Do you support megachurch/prosperity churches and pastors?

[Anonymous]

I buy Joel Osteen's book. Personally, I find them very helpful and uplifting.

[Anonymous]

I think some people buy into it because it helps them feel righteous about their own selfishness, greed, and materialism. Like, it's okay that I bought myself this Land Rover instead of donating to charity, I wouldn't be so rich if Jesus didn't want that for me!

[Anonymous]

I agree with you, OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You know you're going to hell, right?

why would you think that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not a sermon, just a thought. Give me thoauds of dollars a year and I won't spend more than 10% of it on ministry and the rest will go into my pocket.

These types of places make me sick.

And he won't even disclose his salary. What a scam! I know someone who is contributing $25,000 a year (10%) of his income to that place.

I really don't understand how people can be so naive. I really don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think some people buy into it because it helps them feel righteous about their own selfishness, greed, and materialism. Like, it's okay that I bought myself this Land Rover instead of donating to charity, I wouldn't be so rich if Jesus didn't want that for me!

Bingo! The whole point of "prosperity ministries" is to make you feel good about having WAY more than other people (particularly other people who aren't white). The more you have, the more righteous you are! Who wouldn't want to hear that once a week?

Why anyone PAYS to hear that is beyond me, but I'm not a religious person, so I can't imagine handing over money to someone just to hear his version of God's word under any circumstances.

[Anonymous]

The prosperity gospel gives people permission to ignore the poor. It leads people to blame the poor for their misfortunes and to dispense with compassion.

It is like me they never read the sermon on the mount.

[Anonymous]

I think they are cultish and unlike Jesus in the extreme. Those I know who worship this way also think you can't be a Christian and anything but a conservative Republican.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think some people buy into it because it helps them feel righteous about their own selfishness, greed, and materialism. Like, it's okay that I bought myself this Land Rover instead of donating to charity, I wouldn't be so rich if Jesus didn't want that for me!

And Tyler Perry donates $25k to Osteen http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-4842706/Tyler-Perry-donates-1-million-Harvey-relief-efforts.html

Birds of a feather...

[Anonymous]

Correction: Tyler Perry donates $250k to Osteen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think some people buy into it because it helps them feel righteous about their own selfishness, greed, and materialism. Like, it's okay that I bought myself this Land Rover instead of donating to charity, I wouldn't be so rich if Jesus didn't want that for me!

Bingo! The whole point of "prosperity ministries" is to make you feel good about having WAY more than other people (particularly other people who aren't white). The more you have, the more righteous you are! Who wouldn't want to hear that once a week?

Why anyone PAYS to hear that is beyond me, but I'm not a religious person, so I can't imagine handing over money to someone just to hear his version of God's word under any circumstances.

Right. And not only are they arrogant because they think their high salary is a sign of their intellectual superiority, they think it's also a sign that they are being rewarded by the Lord above.

[Anonymous]

I worked as a CPA for a very popular mega church who at the time had a very "famous" pastor. They contracted us out for some work as they grew under this new pastor. Let me tell you this: these places make MONEY. Lots and lots of MONEY. Ive served on my own (catholic) parish council so I know about church budgets but these mega churchs' do not even compare. The pastor/CEO of this operation made a flat 350k and then a percent of the overall "profits". He was easily clearing 1.5 million a year. And this isn't a pastor/preacher the average person has heard of so Im sure people like Joel Olstein are making 10s of millions. The whole experience made it very clear that they are a business first and the religion is the product. They are driven to get as many people to buy buy buy buy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I worked as a CPA for a very popular mega church who at the time had a very "famous" pastor. They contracted us out for some work as they grew under this new pastor. Let me tell you this: these places make MONEY. Lots and lots of MONEY. Ive served on my own (catholic) parish council so I know about church budgets but these mega churchs' do not even compare. The pastor/CEO of this operation made a flat 350k and then a percent of the overall "profits". He was easily clearing 1.5 million a year. And this isn't a pastor/preacher the average person has heard of so Im sure people like Joel Olstein are making 10s of millions. The whole experience made it very clear that they are a business first and the religion is the product. They are driven to get as many people to buy buy buy buy.

Not to mention all that money is tax free.

[Anonymous]

I went to MBS once just to see what it was like -- megachurches fascinate me. anyway, Lon gave his sermon and it was basically "i'm so glad my mom and dad (on his deathbed) converted b/c now they're not going to hell" and "if you don't believe what we believe, you're going to hell."

[Anonymous]

They are swindlers. End of story.