Material wealth vs. Spiritual wealth(culture)

Romania
December 5, 2010 4:29pm CST
I think that this is a dispute which is very long and I think the argument will never end. Many people say that a person who has spiritual wealth will have material wealth, because wealthiness is the result of hard work combined with knowledge. I would agree with this, but I have seen many people who are almost illiterate and have more money they could ever count. So what do you think about this? Would you choose to have lots of money and not to know too much? Or would you want to know a lot, to have a great cultural wealth, but not having so much money? I guess many would say that they prefer to be both materially and spiritually wealthy, but let's pretend this option isn't there.
1 person likes this
8 responses
@blueblink (246)
• Philippines
5 Dec 10
Hi for me, i prefer to have more spiritual wealth rather material wealth because money cannot buy anything. we know that individuals cannot leave alone, we are social so spiritual wealth is important in order to be good social beings. I say more because we also need material wealth, it is hard to leave without any material wealth.
• Romania
7 Dec 10
I think a wealthy person is rarely alone, because money attracts people. If a person is rich and famous, and he throws a party, the majority of the people would want to go there. So I don't think that if somebody has lots of money he will be many times alone.
• Philippines
10 Dec 10
You have a point there, but most of the time, people who were around you are just there because of your money. Is it much better if you have true friend, who will be there in anytime even you do not have enough money?
• Romania
12 Dec 10
Let me ask you something: if a friend of yours would become a homeless guy, which would always be dirty and full of germs and things like that, would you still be a friend of him?
@marguicha (215061)
• Chile
6 Dec 10
Wealth is relative, at least material wealth. I feel many times that I´m wealthy yet I cherish the cents I earn online. Many times we discussed this with a dear friend and we came to the conclusion that people who have more cultural wealth need less money than the ones who don´t. I can be perfectly happy buying a book second hand and reading it. People with less cultural knowledge don´t find much pleasure in reading a book so they need expensive gadgets to be happy. I can cook as well as the best restaurant and can do it cheaply. The list can go on and on. Boetius said that we came nakwed to the world and we went naked. But I´m sure more pleasure is derived from being able to wonder at the miracle of life whilwe we are here. So it is spiritual wealth for me. Take care, friend!
@marguicha (215061)
• Chile
7 Dec 10
Money per se doesn´t make me happy. But it is useful to have it. I´m happy many times with little things: a sentente well written, a small tomato in my vegetable garden (will the snails get it?), a discovery while I´m cooking, an adult´s word well used in the mouth of my smallest grandchild. I am happier with that than with jewels and furs (not used nowadays anyway) Take care!
• Romania
7 Dec 10
Yes you are true, but it is more about what makes you happy. I don't consider Bill Gates a stupid person, although he takes advantage of the money he has. It is also true that he made several huge donations to charity, but he made himself a great empire.
• Dallas, Texas
6 Dec 10
I would rather know a lot and not have a lot of money because in the end your knowledge is all that you have.
• Romania
7 Dec 10
Yes the knowledge is something which cannot be taken away by others, you can only lose it through forgetting and illness.
@reckon21 (3479)
• Philippines
6 Dec 10
I think I prefer spiritual wealth because money is not everything. Sure it could buy lots of material things that could make anybody happy however some happiness don't last forever. There are happiness that faded after few days and you will always go back to wanting more and no satisfaction with in yourself. When you have spiritual wealth you feel blessed and contented with your life even if you don't have lots of money. For me peace of mind and guilt free conscience is essential for happiness in this world. Being happy you need to be free from any material wealth.
• Romania
7 Dec 10
Yes but without material wealth you cannot live in this world. You need money for food, clothes, house and bills, so you still have to have money. If you have plenty of money you can make yourself time to get spiritual wealth.
@sender621 (14894)
• United States
6 Dec 10
If you have spiritual wealth, you already have everything you need. There would be nothing else you could ask of life. material wealth would not mean anything if you truly had spiritual wealth. Material wealth can come and go. spiritual wealth would always remain with us.
• Romania
7 Dec 10
But you can forget everything you knew in a second, if you have an accident, for example. But you are true, a person who knows a lot will eventually find a way to make money.
6 Dec 10
Your question actually is misleading :) however I would like to join in this kind of discussion. I would say that having the material wealth is totally different from spiritual wealth. Material wealth is something a person possesses or gain could be a result from his hard work and intellect while spiritual wealth has no material value, no amount of money can buy this i.e wisdom etc. I would prefer to have spiritual wealth in this case.
• Romania
7 Dec 10
You are totally right, and I was pretty sure that the majority would choose the spiritual wealth. Because it is very rare for a person who has learned a lot not to make himself a good living.
@ebuscat (5935)
• Philippines
6 Dec 10
For me I would prefer spiritual wealth because if you first seeking the kingdom all thing's will be added to you.
• Philippines
6 Dec 10
I would choose to know a lot before I would have so much money.. Just recently my ATM card was stolen along with my pin number.. well i was not actually robbed, I got fooled by a swindler.. I just realized that if I don't know so much about good and evil, even if i'm the richest illiterate person in the world, I could be fooled by other people.. so it's best to start with knowing your spiritual wealth before you dig in to material wealth.. there's so much evil lurking around you when you have a lot of material wealth.. I rather have spiritual wealth to keep myself on guard.. ^_^
• Romania
7 Dec 10
It's like that:Money without brains or brains without money won't do any good. It is useless to have lots of money if you have no brains to manage them, and the other is true as well.