My Financial Views II

This is an email exchange between Brother Albert and Jon...

As usual our Big Brother Albert has adopted a more balanced approach in this topic but Jon felt that he should stand his ground to speak the truth for God...

It's true that there are a lot of grey areas in life and there are no real "rights" or "wrongs" in certain topics, but as long as we pressed on for the truth, there is nothing for us to worry about when the day comes to be accounted for.

Anyway here's the emails:

From: jon [mailto:jon@stxch.com]
Sent: Monday, September 22, 2008 12:44 AM
Subject: RE: Wake Up Call

Hi Guys,

Frankly I did not really research much on investments and related topics. In fact the closest I did was to buy some AIA funds using my CPF money when the government first open up the door for investments and I convert it back to $$$ to pay off my house down payment. It was a $20,000 investment and I managed to make around $2,000 after several years of “parking” the money there… Can I call myself a “proven investor” now?

Anyway my philosophy is always asking myself “biblical logics” on everything that I stumbled on… from gay/lesbian staff to what “NEW ISRAEL” is in the End Times and now the recent financial crisis. In fact I have recently watched Schindler’s List and Hitler-The rise of the Evil and I am currently pondering on his Holocaust idea… dun worry I am not thinking of killing people… just wondering how a man could mislead a nation into doing something so insane, yet they do not realize its wrong and they are still so proud of it.

So can you imagine the same kind of persuasion on other things that do not involve killing people? I think we can name anything under the sun and anyone can easily mislead someone.

So continuing with this financial topic and how many of us are misled by what we are doing… here’s a recent news article about the protests in HK over the Lehman issue, please read this piece of news as I find it very interesting:
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSPEK7193220080921?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0

Here’s a few extracts that I want to highlight:

The protesters, many of them elderly retirees, accused the government of failing to provide proper oversight and said local banks did not do enough to warn of them of the risks involved.

"They were misleading investors on the risk. They said the minibonds were highly stable," said W.H. Chiu, a 66-year-old retiree.

An advertisement issued by a unit of Sun Hung Kai & Co Ltd touted the product as "a strong collection letting you invest with peace of mind", while noting in fine print that the notes involved "a high degree of risk".


Please take a second look at the above underlined, is it familiar to some of us? If this is not biblical (in misleading people) I really do not know what is… How many people look at the “fine prints” when they are doing their so-call speculation/investments? Based on my entire life experiences, I always hear people telling myself and others that this is stable, that is safe and things are fine… But none of them will tell you the fine print behind. To our surprise these so call “fine prints” are usually the ones that are most important. Point is, many people always based their BIBLICAL KNOWLEDGE on the worldly visible prints rather than the important fine truth…

Like I said before, you will not see the light until darkness come… and sorry, I am now enjoying shining light on the fine prints in the dark right now. Please do not judge me as I am only boasting about the biblical truth.

Like I point out on Friday CG, these are some verses that are so relevant that I think everyone of us can hold on to in whatever financial/business situations you are about to do:

Proverbs 20:23 “The LORD detests differing weights, and dishonest scales do not please him.”

Proverbs 11:1 “The LORD abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are his delight.”

Hope its enough to open up some of our mind… Anyway guys please do not get me wrong. I am not saying that it’s not biblical to speculate/invest… me for one would go to have some fun in casinos if I have a chance to go Genting, Macau or even Las Vegas. In fact I am waiting to check out our local casinos too… My intention is very simple. To identify and draw a line between plain harmless gambling fun from Biblical Truths. Also it’s important that we do not try to justify our pure harmless gambling fun by “spiritualising” it…

Okay, that’s all for my Sunday musing. I would like to sign off with this:

Proverbs 20:15 “Gold there is, rubies in abundance, but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.”

Jon




From: Albert Wang
Subject: RE: Wake Up Call
Date: Friday, 19 September, 2008, 11:57 AM

Hi,

Any arguments can be skewed. Such is the topic on investments. So let me try to add some balance to it.

So in perspective. The whole economy is based on what we call "Unfair scale". Unless we understand this system, we will be rob by the lack of knowledge. The issue of AIG is a lesson that only our God is the true security. By no means that we should avoid exercising common sense. In live, anything can be gamble. In business can be gamble. In marriage, can be gamble IF we do not make risk assessments criterias.

In investment/business, we should never use what we can't afford , that is risk money. In Godly stewardship we are called to do what we know best in terms of management of His in our stewardship. In any case, It is not encourage to jump in to financial instruments. Namely stocks, forex, options, bonds, funds w/o due diligence. This area need knowlege and proper money management skills. It takes many hours of discipline and never a stroke of luck or what so ever for those who succeed. And it is true that market is down, wealth is not created nor destroyed. It is simply TRANSFERRED. This is system we live in, with the introduction of fiat currency and departure from gold standards.We are "robbed" since day one we were born. And ppl do make lots of money when it is down. And they legally "ROB YOU" in terms of inflations, investments draw downs etc. (e.g Oei guy makes millions and wealth is transferred)

Now think about this, those ppl, fund managers, gambled our money. If they have in mind our interest, it would not have been like this today.And you never know , in case we put faith in our CPF money, may one day go to smoke. Nothing is for certain. And our bank currencies may come to nothing. Cos they are nothing as theyare digits and numbers. Think about it.Lets put faith in God, what we can't change He will in due time. Mean time, be a good steward and not be lazy nor ignorant, in how we use our dime, time and resources. Hope this present a balanced view ont his topic.

God bless,
Albert