“The Showy Display of One’s Means of Life”

The Watchtower, July 15, 1956

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● To keep up with one’s neighbor in the material things of life is a popular practice. Observing this, Benjamin Franklin once said: “Of what use is this pride of appearance for which so much is risked, so much is suffered? It cannot promote health, or ease pain; it makes no increase of merit in the person, it creates envy, it hastens misfortune.” True it is. Misfortune and disaster will devour those who plunge into the snare of trying to keep up with their neighbors, just as surely as this demon-controlled world will pass out of existence at Armageddon: “Everything in the world—the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the showy display of one’s means of life—does not originate with the Father, but originates with the world. Furthermore, the world is passing away and so is its desire, but he that does the will of God remains forever.”—1 John 2:16, 17, New World Trans.

Also in this issue

• Announcements
• Check Your Memory
• Community or Congregational Interests
• Concentrating on the Wrong Kind of Poverty
• Hungary_ Education in Church
• Individual Human Interests
• Is This Good Advice
• Questions From Readers
• Stop Evil, Start Good
• The Divine Interests
• The President’s Visit to Singapore and Thailand
• The Three Worlds
• ‘Originally No Clergy-Laity Distinction’