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I've been doing a lot of research on investments lately, because I find it interesting and my in-laws and husband are big into it. I don't know if I have the stomach for it though, as it seems risky, especially the stock market.
It seems like we are suppose to take some risk as Jesus teaches us in the book of Mathew of the story where a rich man leaves 3 servants each with some money to invest and the one buries it and it does not grow, while the other two do things with it and get rewarded.
I also came across an old Jewish story about putting 1/3rd of your wealth into business interests, 1/3rd into real estate, and 1/3rd into silver. I would take the business interests to possibly mean the stock market too.
There is also a Dave Ramsey guy who is very religious and talks of avoiding debt based on Biblical principles. But he seems big on the stock market.
Do any of you have insight?
My husband really only focuses on "tangible assets." He has a little in the stock market, but he has 3 modest homes all paid off (we live in 1 and rent the other 2) and then he collects gold and silver coins.....something his father and mother have given him as birthday and Christmas gifts his whole life and he has added on to it. But gold and silver coins seem like it is taking no risk almost like burying the money in the Jesus parable as it just sits there and doesn't produce an income.
I've been doing a lot of research on investments lately, because I find it interesting and my in-laws and husband are big into it. I don't know if I have the stomach for it though, as it seems risky, especially the stock market.
It seems like we are suppose to take some risk as Jesus teaches us in the book of Mathew of the story where a rich man leaves 3 servants each with some money to invest and the one buries it and it does not grow, while the other two do things with it and get rewarded.
I also came across an old Jewish story about putting 1/3rd of your wealth into business interests, 1/3rd into real estate, and 1/3rd into silver. I would take the business interests to possibly mean the stock market too.
There is also a Dave Ramsey guy who is very religious and talks of avoiding debt based on Biblical principles. But he seems big on the stock market.
Do any of you have insight?
My husband really only focuses on "tangible assets." He has a little in the stock market, but he has 3 modest homes all paid off (we live in 1 and rent the other 2) and then he collects gold and silver coins.....something his father and mother have given him as birthday and Christmas gifts his whole life and he has added on to it. But gold and silver coins seem like it is taking no risk almost like burying the money in the Jesus parable as it just sits there and doesn't produce an income.
I have no insight to the stock market, but I can tell you the parable of the talents in Matthew is not concerning investments here on earth.
It's an example of faithfulness in Christ that will be rewarded at the Judgement Seat of Christ.
I've been doing a lot of research on investments lately, because I find it interesting and my in-laws and husband are big into it. I don't know if I have the stomach for it though, as it seems risky, especially the stock market.
It seems like we are suppose to take some risk as Jesus teaches us in the book of Mathew of the story where a rich man leaves 3 servants each with some money to invest and the one buries it and it does not grow, while the other two do things with it and get rewarded.
I also came across an old Jewish story about putting 1/3rd of your wealth into business interests, 1/3rd into real estate, and 1/3rd into silver. I would take the business interests to possibly mean the stock market too.
There is also a Dave Ramsey guy who is very religious and talks of avoiding debt based on Biblical principles. But he seems big on the stock market.
Do any of you have insight?
My husband really only focuses on "tangible assets." He has a little in the stock market, but he has 3 modest homes all paid off (we live in 1 and rent the other 2) and then he collects gold and silver coins.....something his father and mother have given him as birthday and Christmas gifts his whole life and he has added on to it. But gold and silver coins seem like it is taking no risk almost like burying the money in the Jesus parable as it just sits there and doesn't produce an income.
As Charlie24 says, the parable of the talents is NOT about investing money. It does NOT show that Jesus was a capitalist and would vote Republican if he were here today. This is nonsense spouted by the Christian Right as part of its efforts to blend Christianity and conservatism.
I happen to think the entire Christian investing community is nothing more than a manifestation of the fraudulent "Christianity" that has nothing to do with anything Jesus was talking about.
Nevertheless, in my tireless quest to be helpful, I would refer you to Dan Celia of Financial Issues, https://financialissues.org/. He has a longstanding "ministry" of free financial advice to Christians and is a proponent of what he calls "biblically responsible investing" (another manifestation of fraudulent "Christianity" in my opinion, but we'll let it go). He has a daily three-hour call-in show/podcast/YouTube channel. He is a much, much more sophisticated version of Dave Ramsey.
I listened to Celia off and on for years, mostly just because I was too lazy to change the channel and found it slightly comical to hear "Christians" obsess over how, thanks to Dan's advice, they were achieving 4.29% returns on their investments, as opposed to the 3.87% they'd previously been achieving, and how this advanced God's kingdom on earth.
I KNEW IT! Here ya go: https://friendsfiduciary.org/. "Friends Fiduciary," where we guide your investments in accordance with "Quaker principles, values and testimonies." What a crock. When I used to subscribe to Tricycle, the leading Buddhist publication in America, it too was full of ads for financial advisors who would invest your bowl of rice in accordance with Buddhist principles and values.
I have no insight to the stock market, but I can tell you the parable of the talents in Matthew is not concerning investments here on earth.
It's an example of faithfulness in Christ that will be rewarded at the Judgement Seat of Christ.
Charlie's right about this one. The parable of the talents is a metaphor for the use of spiritual riches, not material ones.
Of course, you as a Christian are going to want to invest ethically, but you are probably better off going to the Economics forum to ask questions about sticking your toe into investing.
I've been doing a lot of research on investments lately, because I find it interesting and my in-laws and husband are big into it. I don't know if I have the stomach for it though, as it seems risky, especially the stock market.
It seems like we are suppose to take some risk as Jesus teaches us in the book of Mathew of the story where a rich man leaves 3 servants each with some money to invest and the one buries it and it does not grow, while the other two do things with it and get rewarded.
I also came across an old Jewish story about putting 1/3rd of your wealth into business interests, 1/3rd into real estate, and 1/3rd into silver. I would take the business interests to possibly mean the stock market too.
There is also a Dave Ramsey guy who is very religious and talks of avoiding debt based on Biblical principles. But he seems big on the stock market.
Do any of you have insight?
My husband really only focuses on "tangible assets." He has a little in the stock market, but he has 3 modest homes all paid off (we live in 1 and rent the other 2) and then he collects gold and silver coins.....something his father and mother have given him as birthday and Christmas gifts his whole life and he has added on to it. But gold and silver coins seem like it is taking no risk almost like burying the money in the Jesus parable as it just sits there and doesn't produce an income.
Your husband is wise to focus on tangible assets. The stock market is a mythical kingdom based on human expectations. Fortunes can appear and disappear over the short term with facility. The long-term trend is to appreciate over time so at your age, it would be prudent to have some invested in the stock market. I used 100% minus my age as the percentage to put at risk for retirement but that assumed no major catastrophes or global wars or plagues intervene. The potential for inflation from government interference is high so tangible assets and well-diversified market index funds in the stock market offer some insulation against that. But God only knows (to keep to the religion topic).
ps: The only funds I put at risk were those that I was willing to risk.
Last edited by MysticPhD; 02-05-2021 at 11:49 AM..
I've been doing a lot of research on investments lately, because I find it interesting and my in-laws and husband are big into it. I don't know if I have the stomach for it though, as it seems risky, especially the stock market.
It seems like we are suppose to take some risk as Jesus teaches us in the book of Mathew of the story where a rich man leaves 3 servants each with some money to invest and the one buries it and it does not grow, while the other two do things with it and get rewarded.
I also came across an old Jewish story about putting 1/3rd of your wealth into business interests, 1/3rd into real estate, and 1/3rd into silver. I would take the business interests to possibly mean the stock market too.
There is also a Dave Ramsey guy who is very religious and talks of avoiding debt based on Biblical principles. But he seems big on the stock market.
Do any of you have insight? Yes maam. Jesus gave the assignment for us to make disciples. He was talking about taking our talents and increasing the people of God. All Christians are instructed on how to teach others to become Christ's disciples, yet all are not equally qualified, therefore those with more capabilities are expected to have better results. Those who get trained and have knowledge, but choose not to help others with it, therefore wastes the investment that God has put into them, therefore losing out in the end. Hope that helps maam.
My husband really only focuses on "tangible assets." He has a little in the stock market, but he has 3 modest homes all paid off (we live in 1 and rent the other 2) and then he collects gold and silver coins.....something his father and mother have given him as birthday and Christmas gifts his whole life and he has added on to it. But gold and silver coins seem like it is taking no risk almost like burying the money in the Jesus parable as it just sits there and doesn't produce an income.
I've been doing a lot of research on investments lately, because I find it interesting and my in-laws and husband are big into it. I don't know if I have the stomach for it though, as it seems risky, especially the stock market.
It seems like we are suppose to take some risk as Jesus teaches us in the book of Mathew of the story where a rich man leaves 3 servants each with some money to invest and the one buries it and it does not grow, while the other two do things with it and get rewarded.
I also came across an old Jewish story about putting 1/3rd of your wealth into business interests, 1/3rd into real estate, and 1/3rd into silver. I would take the business interests to possibly mean the stock market too.
There is also a Dave Ramsey guy who is very religious and talks of avoiding debt based on Biblical principles. But he seems big on the stock market.
Do any of you have insight?
My husband really only focuses on "tangible assets." He has a little in the stock market, but he has 3 modest homes all paid off (we live in 1 and rent the other 2) and then he collects gold and silver coins.....something his father and mother have given him as birthday and Christmas gifts his whole life and he has added on to it. But gold and silver coins seem like it is taking no risk almost like burying the money in the Jesus parable as it just sits there and doesn't produce an income.
We are successful investors. But I tend to ignore Dave Ramsey. He has simplistic advice. Debt, despite what he says, is neither bad nor good. It's a financial tool. If debt didn't exist, our civilization would still be wallowing somewhere in the Medieval period. In our own personal finances, our portfolio currently garners a nice return. We have zero debt outside of a mortgage that's roughly 8% of our net household income. But we're about to renovate our home with a price tag of roughly $100,000. Now, do we dip into our portfolio earning into the double digits or do we simply get a LOC at 3.5%? Which is the most prudent money move then?
In truth, investing creates opportunity. It creates jobs. It creates wealth, not just by the company owners but the people who work for them. In that sense, prudent and conscientious investing is the equivalent of planting trees so that future generations can sit in the shade.
But gold and silver is not an investment. It's little more than a life ring, a pacifier for the neurotic in uncertain times, especially when you realize how volatile the metals futures arkets are. Sometimes its appreciates, sometimes it depreciates. But it never does anything in a consistent manner. For example, had you bought silver in 2011, you would have completely lost your shirt.
If you don't have a stomach for risk, it's pretty straightforward. Invest in mutual funds with a good long-term track record for steady growth. Or an index fund that tracks the S&P or the Dow. That way, you put money into the economy while remaining reasonably safe.
Also, as a Christian, it's okay to invest in companies that are simpatico with our ethical grounding. There are mutual funds that avoid casinos, liquor distillers, arms manufacturers, et al. Or if you have enough of a nest egg and contacts, approach a commercial real estate company and see if they're looking for investors in specific properties. My wife is the CFO of a CRE company and we realized annual returns of 15-20% on one specific holding. Mind you, that's extraordinary performance in one specific market sector that's getting hot (Manufacturing and distribution space), but they're not making any more land.
One more thing. There is no such thing as risk-free investing or risk-free anything. Risk is the nature of life. Even a trip to the grocery store has risk. Good luck.
Last edited by MinivanDriver; 02-06-2021 at 08:20 AM..
The key is what Jesus said ``Lay up for yourself treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust does corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal for where your treasure is there will your heart be also....... Matthew 6 20-21 ........ Then in Matthew 19: 21 Jesus said `` go and sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven ``........... See the rich man in Matthew 19 would never give his wealth away as it was his wealth and not God’s, so God could not increase it ................... So do this investment in heaven your top priority, and your investments on the jobs and the stock market will be victory and God will always put money in your pocket when you put treasure in heaven
The key is what Jesus said ``Lay up for yourself treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust does corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal for where your treasure is there will your heart be also....... Matthew 6 20-21 ........ Then in Matthew 19: 21 Jesus said `` go and sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven ``........... See the rich man in Matthew 19 would never give his wealth away as it was his wealth and not God’s, so God could not increase it ................... So do this investment in heaven your top priority, and your investments on the jobs and the stock market will be victory and God will always put money in your pocket when you put treasure in heaven
My original answer to the OP was "somewhat" flippant because this is a major bone of contention with me. Christians who express the level of obsession with worldly "investments" and "returns" that we see throughout Christianity, Inc. (and on this thread), are far, far from the path Jesus was talking about. No matter how you try to sugarcoat it or explain it away, you cannot serve both God and Mammon. In my pretty wide experience, the real God of this world is Money - and this is as true for Christianity, Inc. as for the secular world. It is as true at the level of garden-variety Christians who "partner" with characters like Dan Celia and obsess over the stock market as at the level of megachurches, major ministries and the Vatican. I have heard all the excuses, and they all ring hollow.
Shortly before I retired nine years ago, I was as apprehensive as most people (and like most people, far more apprehensive than circumstances actually warranted). I remember standing in line at Safeway and wondering if we would still be able to afford all the little luxuries in our shopping cart. I decided to simply trust God and put all financial concerns out of my mind and life. My "investments," which barely quality as such, would be laughed at by any worldly financial adviser; I don't have a dime in the stock market. You will think I am making this up, but miracles literally exploded. Nine years later, I have more money than I ever dreamed about. Instead of worrying about luxuries in my shopping cart, I can and do support my stepdaughter and sister-in-law to the tune of thousands and thousands of dollars. The more I give away, the more I seem to have. I have no real answer for how this has occurred; it seems truly miraculous. And I believe it is.
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