[renie408]

I have read studies that show that people are pretty much as happy as they are. People who were content before they won the lottery, were just content and rich after they won the lottery. People who considered themselves unhappy before they won the lottery were happy for a period of time after they won the lottery, but within a relatively short period of time became unhappy rich people. This points to emotional satisfaction being internal rather than external in nature.

And while I consider myself an atheist, I have often read that spirituality and participation in religion is a factor in how content a person considers themselves.

All that said, what money allows is freedom. There are experiences that I would like myself and my family to have which will require money. With increased income, we would be free to pursue those things. I think that the analogy of the man on his deathbed bogus. Your dying guy was not happy with or without the money. That had less to do with god, I imagine, and more to do with the way he was raised to view the importance of a work ethic. It is not the amount of time you spend working, but the REASONS you are spending the time. Oprah Winfrey puts in an insane amount of time into her work. And enjoys every minute of it and does fabulous things with her money for herself and for the world at large.

Lastly, being an atheist, I am always amazed at how much more I know about spreading the word of God than the majority of Christians I have the pleasure of encountering seem to know. Even I know that instead of proselytizing, you should let your life be your witness. Instead of chastising people for being venal, why not discuss HOW to find happiness without money? It is easy to say "Money bad!" It is easy to point out how ANYTHING can be bad. God and religion, for instance. Would you like me to offer you a brief history of how belief in god has accounted for more death and suffering in the world than anything else? But that wouldn't be helpful. It would be me puffing myself up at your expense.

Some sincere advice: Don't preach. It doesn't get your actually valid message across and most likely just puts off the very people who most need to hear it.