Does God bless us with material wealth?
Is poverty a curse from God? Is wealth an indication of God's benevolence? Should money be our primary goal on this earth? What is more important — spiritual wealth or material wealth?
Is religion about supernaturally delivered material rewards, money and prosperity? Are money and God related? Can we get divine sanctification of personal abundance? As we are supposed to be made in the image of God, will it not be nice if we represent Him carrying a Hermès handbag or Patek Philippe watch instead of being in shabby dress and shaggy hair? What is wrong in prospering under God’s benison?
We asked our panel of distinguished religious leaders of the region the following question: Will God make us rich if we pray “appropriately”?
Here is what they have to say:
ISLAM’S DIALECTICAL MATERIALISM
Muhammed A. Quddus, Northern Nevada Muslim Community member
Desiring worldly treasure is fully compatible with Islam. All things – money, wealth, and material possessions of this world – emanate from God. Faithful are encouraged to supplicate to God for His bounties of this world and forgiveness in the life thereafter. However, the possession of material wealth is not an indication of God’s liking or the disliking of the owners of the possessed wealth. It is quite possible for a person to accumulate enormous prosperity for worldly enjoyment but at the risk of sacrificing comfort in the eternal life of thereafter, unless the treasure is generously spent for the righteous causes. Partaking wealth in the form of spending to carry out righteous deeds is decreed in the Quran for the wealth to be virtuous for its owner.
Success measured in accumulated treasures may indicate an accomplished life of this material world, but spiritual attainment alone defines success of the eternal life.
WHY WE PRAY
Lauri Anne Reinhart, director of lay ministry formation leadership, Roman Catholic Diocese of Reno
This is not a question about money; it is about our image of, or relationship with, God.
The implication of this question is that God might be a puppet responding to our pull on divine strings. People in the past who believed this were taking a trait of the most powerful man in their region/tribe and attributing it to God. People attempted to control the leader by their behavior and hoped to be rewarded with material wealth. They assumed that God would respond in the same way. But today we earn money through our work, involving contracts and justice.
It is good to see wealth as a blessing; everything good comes from God. But to believe that we can pray in such a way that God must respond by giving us more money is a form of idolatry. We pray to deepen our relationship, not to get rich.
GOOD KARMA, GOOD LIFE
Matthew T. Fisher, Reno Buddhist Center resident priest
Buddhism does not focus on any god/gods. A person's actions (our Karma) direct our life experience – good or bad. Prayers to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas act to orient the mind in a wholesome way. A wholesome life is a life rich in compassion and rich in wisdom. In reality, spiritual wealth is the only true wealth. From lifetime to lifetime, what continues onward? Never wealth. It is our spiritual development, not money or possessions that goes onward.
Because of this truth, our first practice is giving without expecting reward – called Dana. In same way religious practice is undertaken without expectation of reward. We do not practice to get anything. People who do are routinely disappointed. Until they “let go the gaining idea,” disappointment continues. Ultimately our good actions direct our life in a positive direction; where life is experienced in gratitude and service to others – a joyful life.
GREED-DRIVEN PRAYERS NOT APPROPRIATE
Sharla S. Hales, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints area public affairs director
Praying for prosperity to achieve financial security and ability to help others is appropriate; praying to amass personal riches for a luxurious lifestyle is not. When a greedy person becomes wealthy, it’s not because God answered his or her prayers.
Christ taught us to seek him and his righteousness as our first priority, then other blessings will be added (Matthew 6:33). Those other blessings will be spiritual. They may or may not also be material. Either way, we will be happy because we put God first. When we put God first, greed recedes and charity grows.
A rich man asked Christ what to do to inherit eternal life. The response: Sell all and give the money to the poor to obtain treasure in heaven. The rich man was sad “and went away grieved.” Christ taught it is hard “for them that trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10).
MODESTLY CLOSE TO THE EARTH
Brian E. Melendez, American Indian spirituality scholar
From a tribal perspective, when we have balance with nature and live the life that was intended for us, we’re already rich. To live a simple and modest existence is the truest blessing; if we possess shelter, food, and water we’re ahead of the curve and we should still give to others.
Not everyone will experience material wealth, excess, or mass abundance; not everyone will experience the feeling of having very little, or to be hungry, or being destitute. Our stars can change at anytime time; we may have a lot and lose it all, if that’s the Spirits wish. Goodbye comfort and life vest …
Americans love the idea of wealth. We liken it to leisure and power, maybe even freedom. In some sectors of society it certainly appears to be the case; however, when it comes to living with light, prayer, and connectivity, Cash (Doesn’t) Rule Everything Around Me.
G-D PROVIDES SOUL NEEDS
ElizaBeth Webb Beyer, Temple Beth Or rabbi
When King Solomon is asked by G-d what he desires, he asks for wisdom. G-d says that asking for wisdom is much better than asking for riches (1 Kings 3:4-12). “Who is rich? One who appreciates what he has” (Avot 4:1). Judaism teaches that wealth should be used as a tool and not be a goal in itself. Though Judaism does not oppose wealth, a prayer for riches is unwise. Chasing money is an unfulfilling path.
One may certainly pray to G-d for whatever one needs, including an adequate income. In fact, a request for parnasah (Hebrew for sustenance, income) is included in daily prayers. We must recognize when we have “enough.” Though G-d could provide us with a lottery winning ticket, more often G-d provides us with whatever is necessary to polish up our soul. That often is valuable life lessons teaching us to become wiser, more compassionate people.
NOT A WAY TO FINANCIAL GAIN
Stephen R. Karcher, St. Anthony Greek Orthodox Church presiding priest
Praying “appropriately” will make us rich in holiness. When we’re praying “appropriately,” then our home resembles a temple and family life is like a divine service. When we’re praying “appropriately,” our children are born and raised in joy and love, prayer and work, respect for property, law and order, and they become a living Liturgy, a sacrifice of praise. This is real wealth. Material wealth, however, is fleeting, it comes and goes. Besides that, what’s the benefit if I’m able to gain the whole world but lose my soul? Certainly we pray for God’s blessings both spiritually and materially, never forgetting that every good thing comes from the “Father of lights.” However, whether we’re rich or poor, in whatever condition, we live by Saint Paul’s words: “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4.13).
A MIRAGE
Justin V. Deverse, Baha'i teacher
We must not equate wealth, or the lack thereof, with spiritual condition. I would offer that such an idea is entirely a human one. Logically it is an equivalency problem. There is nothing we can offer in return for the unfathomable gifts from God the Creator. True justice requires an exchange of equal value. Yet here we are, and so we must strive to understand the balance of spiritual and material life. Bahá’u’lláh says, “O My servants! Were ye to discover the hidden, the shoreless oceans of My incorruptible wealth, ye would, of a certainty, esteem as nothing the world, nay, the entire creation.” Investigation into the scriptures of all religions reveals that God wills this for our benefit alone. “O ye children of men! The fundamental purpose animating the Faith of God and His Religion is to safeguard the interests and promote the unity of the human race.”
BLESSING, YES … WEALTH, NO
Steve Bond, lead pastor, Summit Christian Church, Sparks
God does not promise financial wealth will always come our way if we give to the cause of Christ or if we pray "appropriately." But God does promise blessing.
These blessings come in many forms including: 1) freedom from selfishness and materialism, 2) satisfaction from reaching others for Christ, 3) peace from knowing we've been obedient to God, 4) joy from laying up treasures in heaven and 5) the blessing of financial windfalls that occasionally come our way.
The Bible repeatedly urges Christians to invest generously to advance the cause of Christ. This is not about what God wants from us ... but what he wants for us.
Money is a strong competitor for the rulership of our heart ... and God alone is to be Lord. As a result, God warns us about the dangers of money and he knows that generosity draws our heart toward heaven.
RELIGIOUS POOR
Kenneth G. Lucey, UNR philosophy/religion professor
Poverty is not a curse from God. But the real question is whether there is a positive correlation between being religiously observant and having material prosperity. The obvious answer would seem to be a resounding "no!” The vast majority of the world's 8 billion people are not materially prosperous. A large subset of the human population consists of the world's religiously observant. From this it follows that most of the world’s religiously observant cannot be prosperous. There are some obvious counterexamples to this claim. Certain religious groups are generally wealthy. For example, I have been told that the Parsee, the Indian followers of Zoroastrianism, are as a group quite prosperous, and that the Hindu community in the United States is quite well-to-do. But for most of humanity there is no positive correlation between being religious and being wealthy. So, no, praying “appropriately” does not make one rich.
Next week’s topic: If everything good comes from God, where “bad” things come from?
Faith Forum is a weekly dialogue on religion produced by religious statesman Rajan Zed. Send questions or comments to rajanzed@gmail.com or on Twitter at @rajanzed.
