Selling secular Stuff

[jameshjr]

Hey all, i hope that you are well.

I am trying to be A) neater and B) a better steward.

So i've been routing around my wardbrobes and cupboards and have come across a lot of stuff, which i bought before Jesus became my Lord and saviour.

They are items like James brown albums, Rolling stones merchandise (lots of), and books written by secular authors (not aggressively against christianity).

I am either giving them away, or thinking of selling the ones that have high value (is this itself wrong?).

My question is this: is it wrong to give away or sell items that are secular, and in some instances, very ungodly e.g. Rolling stones merchandise?

Thanks,

God bless,

James.

 

[Sabertooth]

If in your opinion, it will cause another to sin, you should destroy it.

Jesus said,
“It is impossible that no stumbling blocks should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!
It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea,
than that he should cause one of these little ones to stumble." Luke 17:1-2 NKJV

 

[Petros2015]

My question is this: is it wrong to give away or sell items that are secular, and in some instances, very ungodly e.g. Rolling stones merchandise?

No I don't think so. If you felt led to for specific items, you could dedicate the funds you received to a different cause (Church, mission, relief for poor, etc) and enclose a small note with the item to the person receiving it about your witness "I enjoyed this album for x years; later in life I became a follower of Christ - now I see it's values are incompatible with His. I'm passing it on and using the funds for work He calls me too. I hope you will too one day." Something like that.

 

[WolfGate]

Is it specifically anti-God? I'd just toss that.

Is it simply secular, but not actively opposing God? I'd feel free to sell that.

 

[jameshjr]

If in your opinion, it will cause another to sin, you should destroy it.

Hey there, thanks for the message.

This was my initial instinct; however, after reading Petros' message, if i were to donate the funds to my church and encolse a note of testimony with the item; would you still consider this wrong?

 

[jameshjr]

No I don't think so. If you felt led to for specific items, you could dedicate the funds you received to a different cause (Church, mission, relief for poor, etc) and enclose a small note with the item to the person receiving it about your witness "I enjoyed this album for x years; later in life I became a follower of Christ - now I see it's values are incompatible with His. I'm passing it on and using the funds for work He calls me too. I hope you will too one day." Something like that.

Hey there, thanks for the message. Thats an interesting idea. I really dont know if adding a testimony and dontaing the funds to church would make it okay; i am going to need to think about that.

 

[jameshjr]

Is it specifically anti-God? I'd just toss that.

Is it simply secular, but not actively opposing God? I'd feel free to sell that.

There is nothing directly, obviously opposing God e.g. a richard dawkins book or an upside down cross.

However with regard to the rolling stones merchandise, by looking at the memebrs, and their music it is, though maybe not admitting it is anti- God it is very much of the devil.

There is also, an official Lebron James jersey from the Lakers championship season which i think i can get a lot of money for (and may even keep to increase its value). I stopped wearing this as i thought i may be moving into the waters of idolatory and my misgiving for selling it, is that i may be helping others to do the same.

 

[Ceallaigh]

Hey all, i hope that you are well.

I am trying to be A) neater and B) a better steward.

So i've been routing around my wardbrobes and cupboards and have come across a lot of stuff, which i bought before Jesus became my Lord and saviour.

They are items like James brown albums, Rolling stones merchandise (lots of), and books written by secular authors (not aggressively against christianity).

I am either giving them away, or thinking of selling the ones that have high value (is this itself wrong?).

My question is this: is it wrong to give away or sell items that are secular, and in some instances, very ungodly e.g. Rolling stones merchandise?

Thanks,

God bless,

James.

That's a very thoughtful and insightful question. I'd say first and foremost to pray about it.

 

[Servant78]

@jameshjr
Just put them into the garbage drum.

 

[Sabertooth]

This was my initial instinct; however, after reading Petros' message, if i were to donate the funds to my church and encolse a note of testimony with the item; would you still consider this wrong?

Donating the proceeds to your church would not absolve you of guilt, if present.
But notice that I said your understanding of sin, not mine (nor anyone else's).

If you honestly believe that an item would not cause another to sin, sell it and do whatever you want with the money.
If you think that it will cause another to sin, destroy it.

 

[Ceallaigh]

@jameshjr
Just put them into the garbage drum.

That would be the quickest and easiest way to get rid of it and the situation. I've done that before and it's pretty relieving and satisfying.

 

[jameshjr]

That's a very thoughtful and insightful question. I'd say first and foremost to pray about it.

Hey there, thanks for the message.

Thanks for the compliment and i wish that i could take credit for it .

Thanks for the advice, prayer is always a good answer to a conundrum

 

[jameshjr]

@jameshjr
Just put them into the garbage drum.

Hey there, thanks for the message. Im in the UK and we say, "chuck it in the bin", but point taken

 

[jameshjr]

Donating the proceeds to your church would not absolve you of guilt, if present.
But notice that I said your understanding of sin, not mine (nor anyone else's).

If you honestly believe that an item would not cause another to sin, sell it and do whatever you want with the money.
If you think that it will cause another to sin, destroy it.

Irregardless of writing and sending a testimony with it?

 

[Ceallaigh]

Hey there, thanks for the message.

Thanks for the compliment and i wish that i could take credit for it .

Thanks for the advice, prayer is always a good answer to a conundrum

What you said in your first post and you saying you can't take credit for it, tells me that the Holy Spirit is working in your life, and you're listening to Him. I pray for God's blessings as you continue to move forward.

 

[Sabertooth]

Irregardless of writing and sending a testimony with it?

Yes. Would you sell marijuana to them with a testimony and give the proceeds to your church?

 

[jameshjr]

What you said in your first post and you saying you can't take credit for it, tells me that the Holy Spirit is working in your life, and you're listening to Him. I pray for God's blessings as you continue to move forward.

Thank you, it is very comforting to hear you say that.

 

[jameshjr]

Yes. Would you sell marijuana to them with a testimony and give the proceeds to your church?

point taken. no i would not.

I have a lot to think and pray about guys. Im going to sign out. i'll check in later.

Thanks,

God bless.

 

[Petros2015]

Donating the proceeds to your church would not absolve you of guilt, if present.
But notice that I said your understanding of sin, not mine (nor anyone else's).
If you honestly believe that an item would not cause another to sin, sell it and do whatever you want with the money.

Yes, my idea was not really about absolution of guilt, just leveraging the transaction into a blessing and planting a seed with the buyer. Someone who is purchasing high value Rolling Stones merch probably isn't going to be led into a brand new sin by having a new item in their collection. But they might be led out of it through a seed planted by a note that came with it. $100 can do more for a starving kid than an album in the bottom of a trashcan.

If you think that it will cause another to sin, destroy it.

Agreed - some things do belong on the burn pile. And I'm not very familiar w Rolling Stones aside from a few popular radio songs. So if it's really that bad, then the note reads "Return to Sender" lol

 

[Sophrosyne]

I think you are likely in a sense trying to think that people are like someone allergic to carrots and trying to protect everyone from eating them. Unless something is obviously satanic in nature or you are selling it to someone who is really messed up in some way most secular stuff is not going to be a stumbling block that is terminal in their lives.

Likely the shirt and the rolling stones albums are not a problem as people who have problems with idols they aren't worshiping a piece of clothing at all and very likely the stones album will appeal to older people who already have other stuff that is likely similar or a lot worse etc and if a believer aren't a stumbling block to their relationship with God. Unless God prompts you to toss something, and that may be more for your sake not the buyer as "purging" yourself of an item may be a sort of turning point of ridding yourself of something that (to you) was a personal stumbling block but not most people.

As we aren't supposed to be the source of others stumbling we also have to realize that people who live in rocky terrain are either always stumbling or rather resistant to stumbling anyway. One could say that we should consider someone actually having their life turned upsidedown by an injury due to stumbling vs minor trippage that we all experience in life anyway and that is often a good thing in that it is a part of conditioning our body to walk in the beginning babies stumble and trip till they get their legs under them.

Those who isolate themselves totally from secular society will have nothing to stumble on, but if they have to interact with that society will be ill prepared for what (to them) is a minefield of rocks to trip over vs someone that has been a rock climber and thinks nothing of it whatsoever.

I have a lot of music from the 70s and 80s and enjoy it, I'm not into acid rock or death metal or all that stuff that is either satanic or pretending to be it or music with lyrics that I can't ignore at all and still enjoy the musicians. One could consider the idol meat episode in the bible where Paul himself has no problem with eating the meat sacrificed to idols at all but others it deeply disturbs them. One could say that if you aren't used to people going on and on with crude language around you it can be very toxic.... even if you are used to it it can still be tiring and draining and irritating but the biggest problem is if it drags you into participating in the lifestyle of those and partaking in it. I've pretty much gotten rid of cussing and such in my life but am around people who often cannot speak 2 sentences without an F bomb or talk more than an hour without denigrating someone else with some sort of sexual rant concerning them. Resisting such stuff varies by the individual for sure some folks it is not a huge problem others would be sucked into (by peer pressure of sorts) being like one of them.

All in all I think focus should be on big boulders in secular stuff rather than tiny rocks on secular stuff when trying to regain your funds. The fact that God didn't bring it to mind these things you have is a problem to being with till you decided to pare things down (to me) means that either these items are not harmful at all for the most part or not harmful to you overall. Trust your gut and just simply sell what you can and if you really are concerned about an item set it aside for a month if it is worth a considerable amount and revisit it then. When I was going through my parents estate I didn't know the value of a lot of stuff they had and instead of tossing it as junk I set it aside and later when someone who was hired to do an estate sale sold an item I kept that I considered worth about $3 if even that for $3000 I was glad I didn't toss it. Find someone around you that is wise and discuss things as trying to discuss things online is a crap shoot as to getting good advice you can get a lot of bad advice and have to filter it out for good advice too and at times personal feelings and stuff cannot be judged properly via text.... it often takes eye to eye and voice and being there in person to get the full picture of it all.