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| − | '''Materialism''' is the belief that only [[matter]] exists, and that nothing unseen exists. Materialism is a type of [[atheism]]. Materialism holds that all phenomena and processes can be entirely explained as manifestations or results of matter.<ref>[https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/materialism Merriam Webster Dictionary: Materialism]</ref> In popular culture, materialism refers to an obsession with money and expensive goods that money can buy.
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| − | Materialism defies both experience and [[logic]]. Experience provides numerous [[counterexamples]] that disprove materialism, such as annual migration patterns by animals, [[homing]], [[action-at-a-distance]] and [[non-locality]], plus extraordinary good and evil events that lack statistically-plausible explanations. Materialism is also contrary to logic, as there is no logical reason to expect human senses to be able to fully recognize all of reality.
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| − | Materialism ignores unseen [[opportunity costs]], and often materialists are unable or unwilling to grasp this and other abstract truths. Materialists have trouble realizing that the deterrence effect of gun ownership yields more benefits than any [[gun control|harm that guns cause]]. Materialists often develop obsessions with their outlook, as reflected by [[evolution syndrome]].
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| − | == Harm Caused by Materialism ==
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| − | The falsehood of materialism causes significant harm, including:
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| − | *Downplaying the harmful effects of [[gambling]] and [[pornography]], which can be even more harmful than destructive [[substance abuse]]
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| − | *Downplaying non-material causes of accidents, such as young children impulsively darting towards water or into the street
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| − | *Exaggerating possible material causes of anxiety and possible material remedies, such as medication
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| − | Materialism misleads people into thinking that non-material [[addiction]]s are not harmful to one's health. In fact, they can be as devastating as material addictions.
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| − | == Materialism in Politics ==
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| − | In politics, materialism overlooks abstract principles and instead focuses on tangible or directly observable characteristics, such as:
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| − | * Race
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| − | * Gender
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| − | * Wealth
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| − | * Job title or status
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| − | In the [[United States]], [[Democrats]] tend to be materialistic, with particularly heavy emphasis placed on race, gender and job title. [[Republicans]], in contrast, tend to focus on principles such as [[family values]], [[pro-life]] or [[economics]].
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| − | == Materialism in Education ==
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| − | Materialism is taught heavily in [[public schools]], leading students to undervalue [[unseen]] aspects of life. There is a high correlation between materialism and [[atheism]] as atheism is fundamentally a materialistic philosophy. Materialism denies that most great intellectual breakthroughs were the brainchild of men with [[faith]] in the [[unseen]].
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| − | == Materialism in Science ==
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| − | Materialism undermines [[science]] making it increasingly [[atheism|atheistic]],<ref>http://www.atheists.org/flash.line/atheism1.htm</ref> rejecting God and His works in explanations of the world and all of human experience. Instead science readily embraces [[liberal logic]] and pseudo or [[junk science]] such as [[Counterexamples to Evolution|evolution]], [[Counterexamples to Relativity|relativity]], "[[global warming]]" and much of [[cosmology]] and [[geology]] based on a [[Counterexamples to an Old Earth|time frame]] which predates [[creation]]. Fortunately the rigid [[logic]] of [[creation science]] is gaining in importance, enabling intelligent people to distinguish real science from atheistic secular junk science.
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| − | == Other Aspects of Materialism ==
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| − | Arguments for materialism commonly use principles such as [[Occam's Razor]] to propose that an immaterial realm is wholly superfluous to materialists' understanding of the world.
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| − | "Materialism" can also refer to an obsession with material goods.
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| − | The teachings of [[Karl Marx]] and [[Vladimir Lenin]] (see [[Marxism-Leninism]]) rest upon a philosophy of history called [[dialectical materialism]].
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| − | ==Quotes==
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| − | *"[T]he greatest failure of materialism is that it simply cannot explain the existence of [[information]]!" <ref>[http://cosmicfingerprints.com/iidb.htm Perry Marshall's website about Perry Marshall's forum posts]</ref>
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| − | *"I was just looking at all the wrong things, but when I realized there is no better me or better things without Jesus ... [My faith] sure beats a lot of money and material things that you may have."<ref>Berry, Susan (July 25, 2019). [https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/07/25/richest-man-in-singapore-missing-piece-in-his-life-god-through-jesus-christ/ Richest Man in Singapore: ‘Missing Piece’ in His Life ‘God Through Jesus Christ’]. ''Breitbart News''. Retrieved July 27, 2019.</ref>
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| − | == See also ==
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| − | * [[Philosophy]]
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| − | * [[Unseen]]
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| − | * [[Evolutionary materialism]]
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| − | == External links ==
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| − | *[https://creation.com/the-history-of-the-rise-of-materialism-in-western-society The history of the rise of materialism in Western society] by Clement Butel
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| − | *[https://creation.com/cs-lewis-on-materialistic-thoughts Accidental angle: C.S. Lewis on materialistic thoughts]
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| − | *[https://creation.com/15-ways-to-refute-materialistic-bigotry 15 ways to refute materialistic bigotry:A point by point response to ''Scientific American''] by Dr. [[Jonathan Sarfati]]
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| − | == References ==
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| − | <references/>
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| − | [[Category:Philosophy]]
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| − | [[Category:Hollywood Values]]
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