Friday, 10 July 2009
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SpongeBob or the Poor: How to Spend My Money
by Dean Lusk of Every Good Band Deserves FudgeI went to a large, monolithic chain store the other day for a specific purpose. I'd promised myself never to go to this place again, but I did it anyhow. It unfortunately made sense on this item we needed.
While we were there, I picked up SpongeBob Season 5, Volume 2 on DVD for $19.98. Now, I personally enjoy watching SpongeBob, though I know some of you don't allow your kids to watch it (and therefore, I assume, don't watch it yourselves). I'm okay with that, certainly, and I hope that you don't think less of me for enjoying it.
After we'd checked out and were heading to our car, I had a horrible looming feeling. Out of the blue, I remarked to my 10-year-old daughter, "I think that was the worst use of $20 that I can imagine. There are people in this city who are starving and I just forked out $20 on a DVD for my own entertainment." (or something very close to that.) Apparently I didn't feel awful enough, because we continued to the car rather than returning it. However, I don't know that I'll ever be buying a $20 DVD again unless I have a massive stockpile of money (unlikely).
I actually feel ashamed admitting I spent $20 on a DVD, but that leads me to want to ask where you draw the line in your expenditures. Is there anything that you will always forego in order to have some liquidity so that you'll be able to generously give to those in need as we're commanded to do in Scripture?
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Comments (8)
I fukin love spongebob too.
Both? $20 for the DVD and $30 to $50 to the poor. I really don't understand why you couldn't have both unless you were really bad off in which case you shouldn't be buying a DVD in the first place.
Excellent thought. Keep posting them. Needs to be addressed.
DVD's are definitely a rarity in our budget, but they do occasionally happen. I see nothing wrong as long as they are decent (which is hard to find) and are not encompassing a significant amount of your income.
Number One, I LOVE Spongebob. But for $20 you can't take a family to see a movie at a theater, and at home you have your own comfort, your own food (much cheaper) and the opportunity to share a family entertainment. I would consider all of the above a blessing, rather than feeling guilt. I agree we need to help others, but our family should also be our first focus, within reason, to promote love and God's blessings.
Why do people hate spongebob? He's the best :)
I can't believe you said that to a ten-year old. Don't make your kids feel bad. Sure help the poor and all but I think family should come first.
If you really feel so guilty about it then do some volunteer work.
you're super. but don't stop here, get your kids involved in giving and volunteer work so they don't just feel momentarily bad but become more socially conscious. :)
i don't think it's wrong to buy things for yourself sometimes, movies or whatever. but what's your habit of spending money? and where do you shop? what happens to the people behind the product you're buying?My feeling is that we all spend too much for our own gratification and it is impossible to know where to draw the line. I would say that if God draws our attention to a particular item or activity then we must seriously take account of it. I was once in a discussion about a man who used to do things like: sleep on the floor so a visiting preacher could sleep in his bed, go without food so a needy person could eat, take in a drunk and bath him, washing away the filth of vomit and excrement. It was said that this was not what Jesus meant when he talked of loving each other and walking the extra mile. I said towards the end of the discussion that I thought that was exactly what Jesus meant and all I had heard so far was excuses as to why we didn't do it. No. I don't do things like that and I do buy unnecessary things and go on unnecessary trips but I would never decry a person for behaving properly - well, except maybe for the woman who forbade her children to buy sweets!
Just pay your taxes and Obama will give lots of your money to people who don't work or aren't deserving of it... I consider that charitable giving.