It's World Materialism Day.... When people would rather immerse themselves in hard matter than prepare to enter the spiritual kingdom.

submitted by In-the-clouds from self.whatever

Jesus Christ showed us the way to the heavenly kingdom by giving up everything he had, even his physical life, for those he loves.... which is the whole world! But few love him in return and refuse to listen to his word, which is spirit and is life. Instead, they would rather be chained to their worldly possessions as they are buried in their graves. But all who repent and turn to Jesus in sincerity and in truth shall be saved.... and be released from every physical form. Whom the Son sets free, shall be free indeed!

Jesus is Emmanuel.... God with us!

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[–]jet199Instigatrix 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (18 children)

Christmas is about giving.

Most people over 14 aren't much impressed by what they receive.

[–]no_u 4 insightful - 2 fun4 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 2 fun -  (17 children)

Indeed - Matthew 6:2 - "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others."

Christian giving is essential, not optional.

[–][deleted] 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (3 children)

Thankfully, jet has an endless supply of bitchy comments for all of saidit.

[–]dinker 2 insightful - 4 fun2 insightful - 3 fun3 insightful - 4 fun -  (0 children)

A dozen people waste 6 years of their life posting garbage in a worthless forum.

Merry Christmas

[–]Musky 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Ephesians 4:32

[–]jet199Instigatrix 1 insightful - 2 fun1 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

It's a blessing

[–]In-the-clouds[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (12 children)

Most give presents to those that live in their own house.... or they give to someone who they expect to pay them back. The tradition for this materialistic day requires a gift exchange.... Give a present, receive a present.... This world would be a better place if people would give to the needy, as in the verse you quoted.... to those who could not pay us back. God promises to pay you back in their place.

"He that has pity upon the poor lends to the LORD; and that which he has given will he pay him again." Proverbs 19:17

[–]jet199Instigatrix 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

As I said, most adults don't care for what they get at Christmas. You know this. So the idea you at pushing that they are only giving to receive is just being mean and judgmental.

Christmas giving has always been centred around children, who don't own anything so are pretty much the only truly poor and needy in Western society.

As said, I help out at a food bank and not a single poor or needy person was seen this year. Plenty of alcoholics though. God knows how many people these charities have killed by allowing those guys to spend all their money on booze rather than having to put a little aside for food and clothing.

[–][deleted] 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (0 children)

What a kind soul you are.

[–]no_u 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

(They were in need of help.)

[–]In-the-clouds[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

You could be right that many adults, who already have all the basics they need to sustain their physical bodies, do not care what they receive as a Christmas present but do you not agree that those same people would be offended if they gave a present to someone who gave them no present in return? Imagine a wife or girlfriend giving her man a Christmas present, then returns to her coworkers or friends, and they ask her: "So, what did you get for Christmas?" Will not most women be embarrassed to admit their man got them nothing?

Children are lied to by their own family who push the Satan Santa tradition as being the giver of the junk they didn't need, and are spoiled and made rotten by this tradition, increasing their selfishness, laziness, and disregard for others and for reality.

We always have the poor and needy around us. I have personally heard two separate homes in the past month that had no central heat. Either their electricity was turned off or their heating unit was broken and too expensive for them to fix. Imagine trying to get through this winter with no heat.... I consider those to be poor and needy, and could truly benefit from any help from their neighbors to get their heat working.

Our once-blessed nation is being destroyed each day more and more. If anyone pays attention, they would see the numbers of poor and needy are growing daily.

[–]no_u 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (7 children)

All of us sinners are needy

[–]In-the-clouds[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (6 children)

We all need love in order to have life, but not all of us are in need of material things.

[–]no_u 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (5 children)

I agree in general, though things that provide warmth, housing and security are basic needs, second in importance on Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

[–]In-the-clouds[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (4 children)

The basics that all people need for their physical bodies: food, water, clothing.... those things most of us have and so we are not considered "needy", physically speaking, by the Lord. The needy are those who lack these things, and we that have extra could help them. Instead, most of us bought Christmas presents for people who were not lacking their basic needs, while those who are lacking their basic needs have been marginalized.

[–]no_u 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

Although we can perhaps agree that materialistic consumption in the US is at times extreme during the Christmas season, there is a very important, global, complex 100,000+ year-old gift-giving tradition, which merged with Christianity centuries ago. Thus whereas gifts for the needy are valued by God and community, it's also important for the community to give gifts on occasion, for many reasons. When the 3 wise men brought gifts for Jesus, did he need them? That's arguable, but the reason for that part of his story is closer to that of traditional custom than it is to helping the needy. It's the custom in many traditions to arrive at a new place or someone's home with gifts, even if they're relatively basic.

[–]In-the-clouds[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Has it already been 100,000 years? The first man, Adam, was here only in the last 6,000 years or so....

I like your idea of giving gifts when visiting someone's home. But people visit homes every day all over the world and yet only feel compelled by the Christmas tradition to visit and bring a package, many times under stressful conditions. It would be more sincere if someone visited and brought a gift when traditions did not compel them to do so. These are forced gifts, and not coming from the heart. If someone visits me, I would not want them to feel like they had to give me something. A gift is only valued by God when it is done with a pure motive, from the heart.

The gifts brought to the baby Jesus and his parents were presented by the wise men that one time, not yearly, as far as I know. And the gifts were for Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords. At Christmas, he's the only one nowadays that does not get a gift. Everyone else indulges themselves and their own, while neglecting the Savior who died for them on the cross.

[–]no_u 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Genesis avoids dates, which is important in that specific Hebrew tradition.

Gift-giving is a very old, global, complex tradition that cannot be reduced to the comments you make in the second statement. It's false.

Gifts of the 3 wise men relate to the prophesies and traditions of that time, where gift-giving was a common tradition for special occasions and events.

[–]Hematomato 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

I don't want to do either of those things. Both of those categories of things are deeply annoying to me.

[–]ZekeTheAnt 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

The illogical belief in "materials" and "growth" are cancer to humans.

Most humans sadly just aren't able to realize (even though the chain of profound, sound, logical conclusions is like "very short").

Humans aren't able to live inside the system they were born in is "my" personal conclusion.

That is (mostly) why the pact, I made when I was about nine years old STILL (and yes: This behaves like the axiom of choice) holds all truth it has within.

"Free" from any needs. It just sits there and wants to be looked at and wondered about.

ANY lie starts inside the self.

[–]dinker 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Didn't Jesus say to sell everything you own and to follow him?

I'm pretty sure that nobody in this forum has done that because you wouldn't own a computer to communicate with this forum.

[–]In-the-clouds[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

While he was physically on earth he did tell a man, if he wanted to be perfect, to sell what he had and follow him. If Jesus were walking on earth today, I would want to let go of everything and follow him. But he has already ascended up into heaven, so there is no option to follow him physically today. Now we follow him in the spirit. We listen to his leading in life, through our conscience, and do as he says, which always involves love and truth.

[–]dinker 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

If Jesus were walking on earth today..

Your slip is showing..