So, I was hanging out with this crazy friend of mine again. Yes, the one that I am trying to minimize contact with. He's gotten a lot better... or maybe it's because I've seen him less often.
Anyways, he appears to be fairly involved with the Jehovah's Witnesses. We always end up talking about money, and again, he brought up how the lust of money is evil. (Yes, that guy.) And I said that I agree, and therefore, could never understand why people pursue money strictly for money sake. Rather, money is only a means to get through life, and perhaps to even pursue our hopes and dreams. He seems to be OK with that secular point-of-view.
But in the same conversation, he also lamented about how he wants one of those new iPhone 3GS. Hmm? I thought Jehovah's Witness was against materialism and temptations? Or maybe current generation smartphones are OK? I tried to ask him about it, but all I got was how he doesn't like to carry two devices like me. Even after I pointed that it will cost him much more money in the end. And why specifically iPhones? Why not... a Blackberry or Palm Pre?
Now, for those who are Jehovah's Witnesses, please understand that I am not knocking against the religion. All I am saying is that I have a crazy friend who seems to have his own selective interpretation of the "gospel truth". What's more worrisome (for his sake) is that the selection is only used to reinforce only what he wants to believe in while dispensing the rest, rather than to help him open his mind.
Maybe I am being too critical of my friend here, but I also have other friends who does not make me scratch my head like this. Well, whatever it is, I think I need to keep avoiding him (because of a lot of other stuff that he believes that is not related to finances).
Interpretation
August 10th, 2009 at 01:57 pm
August 16th, 2009 at 03:09 am 1250392145
For any behavior, if it is wrong we aught to stop, but since we like whatever it is, I will say it is perfectly ok with my religion. Now there are a few folk who believe what they are doing is wrong, these folk tend to go crazy with guilt, but don't really stop.
Minor things that we don't mind changing we might learn are bad, but we certainly never admit to knowing we are doing wrong as we do it, it was always a past mistake. (or moment of weakness)
Humans are kings of justification. We justify why we can 'gossip' and other cannot. We justify we we deserve this dinner, junkfood, vacation, drink, whatever. And we justify why it is ok to do any old thing 'just this once'. White lies, little cheats, whatever. You name it we do it.
August 17th, 2009 at 01:06 am 1250471194
At the very least, I do try my very best not to lie to myself in this sense. Even if I buy something I really shouldn't, like eat junk food or spend money on stuff I don't need. I don't want to lie to myself or others. For example, my friend could have simply come out and said, "Look, this iPhone is really hot. And I think that will make other people like me for having such a hot device."
But instead of that, he chose to rationalize it with a reason that seems to sound better but isn't, and worse yet, then he turns around and judges how others (namely me) are evil for "liking money".
Know what I mean? I don't like being directly accused of something in the face of double standards. And if it wasn't directly towards me, I would have simply dismissed it.