Non-Attachment to Wealth and Possessions

Wealth and possessions are shackles that chain us to the fallen world. They promote greed and avarice, increasing self-centered desire. The love of money has been called “the root of all evil,” and materialism has become a great obstacle to humanity’s spiritual progress.

Traditionally, the path to God has required renunciation of wealth and attachment to material goods. Monks and nuns typically take formal vows of poverty. Yet ordinary people may live free from possessiveness, sacrificing wealth for the sake of a greater good.

Some contribute generously to charities; others forgo lucrative careers to care for a sick family member or to go on a mission to help people in need. They find peace of mind and great satisfaction having given up the anxiety of keeping and amassing material things for a life of giving and service.

Father Moon links the religious teaching of non-attachment with his philosophy of true love. He explains that God’s love begins from the foundation of non-possessiveness, while people who are attached to possessions find that their possessions get in the way of expressing love. This principle applies not only to our relationship with God and in daily life with our loved ones, but also to the well-being of nations and this planet Earth.