kokotg Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 There's a store near my house that sells various lawn and garden decorations (wind chimes, stepping stones, birdhouses, etc). Maybe inside it's also a regular gift shop; I don't know--I've never gone in. Anyway, they have a billboard outside that has read, for months now, "Recession is not Biblical. We are not participating" and then something about how you need to come inside and buy stuff. Does anyone know what they mean by this? Recession is not Biblical so if you don't come in and give us your money for stuff you don't really need, God will be mad at you? Why is recession not Biblical? Why do they think God wants me to spend money at their store? I am just...perplexed. I'm generally fairly up to date on various threads of religious thinking, even the ones I disagree with, but I haven't heard this anywhere else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 It sounds like they are trying to be funny. Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newlifemom Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 It sounds like they are trying to be funny. Rosie That's all I could think of as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrapbookbuzz Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Well, while it may be just an advertising gimmick (and I don't agree the Bible should be used that way), recession usually happens when people (that includes EVERYONE, not just the 'big guys') have not been using/spending their money wisely. And the Bible does instruct on how money SHOULD be used wisely. So, if I made any sense, in that sense, Recession is NOT Biblical. But it does not give anyone permission to use it to sell their wares! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenniferB Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Maybe they are from the "health and wealth" presuasion, or maybe they want you to come in and ask, and maybe they'll get another sale out of it? hummm.:glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ohdanigirl Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Trying, being the key word. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokotg Posted May 13, 2009 Author Share Posted May 13, 2009 Really? You mean I might be overthinking this? I don't know...THAT'S never happened to me before ;) I was thinking maybe it was some kind of riff on "render unto Caesar" gone horribly awry. ETA: x-posting...responding to the "trying to be funny" posts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Weird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kah Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Maybe that recession isn't something that you have to accept as a matter of faith and principle, or believe in, or live by? i.e. Just because everybody says "recession" doesn't mean you have to join in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SquirrellyMama Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 I think they listen to Dave Ramsey. For a while he had people calling in telling him how they weren't participating in the recession. He felt the media and other experts were pushing the recession down our throats. My mom kept talking about how this economy was hurting her and my dad yet nothing was different in their life. She watched the news too much. I'm not saying that people haven't been hit by it but some people were going too far. I'm guessing that is what the sign meant. Isn't buying what the government wants us to do to get us out of the recession. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokotg Posted May 14, 2009 Author Share Posted May 14, 2009 I think they listen to Dave Ramsey. For a while he had people calling in telling him how they weren't participating in the recession. Ahh--that might be it. It just seems weird to announce that YOU'RE not participating in the recession as a way of trying to get other people to come in and buy stuff from you. Because, you know, maybe the people driving by ARE participating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlockOfSillies Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 I have seen signs here and there about people or businesses "boycotting" the recession, i.e., forging ahead and thinking positive, despite the current temporary difficulties. But I've never heard of it being "biblical." Maybe they just put their own twist on it, and meant that the term is not found in the Bible, so they're not going to let it bother them? It's poorly worded, at the least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budeb Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 "Recession is not Biblical"... maybe not but recession is a reality. I spend more wisely right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Virginia Dawn Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 I think they listen to Dave Ramsey. For a while he had people calling in telling him how they weren't participating in the recession. He felt the media and other experts were pushing the recession down our throats. My mom kept talking about how this economy was hurting her and my dad yet nothing was different in their life. She watched the news too much. I'm not saying that people haven't been hit by it but some people were going too far. I'm guessing that is what the sign meant. Isn't buying what the government wants us to do to get us out of the recession. I think you are right, I was reading about his Town Hall Meeting a few weeks ago and that seemed to be the main theme, don't participate in the recession. Personally, I think that is a silly statement. Isn't it Dave Ramsey's "thing" to tell us to pay off our debt, save money, and spend wisely? Some economists are saying that those are the very things that may prolong the recession. I think we need recessions to bring us back to something resembling monetary reality. Our nation was living in a fantasy world of unlimited resources. Recession may not be Biblical, but most of the goods in the store probably aren't either. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sara R Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 I think you are right, I was reading about his Town Hall Meeting a few weeks ago and that seemed to be the main theme, don't participate in the recession. Personally, I think that is a silly statement. Isn't it Dave Ramsey's "thing" to tell us to pay off our debt, save money, and spend wisely? Some economists are saying that those are the very things that may prolong the recession. I think we need recessions to bring us back to something resembling monetary reality. Our nation was living in a fantasy world of unlimited resources. Recession may not be Biblical, but most of the goods in the store probably aren't either. :D :iagree: I don't remember any Biblical admonitions to buy gift shop junk that no one needs. The Biblical problem would have artificial boom (of people spending borrowed money that they could not repay) that led up to the recession. The recession is a painful return to a sustainable lifestyle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irene Lynn Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 I think you are right, I was reading about his Town Hall Meeting a few weeks ago and that seemed to be the main theme, don't participate in the recession. Personally, I think that is a silly statement. Isn't it Dave Ramsey's "thing" to tell us to pay off our debt, save money, and spend wisely? Some economists are saying that those are the very things that may prolong the recession. I think we need recessions to bring us back to something resembling monetary reality. Our nation was living in a fantasy world of unlimited resources. Recession may not be Biblical, but most of the goods in the store probably aren't either. :D I watched the Town Hall meeting with Dave Ramsey. The point was not that there aren't signs of a recession, there are. The point was that people are responding in fear and THAT is not Biblical. He has heard from many people who are not really affected personally by this recession, but are asking questions that reveal a fear that is affecting the way they live. One person even called in to the show with a question that was worded something like; "Wisdom would tell me to do such and such but with this recession, what should I do?" She knew what to do, but was letting fear confuse her. The point of not participating in the recession is to continue to make wise decisions no matter what is going on. (Not go out and spend money that you don't have, that is for sure.) Make good decisions before, during, and after recessions, landfall inheritances, inflation, job loss, or job advancement. No matter what is happening, the same principles apply. Don't get caught up in dramatic thinking and make decisions from that perspective. Keep the arrow pointed straight and true. I don't think I will go around saying that I am not participating in the recession. I think that would be silly for me, but then I am not really affected by any of it right now. I can see why some people might say it and feel a sense of empowerment by it, in the same way that speaking the truth aloud can do that. I do think that the store's management was trying to be funny and to appear confident. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunflowerlady Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Okay, well I am a Christian, but I find that sign strange.:glare: That's nice that they aren't participating, but my dh's hours have been cut, so we are participating. Therefore, I would not be going in their store to buy something. Even if I needed something they sold, I would go elsewhere. What the sign says just gives me an uncomfortable feeling and I am not sure why.:confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosy Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Maybe they are from the "health and wealth" presuasion, That would be my guess--some churches believe that God has promised financial blessing to His followers. It would logically follow that people who believe this would believe that the recession wasn't Biblical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irene Lynn Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Okay, well I am a Christian, but I find that sign strange.:glare: That's nice that they aren't participating, but my dh's hours have been cut, so we are participating. Therefore, I would not be going in their store to buy something. Even if I needed something they sold, I would go elsewhere. What the sign says just gives me an uncomfortable feeling and I am not sure why.:confused: What Dave Ramsey was trying to say had nothing to do with being AFFECTED by a recession, but rather participating in the fearful type of thinking. People are affected by it, there is no doubt. Those who are affected have to be very careful, especially if their buffer is low, BUT fear produces a different set of decisions than wisdom does. A person who is affected by hard times financially does not have to be ruled by fear, but can still choose to make wise decisions as they always have. Fear can further fuel a recession in more ways than just the decision not to spend or the inability to spend. It is those other more foolish decisions that he is talking about. I wouldn't put up a sign like that myself. It feels materialistic to me, especially at a store filled with things I don't need. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ekarl2 Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Going off the whole "participating in a recession" ... It irks me to NO END when wealthy people (Hollywood stars, etc.) who admittedly are not in a financial bind are quoted as saying they're trying not to spend money, or conversely, the media rips apart someone who has spent a ton of money on something deemed "silly." We NEED people to spend money. Not the government (they don't have any!) but people. If some starlet wants to drop $2million on a wedding ceremony, I say good for her! She's got it to spend and has now kept countless people employed (designers, waiters, food suppliers, hoteliers, florists, printers, etc.). Silly, silly, people ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
10Newtons Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 To some people, participation is not an option. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXMomof4 Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 I think we need recessions to bring us back to something resembling monetary reality. Our nation was living in a fantasy world of unlimited resources. Now it's just our government living in that fantasy world of unlimited resources! :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sara R Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 We NEED people to spend money. Not the government (they don't have any!) but people. If some starlet wants to drop $2million on a wedding ceremony, I say good for her! She's got it to spend and has now kept countless people employed (designers, waiters, food suppliers, hoteliers, florists, printers, etc.). You can argue that both ways. Keynesians argue that spending money is good and saving money is bad ("the paradox of thrift" and all that). But in reality, saving money is also good for the economy. Before banks can lend money, someone has to save the money in the first place. Plus, saving money puts you in a better economic position if things get worse further down the line. If that starlet's career goes downhill next year, she will have been a lot better off if she had put that money away and not blown it on a fancy wedding. Spending money is necessary--no one can not spend any money. But we shouldn't pretend that it's good to spend money on things of little value. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renee in NC Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 To some people, participation is not an option. :) :iagree::lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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