Investing and Spirituality

[knightm]

I was reading the "How on earth do you sleep at night post and came across a post from Brenda that fascinated me but was largely ignored:

When Hubby and I first decided to go in property investing, it wasn't all our decision.

We did an awful lot of praying and asked our Lord a lot of 'what ifs'. When we did take the plunge, we did it in the knowledge that it was with His blessing.

It gave us comfort that, come what may, we would be taken care of. So in we dived into property investing and we're doing 'swimmingly'.

Cheers Brenda

Firstly thanks brenda for putting your view out there. I thought it would be interesting to hear what other people think about faith and finances? I am interested to know what beliefs might be represented on the forum and how people feel their spirituality interacts with their property investing activity?

 

[Mr. Fabulous]

knightm,

As an avowed agnostic who has spent many many many hours reflecting on spiritual issues, I've come to the conclusion that it is up to the individual basically. Some people find comfort in prayer, others just dive in the deep end head first then learn to swim.

The way I see it, 'spirituality' in the broadest sense of the word doesn't have a general link to investing, but it does have a link to each individual's investment path. Whether that link be something like Brenda's 'prayers for guidance' or someone on the other end of the scale, like myself who doesn't take spirituality into account when investment decisions need to be made.

Horses for courses and all that. As long as we all achieve our goals, it's all good.

Mark

 

[Chilli]

I am sort of with Mark L on this.

One interesting thing I have noticed and not sure how to explain it, is that for me, whenener my investment decision was purely money driven, the performance was just OK, but nothing special.
However for those investments where the decisions were not just to make money but to also help someone, or for reasons other than making money (kind ones of course) , they (the invetments) somehow became big winners.....

 

[Rixter]

knightm,

As an avowed agnostic who has spent many many many hours reflecting on spiritual issues, I've come to the conclusion that it is up to the individual basically. Some people find comfort in prayer, others just dive in the deep end head first then learn to swim.

The way I see it, 'spirituality' in the broadest sense of the word doesn't have a general link to investing, but it does have a link to each individual's investment path. Whether that link be something like Brenda's 'prayers for guidance' or someone on the other end of the scale, like myself who doesn't take spirituality into account when investment decisions need to be made.

Horses for courses and all that. As long as we all achieve our goals, it's all good.

Mark

Mark,

I agree totally. IMHO I dont want to see another religion/spirituality thread again.

As you said its horses for courses and what ever floats your boat is fine for you, and you only!

 

[knightm]

salsa - does that mean you are thinking there may be some sort of karmic thing with your deals? The universe(or God/whatever word you use) is rewarding you for win-win situations? Is it just a couple of experiences or have you developed a theory on it?

rixter - why would you want to stop other people discussing their own motivations? Isnt this the very spot to reflect on what is going through your mind as you make property deals? What if that includes some otherworldly stuff? Are we supposed to censor it?

 

[Glebe]

I'm religious - my god is the dollar.

 

[monoply]

If your a Christian, you pray about everything you do in life, and that definitely includes investments.

 

[knightm]

I'm religious - my god is the dollar.

so the more money a deal has in it the more spiritual it is!

 

[Rixter]

rixter - why would you want to stop other people discussing their own motivations? Isnt this the very spot to reflect on what is going through your mind as you make property deals? What if that includes some otherworldly stuff? Are we supposed to censor it?

Hi knightm,

I dont recall stating I wanted to stop people discuss their motivations.

I said I personally didnt want to see a religious/spiritual thread again on SS. My oppinion is brought about by the recent religious thread that doesn't prove anything except get ppl hot under the collar. IMHO religious/spirital topics should be directed to religious/spirtitual forums , not property forums.

Thats my oppinion but I respect yours also.

cheers

 

[knightm]

Hi knightm,

I dont recall stating I wanted to stop people discuss their motivations.

I said I personally didnt want to see a religious/spiritual thread again on SS. My oppinion is brought about by the recent religious thread that doesn't prove anything except get ppl hot under the collar. IMHO religious/spirital topics should be directed to religious/spirtitual forums , not property forums.

cheers

I wouldn't want to see general religious discussion here either - I was asking about people's thoughts on how their faith/religion/spirituality effects their investing. Is that more relevant to this forum rix? I am not here to debate the pros and cons of different faiths etc. Just to hear if people draw strength or guidance or something else from that area to use in investing.

 

[pieman]

yes please no posts about faires, father christmas, easter bunny etc.
They have no place in a property forum
cheers
ht

 

[Carolyn]

I hesitated for a moment before responding to this thread. Always such a touchy subject.
I think Religion is often confused with Spriituality in our society.

I mentioned Bill Zheng's course in the orginal thread by "Corsa" and it is exactly related to some issues that have been raised here.

What are your inner motivations, what you dwell on in your mind is who you are, meditation to receive what outcomes you want.. and other very left field things. Definitely have to be ready for this journey - not for everyone.

I don't believe that I am a religious person. But I do believe that our will's, subconscious and our "energy" that we put out daily effect the life that we do and can have.

Just my beliefs , and definitely am an advocate of each to his own. But I do think it's funny that civilisations that have exsisted for so many thousands of year all seem to follow a similar train of thought.

 

[wish-ga]

I understand where you are coming from rixter. People did get very vehement in that particular thread. But since this is a thread devoted to "faith and finances" it isn't going off track so posters who don't agree might just abstain instead of flame.

I would be very interested to hear people share and hope this thread can be supportive and constructive. We all have different experiences in life that lead us to where we are. Some people find structured religion resonates and others not so much. I would like to hear from people of faith.

Apropos of absolutely nothing; Two of my favourite sayings;
Prayer changes he who prayeth
(perhaps this leads to clarity of decision vs 'hand in the sky' concept)

Thank God for unanswered prayers
(a Muslim friend of mine shared this with me, I think of it often. And her too)

 

[Chilli]

Knightm,
Only what I have noticed re. my past investments.
I don't believe in the existence of any "being" that rewards me for good or punishes me for bad things I do. In this sense I do not have faith and I am not talking about religion. My theory of karma is along the line "same frequencies can communicate and share the power synergy" (hence good attracts good and bad attracts bad).

 

[knightm]

thanks salsa - interesting experience and theory

wishga - good post

I think even though people get all upity when the R word is mentioned I dont know why some people cant mellow out and share experiences. The whole forum is based on the idea that we will all do our own thing, express personal opinions and respect each others views. Why should this be any different? I haven't pushed any fundamentalist view, neither has anyone else as far as I can tell - apart from the view that its not ok to bring it up

 

[ren-A]

I trust my prophets

 

[geoffw]

For me, it wasn't anything about religion directly- it was more that my upbringing made me feel uneasy about wealth building. It was OK to go and get a good job and work hard (protestant work ethic)- but accumulation of wealth was not quite right.

 

[DaleGG]

Hi

I have mixed thoughts here...

I see many investors and some have a faith that they follow and some do not. As a rule, I would not say that one group prospers more than another, but, those that have a genuine belief in the goodness of what they do and maintain their integrity along the way seem to enjoy the journey a little bit more than those that are out to screw anyone and everyone.

Mind you, I also see the worst kind of people...those that pray on their knees on Sunday and prey on their neighbours all week long! That is, those that have a faith when it suits them but do not live according to their faith.

Have fun

Dale

 

[geoffw]

Well put Dale. Thanks.

 

[knightm]

Thanks for all replies - dale I agree nothing worse than hypercritical religious types, if you they going to bother on sunday then why not live it for the rest of the week, coz who are they kidding?

Geoff I grew up with the same feeling of certain types of money (white collar degree based proffession wages) are ok but others (entrepeneurism) are not. Funny that different parts of the (christian) church vary on this. I now seem to know many more business owners and investors who also have a faith. I guess I have gravitated towards them coz something in me was looking for that.

The bizzare thing is that from my study of the original protestant work ethic, saving and investing was a core part of any good citizens responsibility.