TV...The Promoter of Materialism

sponger

know1 wrote:

You sure have a closed mind about churches. There are plenty where people do not dress up and the buildings are very plain.

That's only because the parishners of those churches are from humbler backgrounds. When the funding is there and the demographics are just right, the true nature of religion makes itself known in all its materialistic splendor.

know1

sponger wrote:

That's only because the parishners of those churches are from humbler backgrounds. When the funding is there and the demographics are just right, the true nature of religion makes itself known in all its materialistic splendor.

Yeah - you're all about the stereotypes, huh. You have no clue what you're talking about and apparently have a very simple mind.

My current church does have some members from humbler backgrounds, but it also runs the entire spectrum all the way up to a famous hollywood personality who is a millionaire many times over. The building is simple and the pastors wear jeans to preach.

sponger

know1 wrote:

Yeah - you're all about the stereotypes, huh. You have no clue what you're talking about and apparently have a very simple mind.

My current church does have some members from humbler backgrounds, but it also runs the entire spectrum all the way up to a famous hollywood personality who is a millionaire many times over. The building is simple and the pastors wear jeans to preach.

I guess it's hard for you to understand norm vs. exception. too bad. for a moment there, i thought you had something intelligent to say.

know1

sponger wrote:

I guess it's hard for you to understand norm vs. exception. too bad. for a moment there, i thought you had something intelligent to say.

No - it's you who doesn't understand that concept. Do you stereotype minorities like you do churches?

It's an interesting, diverse world out there. Perhaps you should get out and experience some of it instead of being parked in front of your computer spewing ignorance.

sponger

know1 wrote:

No - it's you who doesn't understand that concept. Do you stereotype minorities like you do churches?

It's an interesting, diverse world out there. Perhaps you should get out and experience some of it instead of being parked in front of your computer spewing ignorance.

I don't use the example of a few minorities and then spread that determination across the whole of them. That's you what do, apparently. You expect me to believe that because you go to a church that has one rich guy yet still doesn't observe the traditional "fancy" aspect of church-going, I should discount the "fancy" aspect of church-going altogether.

Sorry, but you really need to open your eyes and see beyond what's inside your little world.

know1

sponger wrote:

I don't use the example of a few minorities and then spread that determination across the whole of them. That's you what do, apparently. You expect me to believe that because you go to a church that has one rich guy yet still doesn't observe the traditional "fancy" aspect of church-going, I should discount the "fancy" aspect of church-going altogether.

Sorry, but you really need to open your eyes and see beyond what's inside your little world.

Hmmm...I recently moved and have casually been searching for a new church. I've been to numerous churches just like the one I described.

My old church doesn't have just one rich guy. I said it ran the spectrum from very, very poor to very, very rich.

sponger

know1 wrote:

Hmmm...I recently moved and have casually been searching for a new church. I've been to numerous churches just like the one I described.

My old church doesn't have just one rich guy. I said it ran the spectrum from very, very poor to very, very rich.

I'm just not buying this. I don't see why the East Coast would be that much different from the West Coast.

What you're saying basically is that on the east coast, people typically do not dress up for church on Sundays. And what you're also saying is that in affluent neighborhoods, the churches don't look like g.d. cathedrals.

Collin

sponger wrote:

I'm just not buying this. I don't see why the East Coast would be that much different from the West Coast.

What you're saying basically is that on the east coast, people typically do not dress up for church on Sundays. And what you're also saying is that in affluent neighborhoods, the churches don't look like g.d. cathedrals.

During my hitch hiking trip in the US, I went to a church in Vermont because the people of that church offered us a place to sleep viz. an apartment they rented. They were extremely generous and friendly. Their church used to be a building where some rich guy kept his animals. They fixed it up a bit, it certainly didn't look like a cathedral. And many of the churches I saw in New England were actually pretty modest especially compared to the ones we have in Europe.

sponger

Collin wrote:

During my hitch hiking trip in the US, I went to a church in Vermont because the people of that church offered us a place to sleep viz. an apartment they rented. They were extremely generous and friendly. Their church used to be a building where some rich guy kept his animals. They fixed it up a bit, it certainly didn't look like a cathedral. And many of the churches I saw in New England were actually pretty modest especially compared to the ones we have in Europe.

If those modest churches were in fact in affluent neighborhoods, then it's probably because they didn't want to be singled out for looking superficial. I bet if someone handed them the money and guaranteed them protection from criticism, they'd build a church that would put the swankiest las vegas hotel to shame.

know1

sponger wrote:

I'm just not buying this. I don't see why the East Coast would be that much different from the West Coast.

What you're saying basically is that on the east coast, people typically do not dress up for church on Sundays. And what you're also saying is that in affluent neighborhoods, the churches don't look like g.d. cathedrals.

I'm not saying that at all. I'm just saying churches are more diverse than you realize.

Heck, the pastor of my current church has something like 13 tattoos...

Collin

sponger wrote:

If those modest churches were in fact in affluent neighborhoods, then it's probably because they didn't want to be singled out for looking superficial. I bet if someone handed them the money and guaranteed them protection from criticism, they'd build a church that would put the swankiest las vegas hotel to shame.

If you're going with assumptions, you might just as well say they'd donate the money to the poor.

sponger

know1 wrote:

I'm not saying that at all. I'm just saying churches are more diverse than you realize.

Heck, the pastor of my current church has something like 13 tattoos...

I'm not surprised about the tattoos. He's probably molesting young boys for all we know. I'm not saying that people with tattoos are more likely to become child molestors. I just think that all it takes to become a pastor is a desire to persecute heathens.

I understand that there are churches out there that do their best to observe the principles of humility, but I don't think those churches are representative of religion as a whole. Further, I think those churches were spawned from the fear of criticism of people such as myself who are keen to the many hypocritical aspects of religion in general. They had to make a choice between a fanciful place of worship or a place of worship where their elitist motives would at least be more easily concealed.

know1

sponger wrote:

I'm not surprised about the tattoos. He's probably molesting young boys for all we know. I'm not saying that people with tattoos are more likely to become child molestors. I just think that all it takes to become a pastor is a desire to persecute heathens.

I understand that there are churches out there that do their best to observe the principles of humility, but I don't think those churches are representative of religion as a whole. Further, I think those churches were spawned from the fear of criticism of people such as myself who are keen to the many hypocritical aspects of religion in general. They had to make a choice between a fanciful place of worship or a place of worship where their elitist motives would at least be more easily concealed.

As I said before you have an extremely ignorant and immature version of churches. Plus, you seem to have some sort of agenda to persecute them since you brought them into a discussion about materialism for no apparent reason.

know1

Collin wrote:

If you're going with assumptions, you might just as well say they'd donate the money to the poor.

But that would require sponger to have an open mind....so don't hold your breath.

CorporateWhore

THC wrote:

Most if not all religions are against materialism. YOu turn on the tv...and it litterally preaches materialism. By default...i'm going to have to say for the most part...TV teaches a doctrine that is against our general religious beliefs.


What do people think?

I would completely agree with you.

Greed in America is inescapable. We live incredibly comfortably and yet some can't even afford the heating bill.

The cultural degradation of our society has caused odd things to now become important. While education, family, and faith used to be the most important things, less desirable things have taken over.

I blame the 1960s.

sponger

know1 wrote:

As I said before you have an extremely ignorant and immature version of churches. Plus, you seem to have some sort of agenda to persecute them since you brought them into a discussion about materialism for no apparent reason.

My view is just different from yours, and yours is based only on what you want to see. You call that ignorance and immature because it's in your religious tendencies to justify all differences with a perceived moral superiority on the part of the person who is affiliated with religion. Frankly, I'm just not surprised to hear insults from a person whose morality is defined by whatever the "supreme being" wants. Instead of interpreting the issue for what it is, you are capable of only perceiving it in terms of who is superior and who is inferior. I'm sorry you have been brainwashed beyond what can be repaired. It's one of the many faults of religion.

know1

sponger wrote:

My view is just different from yours, and yours is based only on what you want to see. You call that ignorance and immature because it's in your religious tendencies to justify all differences with a perceived moral superiority on the part of the person who is affiliated with religion. Frankly, I'm just not surprised to hear insults from a person who morality is defined by whatever the "supreme being" wants. Instead of interpreting the issue for what it is, you are capable of only perceiving it in terms of who is superior and who is inferior. I'm sorry you have been brainwashed beyond what can be repaired. It's one of the many faults of religion.

<yawn>

sponger

know1 wrote:

But that would require sponger to have an open mind....so don't hold your breath.

Wow. More insults. Classic. It's too bad you live on the other coast. I'd love to see you swing those words person to person.

know1

sponger wrote:

Wow. More insults. Classic. It's too bad you live on the other coast. I'd love to see you swing those words person to person.

Why? What would you do about it? How would it be different in person?

If you find it insulting that it is obvious you have a very close minded view of religion, then that's your choice.

sponger

CorporateWhore wrote:

I would completely agree with you.

Greed in America is inescapable. We live incredibly comfortably and yet some can't even afford the heating bill.

The cultural degradation of our society has caused odd things to now become important. While education, family, and faith used to be the most important things, less desirable things have taken over.

I blame the 1960s.

Greed has been around since the beginning of time and has existed in every nation, society...etc. And this means it existed even with the influence of your "faith". Faith and humility have no connection and have never had one.