Bank Accounts

[robvalue]

Wallym: I agree. The phrase I like is "Spending money is like voting".

[Wyrd of Gawd]

Jesus made several statements that seem to indicate that Christians shouldn't save their money. Are there any Christian groups that don't believe in saving money or don't use banks?

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Matthew 6:19-21
19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

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Matthew 19:21

Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."

Luke 12:33

 "Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near nor moth destroys.

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[KUSA]

When God blesses someone with wealth and they us it as He directs, then they are doing His will, God can bless anyone He desires too. Those who are faithful with the responsibility of wealth may get to enjoy some of it because they understand the wealth came because of God.
GC

None of this is backed up by scripture. You make up what you want to believe.

[Thumpalumpacus]

I've always felt this idea of not having wealth is the logical conclusion for both theists and most atheists.

I've said this before on here a couple times.  Every decision you make with a dollar reflects your priorities.  Do I spend a dollar on a pack of baseball cards, or donate it to some people who need it for food.  If I pick the baseball cards, I am saying with my actions that it is more important for me to have baseball cards than for some other person to eat.  And it's not like you can give away 5 dollars to feed 5 people, and spend the 6th dollar on baseball cards as a compromise, because the 6th dollar is still choosing baseball cards over a person.  That choice will never change any time you are buying baseball cards.

It's a super harsh reality, but I always found it one of the more interesting ideas philosophically in the bible.

It's also an idea that ties into my new belief that people care about believing they are good rather than actually being good.

This is in essence a false dichotomy. By your logic, because you're not helping everyone else in the world, you have no right to any pleasure in life at all.

Altruism run amok is just as harmful as heartlessness.

[henryp]

I've always felt this idea of not having wealth is the logical conclusion for both theists and most atheists.

I've said this before on here a couple times.  Every decision you make with a dollar reflects your priorities.  Do I spend a dollar on a pack of baseball cards, or donate it to some people who need it for food.  If I pick the baseball cards, I am saying with my actions that it is more important for me to have baseball cards than for some other person to eat.  And it's not like you can give away 5 dollars to feed 5 people, and spend the 6th dollar on baseball cards as a compromise, because the 6th dollar is still choosing baseball cards over a person.  That choice will never change any time you are buying baseball cards.

It's a super harsh reality, but I always found it one of the more interesting ideas philosophically in the bible.

It's also an idea that ties into my new belief that people care about believing they are good rather than actually being good.

This is in essence a false dichotomy. By your logic, because you're not helping everyone else in the world, you have no right to any pleasure in life at all.

Altruism run amok is just as harmful as heartlessness.

You are free to choose pleasure over the life of another person.  You just have to accept the implications of doing so. 

Actually, you don't have to accept the implications, you can just rationalize your way around it.  A perk of being human, I suppose.

[Brometheus]

I live in a Bible Belt where certain extreme groups have cherry-picked these verses as their own. They won't take interest from their bank, won't borrow money - but still save money.

[Thumpalumpacus]

You are free to choose pleasure over the life of another person.  You just have to accept the implications of doing so. 

Actually, you don't have to accept the implications, you can just rationalize your way around it.  A perk of being human, I suppose.

No, I needn't rationalize my way around it; I accept the fact that I cannot, nor should I, accept responsibility for everyone else.

Put another way, right now, we're both spending time on the Internet when we could be volunteering down at the food bank. I'm fine with that decision, and refuse to feel guilty simply because you are busy throwing the trip.

If you don't like that, tough. Get off the internet and exemplify your ideals; or, alternatively, drop the superiority act because you're in the same boat I'm in, putting personal needs and desires in front of those of strangers. 

Smug sanctimony never makes a good impression, especially when its only support is a false dichotomy.

[henryp]

You are free to choose pleasure over the life of another person.  You just have to accept the implications of doing so. 

Actually, you don't have to accept the implications, you can just rationalize your way around it.  A perk of being human, I suppose.

No, I needn't rationalize my way around it; I accept the fact that I cannot, nor should I, accept responsibility for everyone else.

Put another way, right now, we're both spending time on the Internet when we could be volunteering down at the food bank. I'm fine with that decision, and refuse to feel guilty simply because you are busy throwing the trip.

If you don't like that, tough. Get off the internet and exemplify your ideals; or, alternatively, drop the superiority act because you're in the same boat I'm in, putting personal needs and desires in front of those of strangers. 

Smug sanctimony never makes a good impression, especially when its only support is a false dichotomy.

Here's the minor problem with your "smug sanctimony" nonsense.  I don't care about kids dying in Africa.  Just like I don't care about whoever goes to the food bank.  That's why I'm here typing on the internet, because feeding homeless people seems boring, and I have no interest in doing it.

When you say "exemplify your ideals," I've done that.  My actions and my beliefs are in lockstep.  

So the question is: are we 'in the same boat' as you put it, or not?  You think I'm trying to lay a guilt trip, when my argument is really that people don't need to pretend to care.   But that may be false. Some people may need to pretend to care. Just like some people need to 'believe' there is a God. Humans are a tricky bunch.

[abaris]

Jesus made several statements that seem to indicate that Christians shouldn't save their money. Are there any Christian groups that don't believe in saving money or don't use banks?

I haven't read through the whole thread, but what about the Amish? I know too little about them except that they seem to be stuck in the 19th century. Are they the saving or sharing types?

[Tonus]

I think it's pretty clear that Christian charity to the poor is based on verses like those but I don't see what this has to do with bank accounts specifically - It just means you should give your money away if you have too many

Or that you should give all of it away, because god will provide.  But as with so many Bible teachings there is no unified theme.  In Acts 5, a pair of people sell some property and donate half to the apostles, but apparently sought to make it seem as if they were donating all of it.  When Peter reprimands them, he reminds them that the money from the sale was theirs to dispense as they pleased.  In other words, they would have done no wrong by keeping half, or even all of it.  In this instance there is no issue with keeping property or money.  Yet Jesus praised a poor elderly woman who dropped two minor coins into a collection box because she gave all she had, while others (who gave more in the absolute sense) gave less because they were donating from money they had to spare.

So as ever, the message is mixed.  Your money is yours to do with as you please, but unless you dispense with all of it you cannot follow Jesus.  It's ambiguous enough that you can interpret it to make yourself feel good no matter what you do.