Save money, Live Better

[AlecBGreen]

I was in Wal-Mart today and I saw this slogan. It got me thinking...

"Save money so I will live better? How? Do they mean to say that if I have more money I will have a better life? Better how?"

I think by the Wal-Mart mode of thinking if you have more money you can buy more stuff which might (MIGHT) make your life easier. Does easier = better? IMO, no it doesnt. It seems to me that human history is one long episode of us trying to make things easier on ourselves. We adopted agriculture so we could have a more dependable food supply. We adopted other technology to save us time and conceivably give us more time to spend on things that 'really matter.' Has this made us happier? I dont think so. I am no ascetic but I think always trying to make things easier on ourselves has led us to EXPECT easy living. Rather than cope with tough times, we as humans try to find ways to avoid them. I am not saying we should abandon what we have gained, but I think seeking to make an easier life for ourselves should not be our primary goal.

Standing in Wally World with my ziplock baggies, my coca cola and my wrapping paper, I got to thinking. WHAT IS a good life? WHAT IS living better? In short, what do I want out of this life? What should I work towards? What is the best I can hope for?

To me its these things: a loving wife and (in the future) children; a job that I can take pride in; a sense of purpose; a circle of friends I can trust and share my life with; a close relationship with my family; a life-long goal and the ability to work towards it.

Since this is the R/T forum, I feel obliged to share that my belief in God has brought me closer to meeting my own expectations for a 'good' life. Could I satisfy the above desires without God? Yes of course. But I DO believe in God and perhaps on a subconscious level, that is why: my belief has brought me closer to attaining what I perceive to be a good life.

How about you all? What do you see as a good life? For Christians or other people of faith, how has your belief impacted your desires for a good life?

[RaleighNCDUer]

1. How quintessentially American -

putting a topic of 'money' and 'WalMart' in Religion/Theology.

[AlecBGreen]

6. heh

what can I say? Wal-Mart and its ubercapitalist cost-slashing inspired me to do some thinking :7

Has NC warmed up a bit? A few weeks ago it was pretty darn cold down there wasnt it?

[Lucinda]

2. Simplicity...and family.

Stuff is just stuff. Less time working to buy things that don't mean anything. :)

[AlecBGreen]

5. how central is family to your life?

my family has always been very...'independent.' We love each other but I think we prefer to live separate lives and get together every now & then. Except my mom, she wants to be fully in the loop. Ive never felt that way but I can appreciate her desire. Its hard for me, it feels kind of foreign. I have an independent/self-centered view of the world that is often at odds with her desire for a closer relationship. Im trying to break that habit but after 30 years of practice its hard to undo. My wife's side of the family is Chinese and obviously they have a very different view of things. They are ALWAYS getting together and talking up a storm. Its fun for me to be a part of because its so foreign to the way I was raised. Its refreshing to see and participate in. My wife and her mother have the strongest, most beautiful parent/child bond Ive ever seen. It gives me something to aim for :)

[Silent3]

3. Is something believable because it seems to have a beneficial side effect?

A parent tells a child to clean his room and do all of his homework, then Santa Claus will bring presents. The child did these things, and presents marked "From Santa" appeared under the tree Christmas morning.

Is this proof that Santa Claus is real? After all, the child believed, and the expected results of acting on that belief were fulfilled. Or is it more likely that the results (homework done, clean room, nice presents) are merely a side effect of the belief in Santa Claus totally unrelated to the reality of Santa Claus?

"my belief has brought me closer to attaining what I perceive to be a good life."

So, does this have anything to do with God being real, or is it just a side effect (one attainable many other ways) of belief, unrelated to the truth of the belief?

If it's just a side effect, can you really be happy with the idea of believing in things just because the act of believing itself produces desired results, totally unconcerned with the factual value of your beliefs?

Believe more, live better?

[AlecBGreen]

4. I have considered what you said

Or is it more likely that the results (homework done, clean room, nice presents) are merely a side effect of the belief in Santa Claus totally unrelated to the reality of Santa Claus?

Yes, the results are unrelated to the reality in the example you cite.

"my belief has brought me closer to attaining what I perceive to be a good life." (Alec)

So, does this have anything to do with God being real, or is it just a side effect (...) of belief, unrelated to the truth of the belief? (Silent3)

I dont know. I see where you are pointing and I appreciate it, I just dont have an answer. I am torn on the issue of faith & belief because it seems to be a gradient with pure, total 100% unadulterated conviction on one end and a total hands-in-the-air "i have no frikkin clue" on the other end. At this stage of my life I am trying to find where on this continuum I am most comfortable. The Bible says to believe, to have faith, but my thought is "TO WHAT EXTENT?" How much am I supposed to believe? What should be unshakable and what should be open to interpretation? Its a struggle for me. There is scripture that helps with this; two come to mind: "Taste and see that the Lord is good!" i.e. dont take some dusty old prophets word for it. Meditate, pray, read scripture, discern for yourself Alec! "You will know a tree by its fruit." Those beliefs that lead to good in my life (an increase in compassion, love, fellowship, patience, charity, etc) are good fruit IMO. Its certainly an imperfect way of organizing ones life but its what Im trying now and over the last few years it has changed me for the better so I am continuing with it. So to answer your final question, I will give a conditional yes. Believe more, live better.

Thank you for taking the time to read & reply :hi: