Hoarders

I don't like throwing things away, but I don't like clutter either. So I put all the things I want to keep but not use in my parents' home

lostaquarium said:

I don't like throwing things away, but I don't like clutter either. So I put all the things I want to keep but not use in my parents' home

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I did this. Until my dad cleaned out their garage/attic and made me take all my boxes. Then, my mom sat and agonized over the things I decided to throw away since I didn't want to store them.

lostaquarium said:

I don't like throwing things away, but I don't like clutter either. So I put all the things I want to keep but not use in my parents' home

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FaithPrevails said:

I did this. Until my dad cleaned out their garage/attic and made me take all my boxes. Then, my mom sat and agonized over the things I decided to throw away since I didn't want to store them.

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I do this too! I have a bunch of stuff stored in my parents basement and I'm hoping that they never think "gee, I wonder why Amber dumps her junk here?? Must not need it, out it goes"

I have seen the show and I was horrified, intrigued and scared- after that I had the insane urge to go throw things away. I keep all my stuff organized and clutter free but I do have those few tubs with "maybe someday I can use this" stuff.

I felt sorry for one lady on the show. All the stuff she kept was nice stuff. Gifts she had received that had sentimental value. Gifts she bought for others but had yet to deliver. Everything was stacked fairly nice, too. No trash or junk. So it was obviously tough for her to get rid of a lot of it.

I thought I was helping, by picking up the trash on the floor of a person who had floor to ceiling boxes of "stuff". I thought it was because of her back injury that prevented her from being able to get after it. So I thought I was helping by picking up obvious trash, old newspapers and such and throwing them in the trash as I made my way to her kitchen.

She later told me that it took her three days of crying to get over what I had done... then I saw hoarders and understood.. she needs help and it is not physical.

Am reading a book on hoarders.
Ive seen the shows, well one of them.
My mum shows signs of being a hoarder but not to the extreme the tv shows showed. I think my family are pack rats.

It has affected my life. Its depressing. I never really had my own space until i moved out. But going back home I have to put in boundaries otherwise theres big arguments.

It is a demonic stronghold I reckon, with the fear of not having enough I suppose. I had to learn tidy habits and organising, since I was never really taught by my parents and also to CHUCK things away. The bible tells us not to keep building new barns to store all our grain (as a parable) cos you never know when you are going to be called on by the Lord. We are meant to share with others and not hoard things on earth where moths destroy and theives can steal.

One time I was called to help a lady who my friend met at church community meal. She must said she needed someone to help tidy her home. Well i was shocked and horrified...she was a hoarder. Bags and bags of stuff piled high to the ceiling. You couldnt even move. Im sure the council or housing corp were going to evict her if she didnt clear it all out but she couldnt give up ANYTHING.

I tend to keep things longer than I should. But I do not really go out to collect more "junk". I think a trademark of pack rats and hoarders is that they spent a lot of time in thrift stores and garage sales.

I imagine they have a strong sense of "holding onto everything just in case". But we Christians are instead asked to let go and trust God. So yes in a way being a hoarder is non biblical.

Old thread is old... pretty sure this breaks a forum rule AND netiquette resurrecting it like this.

FWIW, hoarding is disgusting, but it's not demonic possession. That's a medieval view if there ever was one. If anything, it's some kind of disorder stemming from an emotional issue. Otherwise, it's just people who can't throw crap away.

My mom has a tendency to horde stuff but not in the usual way. She usually has stuff that we are going to need.

We have a joke about her and its basically "If we need it chances are it is in the trunk of the car". What is so funny is one day we were out of town and somebody needed something and being a smart butt said, its probable in the trunk of the car" so somebody checked and sure enough it was, it saved the day.

My mom always had our gloves and bats and balls in the trunk and plates and stuff so if she decided that we are just going to go to the park or lake for the day we were set and did not need to go home. Also my dad was quiet the drunk so when he would start drinking we would load up and go to the park for the day so she was always packed and ready.

Sigh. Its funny that people arent fussed about burning or cremating a loved one, but if you want to burn down gold or money or other stuff left behind like an antique they want to save that instead.

I finished the hoarder book and it was giving CBT techniques on coping. Go to your happy place and write a letter. Or leave home, if you can. Better living in a tent or on the street than the home of a hoarder, for some people.

When they get those professional organisers in, it doesnt stop the hoarding behaviour. I think it really takes the gospel to stop that and what Jesus said about it. People have to learn to let go.

CCHIPSS said:

I tend to keep things longer than I should. But I do not really go out to collect more "junk". I think a trademark of pack rats and hoarders is that they spent a lot of time in thrift stores and garage sales.

I imagine they have a strong sense of "holding onto everything just in case". But we Christians are instead asked to let go and trust God. So yes in a way being a hoarder is non biblical.

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This guy I know, hes forever accumulating stuff like that. And then complaining hes got too much stuff, but then he goes out shopping again frittering his money away on objects. He says it makes him happy. But really if he truly knew the Lord he wouldnt hoard so much.

He has a catholic background and so had a lot of idols (statues) in his closet. A christian does not actually need these. Also the lady that was hoarding i visited she was catholic as well. I didnt realise this until she started praying to the dead in purgatory.

YOu do see many catholic churches are chock fill of idols and statues, much like the hindu temples of india are. There is a reason why protestant or non catholic chruches dont have statues and other relgious objects everywhere. We are not to make idols of stuff.

Goodbook said:

This guy I know, hes forever accumulating stuff like that. And then complaining hes got too much stuff, but then he goes out shopping again frittering his money away on objects. He says it makes him happy. But really if he truly knew the Lord he wouldnt hoard so much.

He has a catholic background and so had a lot of idols (statues) in his closet. A christian does not actually need these. Also the lady that was hoarding i visited she was catholic as well. I didnt realise this until she started praying to the dead in purgatory.

YOu do see many catholic churches are chock fill of idols and statues, much like the hindu temples of india are. There is a reason why protestant or non catholic chruches dont have statues and other relgious objects everywhere. We are not to make idols of stuff.

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When I point out to Catholics that it is wrong to worship idols, they will defend to the death that they are not worshiping idols. Instead they are only "respecting" the saints.

But when we look at the actions and behaviors of some Catholics, it is pretty obvious that they are indeed worshiping the saints as idols. Statues that drink milk and cries blood, for example. Could it be possible that these are tricks of Satan? In the bible miracles always helps someone. How many people did these milk drinking and blood crying statues helped? God does not even allow Christians to make an idol image of Himself, so why would God allow Christians to make idol images of the saints?

If it is true that the Catholics only "respects" the saints, I wonder why the Catholic church doesn't excommunicate those that worship idols.