Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give it to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
Seems to me that the condemnation of wealth is pretty clear. Anyone, Mormon or other Christian, who lives in excess isn't living the gospel. Neither am I. I just bought a 42" HD tv. Not necessary, by any construct. The same can be said for anyone else who seeks after riches, from the GAs on down.
Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give it to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
Seems to me that the condemnation of wealth is pretty clear. Anyone, Mormon or other Christian, who lives in excess isn't living the gospel. Neither am I. I just bought a 42" HD tv. Not necessary, by any construct. The same can be said for anyone else who seeks after riches, from the GAs on down.
I think that this was a test for the man. Jesus seemed to know that this man valued his possessions. His message was that a person can not be attached and yet, follow him. To follow him, a person needs to have one heart and one mind. The man failed because he valued his possessions and wealth too much.
Now at the time of the apostles, the early saints practiced a sort of United Order for that very reason: attachment and the importance to be attached to Christ.
I intend to lay a foundation that will revolutionize the whole world. Joseph Smith We are “to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to provide for the widow, to dry up the tear of the orphan, to comfort the afflicted, whether in this church, or in any other, or in no church at all…” Joseph Smith