Preachin the Word of God for $$$

[SUPERECWFAN1]

Last night CNBC did a story on televangelists like Benny Hinn , the Whites and several others who have been ordered to turn over tax records from their ministries. The Senate is wondering where the donations from people are going and as one said last night :

"Benny Hinn , told me and others it was time that people stopped looking for material wealth. That Jesus lived in caves and preached from there. That he was gonna get back to that. Well today Benny Hinn lives in a $12.5 million dollar mansion."

Another joked that the Whites donations obviously went for the plastic surgery both used.


Its pretty damn sad. When I saw Hinn even I thought he was all act. His running over , karate chopping people claiming he was nailing them with the holy spirit was something you'd see in a pro wrestling match. In the end I was suprised at how many were packed in attendance to watch this.

[Nitmo]

Hypocrites, all of 'em.

Jim Bakkker, Pat Robertson, Fred Phelps all claim to teach a religion of love, when the condone hate. Kinda like how Osama Bin Laden claims to be an Islamic missionary

[DonC]

I'd wager people have been making money off of God for about 2000 years now.

[StoneGold]

I'd wager people have been making money off of God for about 2000 years now.

Longer. As long as there has been a combination of religion and money.

[rick]

Hypocrites, all of 'em.

Jim Bakkker, Pat Robertson, Fred Phelps all claim to teach a religion of love, when the condone hate. Kinda like how Osama Bin Laden claims to be an Islamic missionary


In his "defense", I'm pretty sure that Phelps very rarely mentions love in his sermons.

[Nitmo]

In his "defense", I'm pretty sure that Phelps very rarely mentions love in his sermons.

I doubt Osama does, either.

[Chris Nowlin]

I like making money.

I pretend that I'm teaching about integrals and vector spaces, but really, I just want money.

[DonC]

It should also be noted that for every one of these saving-your-souls-by-taking-your-money types there are hundreds of real holy men and women who really do care about their flock. It's just that assholes like Jim Bakker get all the headlines.

[Alex Scott]

I've never understood how the prosperity gospel could have gotten so strong, when the whole idea of it flies in the face of many of the New Testament's teachings. Jesus had a lot to say about wealth and greed; I wonder how many of these preachers mention it.

[mattx110]

I've never understood how the prosperity gospel could have gotten so strong, when the whole idea of it flies in the face of many of the New Testament's teachings. Jesus had a lot to say about wealth and greed; I wonder how many of these preachers mention it.

The ones trying to get rich folks to donate seem to mention it a lot.

[Michael P]

The ones trying to get rich folks to donate seem to mention it a lot.

Rather selfless of them, taking all that sinful wealth upon themselves so that their parishoners have a better chance of getting into Heaven.

[will_butler]

From what I know of the man, Billy Graham has always seemed a standup fellow.

Will

[Roquefort Raider]

Kinda like how Osama Bin Laden claims to be an Islamic missionary

In his defense, that one does live in cave.

[Winslow]

I've never understood how the prosperity gospel could have gotten so strong, when the whole idea of it flies in the face of many of the New Testament's teachings. Jesus had a lot to say about wealth and greed; I wonder how many of these preachers mention it.

Actually, in a broader sense, Jesus' teachings also go against American consumerism and materialism.

Edit: I've always enjoyed your religious posts as a lurker in Yabs Alex

[Alex Scott]

The ones trying to get rich folks to donate seem to mention it a lot."Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me."

Sadly, I think I get it. Just replace "the poor" with "me," and strike out "in heaven," and there we go.

It's terrible, really: from the beginning, the gospel has inspired people to embrace poverty so they can serve God. Now it's been coopted by these con artists.

Winslow: Thanks.

[Super Hero Guy]

You don't think the Popes, cardinals, bishops, etc. were doing the same thing hundreds of years back?

[Serik]

Reminds me of the evangelist who would come to the University of Missouri every day in his multimillion dollar pimped out RV. Good thing Jesus traveled in such decadence to spread his message. :rolleyes:

These con artists don't piss me off near as much as the idiots who support them.

But Christianity has been full of greedy, hypocritical bastards for centuries. That people are still surprised by this is itself surprising.

[Nick Soapdish]

Hypocrites, all of 'em.

Jim Bakkker, Pat Robertson, Fred Phelps all claim to teach a religion of love, when the condone hate. Kinda like how Osama Bin Laden claims to be an Islamic missionary

I don't have much respect for Jim Bakker or Pat Robertson (or virtually any of the other big names among evangelicals), but I wouldn't mention them in the same breath of Phelps.

He's on his own level.

[Alex Scott]

You don't think the Popes, cardinals, bishops, etc. were doing the same thing hundreds of years back?
Dude, I used to be Catholic. Of course I do. I should never have let them slip my mind. These Prosperity Gospel hucksters are indeed cut from the same cloth.

But then, at least historically, Catholicism had people like Francis of Assisi who knew and lived the faith to the fullest. I don't know who in modern Evangelicalism can really compare.

[Paul McEnery]

Dude, I used to be Catholic. Of course I do. I should never have let them slip my mind. These Prosperity Gospel hucksters are indeed cut from the same cloth.

But then, at least historically, Catholicism had people like Francis of Assisi who knew and lived the faith to the fullest. I don't know who in modern Evangelicalism can really compare.

Well, you wouldn't, would you.

I'm reliably informed that the big Evangelical organization's chockablock with decent people trying to live their faith. And I have to admit, that did come as a bit of a surprise to me. Guess I'm just as easily gulled into prejudice as the next guy after all.

But the showboaters? If there really is a heaven the way they say there is, I guess there's a great big shortage of lightning bolts up there.

[Grazzt]

I don't know who in modern Evangelicalism can really compare.

It's usually the people who donate to the pricks. As an example, I read an article about one of the usual money-hungry preachers, with a giant church and several nice homes. It mentioned that most of the charities run out of his church received little or no financial support from the church, and were instead financed by the poor parishioners. This charity work was on top of tithing 10% of their income to the church itself.

And when one lady (who ran a clothing drive) was asked if she was worried about the preacher using her money for personal things, she said she wasn't worried, because if he did then he would go to Hell. Wonderful little racket, isn't it? "You can trust me, because if I were lying to you, I'd be damned forever. And no one is greedy or stupid enough to want to become rich when it will cause them an eternity of suffering, right?"

[SUPERECWFAN1]

People should give these guys money instead.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrpdkRU-rhE

[Alex Scott]

I'm reliably informed that the big Evangelical organization's chockablock with decent people trying to live their faith. And I have to admit, that did come as a bit of a surprise to me. Guess I'm just as easily gulled into prejudice as the next guy after all.
Yeah, talk about the log in your own eye. I tend to forget that as well. Pity they have such cruddy leaders.
But the showboaters? If there really is a heaven the way they say there is, I guess there's a great big shortage of lightning bolts up there.
Personally, this is why I support universalism combined with the Eastern Orthodox idea of the afterlife, wherein both saved and damned are immersed in God's love (it's just that the former enjoy eternal bliss, and the latter feel nothing but torment). You spend all your life perverting God's will for your own personal benefit, and then you end up having to spend eternity with Him. Awk-waaaaaaaard!

[Winslow]

But then, at least historically, Catholicism had people like Francis of Assisi who knew and lived the faith to the fullest. I don't know who in modern Evangelicalism can really compare.

Ron Sider (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Sider)

Tony Campolo (http://www.tonycampolo.org/)

[Super Hero Guy]

Another thing that bothers me - these 'mega-churches' that are popping up everywhere. When Jesus wanted to speak to a large crowd, a hill top served just fine.