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Christians and Expensive Designer Brands

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  • Adrift
    replied
    Originally posted by Mr.Kott View Post
    You can "provide for your own" by begging for food. If you are not begging for food then you are not in poverty and have placed yourself outside of your alleged poverty blessing stance.
    Hi there Mr. Kott. Have you read my post #57? Would you have answer to that question?

    Another question on top of that. Would you agree that poverty in one country might not translate to poverty in another country?

    Leave a comment:


  • Mr.Kott
    replied
    Originally posted by Catholicity View Post
    Well for starters.... 3 kids and a verse that says 8But if anyone does not provide for his own,
    You can "provide for your own" by begging for food. If you are not begging for food then you are not in poverty and have placed yourself outside of your alleged poverty blessing stance.


    snip

    Leave a comment:


  • Mr.Kott
    replied
    Originally posted by Catholicity View Post
    I can see he clearly is one.
    hrmm why do I have my computer.....could it be oh right I bet it never crossed his mind I'm a homeschool parent. whoops!!!!
    If poverty is a blessing then you are placing yourself outside of that [alleged] blessing by having a computer. If you have a computer then you are not in poverty.

    Leave a comment:


  • Adrift
    replied
    So getting back to the OP of the thread, I think a good argument can be made that the 1 Timothy passage is referring to one's appearance in church, not day to day wear. Basically what Paul seems to be warning about is something going on in Timothy's church where people were one upping one another in apparel. I've seen this in the black churches I've attended where women will wear outlandish hats that are crazier looking than some other woman's hat. I'm guilty of it myself in fact. I used to wear my mohawk up in service, but then I got to thinking about how my hair may have been distracting others from the message being preached, so I stopped putting up in church (though I'd wear it high after service).

    While listening to a podcast on the early church today, and I was struck by a quote from a passage from the Latin apologist Marcus Minucius Felix and his work The Octavius (160-250 A.D.?)

    Therefore, as he who treads a road is the happier the lighter he walks, so happier is he in this journey of life who lifts himself along in poverty, and does not breathe heavily under the burden of riches. And yet even if we thought wealth useful to us, we should ask it of God. Assuredly He might be able to indulge us in some measure, whose is the whole; but we would rather despise riches than possess them: we desire rather innocency, we rather entreat for patience, we prefer being good to being prodigal; and that we feel and suffer the human mischiefs of the body is not punishment— it is warfare.


    I got from this (with help from the podcasters discussing the book) that at least some in the early church did believe that, yes, God will provide wealth (in some measure) to those who ask, but that wealth is not what is beneficial to all Christians. It can be the cause of a stumbling block (as we see with the Rich Young Ruler). And it can distract some Christians from the spiritual warfare going on around them. On the other hand, I can see how poverty could do much the same thing. You may find that you rely on God a lot more when you've hit rock bottom, but I can see how some would be distracted when they're constantly concerned with how to feed their family, and keep a roof over their children's heads. Having been raised in that type of family, there were certainly ups and downs, but I can tell you that my parents are far more free to help others now than they were when I was young. There's no telling how much more they could have blessed other's lives had they had the money to do it.

    Personally, I've found that wealth tends to make people more of what they already are. Some people use wealth to fill up their lives with distractions, some people use their wealth to help others. Jesus recognized both types of people throughout his ministry, and made disciples of them.

    Leave a comment:


  • Catholicity
    replied
    Originally posted by Mr.Kott View Post
    If that is true then why do you have a computer? Why have you not sold everything? Why are you not on the street corner begging for food? It's a blessing right?
    Well for starters.... 3 kids and a verse that says 8But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. 1 Timothy 5:8 so my husband and I follow ALL of scripture. And provision of our children's needs mean medical, shelter, food and clothing, spiritual and love, it doesn't have to be "designer" or rich food, but since we have the means it should be healthy and adequate. Now since you asked, 10 percent off the top goes to God and the rest goes to the government now doesn't it but I have a feeling you tend to miss the obvious, since you think that "life more abundantly" has nothing to do with spiritual fullfillment but money only. I think scripture said something about storing up treasures in heaven too oh wait here it is

    19"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20"But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 21for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6..... did you miss that one?

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  • Christianbookworm
    replied
    Or that a computer is much more useful that designer clothes. They aren't a status symbol. Is there a reason to restrict ourselves to the technology of ancient times? Because one could argue that any technology that we have that they didn't have in ancient times makes us richer in comparison.

    Leave a comment:


  • Catholicity
    replied
    Originally posted by Bill the Cat View Post
    Pharisees tend to do that.
    I can see he clearly is one.
    hrmm why do I have my computer.....could it be oh right I bet it never crossed his mind I'm a homeschool parent. whoops!!!!

    Leave a comment:


  • Bill the Cat
    replied
    Originally posted by Jedidiah View Post
    Why do you continue to insist that anyone who understands scripture differently than you do, Mr.Kott, is not believing? I disagree with a lot of things that other people believe, but we all believe in one Lord, Jesus.
    Pharisees tend to do that.

    Leave a comment:


  • Bill the Cat
    replied
    Originally posted by Mr.Kott View Post
    Back to the subject of this thread. I guess it is one's own choice to wear cheap clothing or expensive clothing... neither of which will send you to hell. I prefer expensive clothing. I like the Marc Anthony line of clothing at Kohl's. I just wait until they are on sale. I am also comfortable wearing raggedy flannel shirts and hunting outfits at our farms in the country. But I would prefer expensive clothing all the time. I did find a pair of jeans at Menards [about 3 years ago] called Old Mill that are just as good quality as Levis for $13.00. Spend $13 bucks or spend $50 bucks? It's one's own preference.
    I saw a sermon where Jesse Duplantis preached and he was asking God why there was so many delays building his new house. And God replied "I'm Jewish". Meaning, when Jesse first wanted to get building his new house it was going to cost him I think $80 a square foot. By the time they did start building months later the price was down to I think $50 a square foot. That saved him a LOT of money.
    And you STILL think Jesse is sane?

    Leave a comment:


  • Jedidiah
    replied
    Why do you continue to insist that anyone who understands scripture differently than you do, Mr.Kott, is not believing? I disagree with a lot of things that other people believe, but we all believe in one Lord, Jesus.

    Leave a comment:


  • Mr.Kott
    replied
    Back to the subject of this thread. I guess it is one's own choice to wear cheap clothing or expensive clothing... neither of which will send you to hell. I prefer expensive clothing. I like the Marc Anthony line of clothing at Kohl's. I just wait until they are on sale. I am also comfortable wearing raggedy flannel shirts and hunting outfits at our farms in the country. But I would prefer expensive clothing all the time. I did find a pair of jeans at Menards [about 3 years ago] called Old Mill that are just as good quality as Levis for $13.00. Spend $13 bucks or spend $50 bucks? It's one's own preference.
    I saw a sermon where Jesse Duplantis preached and he was asking God why there was so many delays building his new house. And God replied "I'm Jewish". Meaning, when Jesse first wanted to get building his new house it was going to cost him I think $80 a square foot. By the time they did start building months later the price was down to I think $50 a square foot. That saved him a LOT of money.

    Leave a comment:


  • mossrose
    replied
    Originally posted by Mr.Kott View Post
    I find your "sorry" sort of back-handed. And your "faith" designation "slave & friend of Christ"? Your fruit, as it were, does not bear this out.

    Is this what all of you want--to argue, to tear each other down for the next 20 years? Your sins are more than my sins so that means I am better than you tirades? When are you people going to start believing Jesus instead of what man says Jesus said?
    I will confront error when I see it. You are in error. Jesus did not teach that we would all be healthy and wealthy. He taught that we would have trouble, that we would be hated and reviled as He was. ALL of scripture is God's word, not just the red letters. We are to take the WHOLE of scripture as the inspired word of God. And each part of scripture fits perfectly with every other part. There is nothing contradictory about any of it.

    I am sorry for your health issues. Like Jesus often did with the Pharisees, however, I offer you a bit of sarcasm........perhaps you should pray harder to be healed.

    Leave a comment:


  • One Bad Pig
    replied
    Originally posted by Mr.Kott View Post
    I find your "sorry" sort of back-handed. And your "faith" designation "slave & friend of Christ"? Your fruit, as it were, does not bear this out.

    Is this what all of you want--to argue, to tear each other down for the next 20 years? Your sins are more than my sins so that means I am better than you tirades? When are you people going to start believing Jesus instead of what man says Jesus said?
    Mr. Kott, practically all you've done since you came here is argue. How about we all admit that we fall short of where we should be, and strive to get better, focusing on the plank in our own eyes rather than the splinter we see in the eye of others?

    Leave a comment:


  • Mr.Kott
    replied
    Originally posted by mossrose View Post
    Oh. Sorry about your health and other issues.

    However, I find your apology sort of back-handed after your explanation.
    I find your "sorry" sort of back-handed. And your "faith" designation "slave & friend of Christ"? Your fruit, as it were, does not bear this out.

    Is this what all of you want--to argue, to tear each other down for the next 20 years? Your sins are more than my sins so that means I am better than you tirades? When are you people going to start believing Jesus instead of what man says Jesus said?
    Last edited by Mr.Kott; 01-21-2016, 09:39 PM.

    Leave a comment:


  • Mr.Kott
    replied
    Originally posted by Catholicity View Post
    Poverty isn't a curse, it's a blessing. If I had never lived in poverty, I don't believe I would be compassionate to those who are.
    If that is true then why do you have a computer? Why have you not sold everything? Why are you not on the street corner begging for food? It's a blessing right?

    Leave a comment:

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