text: why do christians desire material objects while buddhists do not?   christians basically see themselves as larger than and more important than everything else in nature.  that's why they had problems with the news that the sun and stars don't circle the earth. dominion over the planet is interpreted by christians as meaning conquest and plunder.  buddhists, on the other hand, see themselves as a small harmonious part of nature and dominion over the planet means guardianship.  conquest and plunder paradigms encourage materialism. harmony paradigms do not.  you will never see buddhists bombing people for middle east oil, for example.