What are Mammon's powers?

When we think of Mammon, we think of a deity of wealth and material possessions. Jesus is famously quoted as saying that one cannot serve both God and Mammon at the same time, meaning that serving Mammon has moral implications.

Symbolism of Wealth

According to the Bible, Satan rules our world, and greed is one of his attributes. People today have a deep-seated desire for earthly riches. Even the media glorifies money, as seen in the depiction of celebrity life by both print and digital media.

But why is the relentless pursuit of material wealth considered bad? Greed fuels envy and ultimately consumes the desiree.

Spiritual Influence

The Bible quotes that envy rots the bones. When a person has an insatiable desire for what others possess, this inevitably leads to a vicious circle of envy and making others jealous of our material accomplishments. Instead of being grateful to God for what we already have, we curse our circumstances and give in to the temptations that are in Satan's domain.

Social and Economic Powers

Wealth often creates an environment where some people have access to opportunities on account of being wealthy, and the vast majority do not. By taking advantage of these opportunities, the rich create an upper hierarchy for themselves, excluding the less well-off population, leading to resentment. This undermines social welfare and the community. A culture of competition is created where a small pie of the wealth among people with low incomes is chased by a vast multitude of people, leading to an environment of us versus them or me vs the world, which takes a toll on a person.

Psychological Manipulation

Instead of chasing personal fulfillment and happiness, wealth chasers are never satisfied with what they have because they constantly compare themselves with others. They feel a void, and this void cannot be filled because their desires are superficial. One becomes addicted to wealth and forgets to live for the social well-being and genuine contentment found in the welfare of the community.

Conclusion

By embracing a more balanced perspective on wealth, one can resist its allure, fostering a life rooted in deeper purpose and genuine fulfillment beyond the confines of material possessions.

My Thoughts

One must chase genuine fulfilment from fostering authentic relationships with others and acquiring knowledge of what is good and harmful to us. Spending time in solitude or reading good books is a good start. By addressing core problems of society and even engaging in community service, one can make contributions that will be felt for decades to come.

It would also be helpful if people were not persuaded by what is shown in the media. What is shown is generally not genuine and superficial. We can learn from figures such as Martin Luther and Mother Teresa how living a selfless life is fulfilling. Most importantly, we need to be wise when choosing our heroes. In this way, we can let positive energy flow in and weaken the spiritual derangement caused by Mammon.

History is replete with individuals persuaded by greed but later feeling deep resentment. For example, Judas Iscariot. According to Dante, Judas Iscariot is currently serving in hell on account of the betrayal he committed, which led to the death of Christ. And guess what? The promises of wealth tempted Judas, that is, Mammon.

This does not mean that wealth is bad. There needs to be a middle path, just as propounded in Buddhism. We need to balance societal expectations and our own with the worship of God. We need to be grateful for what we already have and think about the less fortunate, too.

Honestly, nobody needs billions of dollars to thrive in our world. And the Billionaires and would-be trillionaires need to know that having more zeroes in their bank account does not lead to genuine fulfilment. So, what should one do if one is a multi-millionaire or a billionaire? In my view, the best bet is to create a foundation like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and channel the excessive cash towards ground-breaking missions like polio eradication, clean and safe drinking water, and drug rehabilitation. All these little measures add up.

To conclude my thoughts, I request everyone to keep the welfare of society ahead of their own, including their own family. Earning money is becoming difficult because the world is under the tight control of Satan's grip. If you ever notice a homeless person sleeping on the streets or someone who is addicted to harmful drugs, lend a helping hand, even if it is just ten dollars. If everyone becomes charitable and generous, we can create a wonderful world as promised during the millennium when Christ rules for 1000 years and all tears are gone.