something along the lines of the rain falls on the just and unjust?

Isn’t there also a verse about a camel through the eye of a needle?

I look at message boards and especially this one as places to learn things. Someone mentioned jealousy and I examined my conscious and I think I have some work to do there. People have provided examples a good Christian people that have amassed great wealth and have done good things with it. So my questioned has been answered. Yes it is possible.

 

[whatevergirl]

Isn’t there also a verse about a camel through the eye of a needle?

I look at message boards and especially this one as places to learn things. Someone mentioned jealousy and I examined my conscious and I think I have some work to do there. People have provided examples a good Christian people that have amassed great wealth and have done good things with it. So my questioned has been answered. Yes it is possible.

I mentioned it. And I certainly don’t say it, to point a finger at you–I think it is ‘easy’ to get angry with people who amass wealth like let’s say, the corporate world, and don’t give to the poor…or don’t lend a helping hand to their neighbor. We sit back and say…God, if you gave me that money, I would do better things with it. But, God doesn’t give everyone their money…people who steal, cheat, or are ruthless–they earn it through ways that God is not approving of…and in the end, they will have to attone for that. Jealousy is a subtle thing. I never have a problem being happy for someone who has high wealth for example–who I know is a good God loving person…but, it just irks us when we are following God, and see others who are not, and ‘seem’ to have ‘more’ than we do. Thats why I offered that up…because coveting, no matter the form…can also be subtle. Pray for those who you know are gaining wealth in dishonest or unethical ways…pray for their integrity to grow. That will actually help us to grow.

 

[Sailor_Kenshin]

Again—how do you know what corporations do with their money? Many give vast sums to charity, and have matching employee donations.

 

[PaulinVA]

Oh Lord, smite me with wealth.

It’s a cross I’d bear.

 

[igator99]

Oh Lord, smite me with wealth.

It’s a cross I’d bear.

If you are smited what would you do with it to ensure your place in heaven? What would you be willing to do to be smited? At what point does money become your God? At what point does a hobby if it consumes you becomes your God?

 

[montanaman]

If you are smited what would you do with it to ensure your place in heaven? What would you be willing to do to be smited? At what point does money become your God? At what point does a hobby if it consumes you becomes your God?

I personally would build a spacious chapel on my yacht(s) so that if I found myself sailing far away from a Catholic church on a Sunday, the on-board chaplain could celebrate Mass for me, my family and assorted dignitaries aboard.

 

[PaulinVA]

If you are smited what would you do with it to ensure your place in heaven? What would you be willing to do to be smited? At what point does money become your God? At what point does a hobby if it consumes you becomes your God?

My wife and I have so many plans, we could definitely use it.

We almost became millionaires during the dot-com boom. Had the charitable foundation all planned, were looking for local needs, etc. Then the bubble burst and everything, well, burst… We were so close.

What I posted was a joke, but, yes, even being philanthropic can become your god.