If I were a Christian I wouldn't follow ANY preacher who lived in a mansion

[Quixote1818]

and surrounded himself with all kinds of material wealth! That is just so far off from what Jesus taught and how Jesus acted it's not even funny.


As Thomas Jefferson once said:


"......For it is in our lives, and not from our words, that our religion must be judged."


This sentence tells us a lot about the TRUE Religions of one hell of a lot of Republicans. They worship the all mighty dollar and nothing more.


On Edit: I had just watched the video of Haggard and it showed his HUGE Mansion! It just struck me as so un-christian!

[Freedom_from_Chains]

1. Oh to find people like this that will follow some charlatan who

puts a lot of flash in front of them is easy to do, and make a lot of money at it. These kinds of followers are a dime a dozen in America.

[yourout]

2. Actions speak louder than words......and I doubt that Jesus would live in a mansion.

[Red Right and BLUE]

3. but but

Jesus WANTS us to be rich.

[Catherine Vincent]

4. I think a lot of these preachers with the so called mega churches

live in mansions. I understand they should get paid for their services but give me a break!

[Quixote1818]

6. If they truly had faith they would reap their reward in the afterlife!

They should NOT be hording their wealth while others are starving!!!! OMFG!!!!

Thank you!

[Erika]

5. It was Reagan and the religious right who introduced wealth

as a sign of Godliness. God rewards the rich according to the GOP philosophy, as does W.

They simply tossed out the New Testament where it is our duty to take care of the poor.

[Catherine Vincent]

7. "What's that you say?"

[Poiuyt]

8. "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle,

than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." (Matthew 19:24)

[Quixote1818]

9. And you can't tell me every one of Haggards followers don't know that

passage by heart. The just DON'T THINK!!!!!

[NMMNG]

24. Oh, but they have "re-interpreted" it now

They say it has nothing to do with actual needles, but with a gate into town called the "eye of the needle". Now a fully loaded camel had to kneel down to get through the eye, so it's not impossible for a camel to get through the eye of a needle, just challenging. Therefore the rich certainly can get into heaven. :puke:

[neebob]

10. Me either

I don't get how it is that people don't just look at these preachers with their shiny suits and foo-foo hair and sparkly adornments and know something's wrong. Never mind their beady little lifeless eyes and what comes out of their mouths. I look at Haggard, with his Extreme Tan™ and blinding white teeth, and see all-consuming vanity.

I also see a cruiser, but that's just because I lived with one for a while.

[Quixote1818]

11. It's funny because they can quote the Bible back-wards and forward

but when a preacher is flaunting his wealth right in front of them, they just discard what the Bible says on the subject. They can't think for themselves.

[mikelewis]

13. "Resounding Gongs and Clashing Cymbals"...

They are nothing.

[mikelewis]

12. I would...

In my Father's house there are many Mansions, If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?

...Only these mansions aren't made of brick and mortar nor wood and nails. A Christian Minister is supposed to be like Christ. However, Haggard isn't anything at all like Christ... where Christ was persecuted because of our sins, Haggard is being persecuted only for his sins. Though having a Homosexual relationship is not a sin; lying to your wife, persecuting others for your own shame and taking the offerings from the altar for your own are definitely sins. Hypocrisy is Haggards religion... his and too many other so called Leaders of Faith.

[Quixote1818]

14. I had heard that Billy Graham had capped his salary at $40,000

a year. If so, I can respect that. Do you know if that is true?

[mikelewis]

18. My Mother in Law is a huge fan of Billy Graham and tells me I'd...

...relate to his message a great deal. Unfortunately, I tend to view most religious leaders as suspect. My only pastors are the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Gandhi and Jesus. So far, I haven't found much call to look elsewhere. However, from what little I know about Graham, I hear he's a wonderful preacher and does a whole lot of good for people all over the world. I talk to her often about the Bible and she says she's heard Billy say many of the things I've talked about. He sends her letters from time to time about how he's doing and I guess his wife is pretty ill but aside from that... that's all I know about him. I do know that he has not once hit her up for donations and that means a great deal to me... Jesus wasn't a beggar or a pan handler and his shepherds shouldn't be either. I've meant to look into him a bit and see what he has to say but in stead I wind up spending most of my free time either reading the Bible or pouring over old Supreme Court cases and I find it hard to squeeze in any other religious doctrine.

[BrotherBuzz]

30. Sounds in line from what I've heard.

He also lives in a log cabin (albeit with all the creature comforts). He lives very comfortable, but modestly by 2006 standards.

Unfortunately, his modest values idea didn't root with his son.

[blogslut]

31. nevermind

...

[yurbud]

15. this always got me too, but in some evangelical circles, they are very

wary of this, and if the pastor wants the Jim Bakker treatment, they give him the boot.

[gumby]

16. The credo of the 'Christian Right' is to worship materialism.

To them, the acquisition of wealth is a sign of God's blessing.

That's why the poor are to be shunned. The poor are poor because they are unfavored by God. Skin color used to provide the same function. Now, the Christian Right uses wealth in the same discriminatory fashion.

Christian Right leaders are more faux corporate motivational speakers than spiritual leaders.

[susanna]

22. I will say that it is a relatively recent phenomenon (past 15 years or so).

From what I understand, they call it "prosperity" Christianity.

It sucks, it's wrong, and it flies in the face of their Savior's own admonitions throughout his own short but meaningful life.

That said, I always watch the practitioners of it with some sort of inevitable-train-wreck fascination. Wait long enough and they WILL get nailed. There are a few still not screwed yet, but their time, it is a comin'. Mark my words.

[gumby]

25. Your words are duly marked.

Saint Reagan started all this deviousness. May he also me marked.

[sandnsea]

28. Kind of like Calvinism

Where one can tell who God has chosen by who God has blessed. Been around since this country was founded. Before that there were the Kings who were cozy with Catholics, Episcopalians and Lutherans. Money has always been mixed with religion.

[WatchWhatISay]

17. Prayer of Jabez rubbish

Here's the propoganda that gives them the "right". This made the rounds of all the local churches here a few years ago.

http://www.letusreason.org/BookR5.htm

On the back-cover it reads: “Do you want to be extravagantly blessed by God? Are you ready to reach for the extraordinary? To ask God for the abundant blessings He longs to give you? Join Bruce Wilkinson to discover how the remarkable prayer of a little-known Bible hero can release God's favor, power, and protection. You'll see how one daily prayer can help you leave the past behind—and break through to the life you were meant to live.”



http://www.prayerofjabez.com/

[mikelewis]

19. Gee Whiz - For only $10.95 I can have Jesus as my personal Savior...

...and get Free Shipping if I order right now? Hell, I'm in!

[madrchsod]

20. i completely agreed that no religious leader

should not live in a mansion. they just skip over the part about their mansions are in heaven not on earth....oh well just another religious con man who cares more for wealth than salvation

[susanna]

21. Hallelujah. n/t

[upi402]

23. here's hoping there IS a hell

turn the tables















over

[Doc_Technical]

26. "Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Luke 16:13

At least some religions get it correct.

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/clt4/egw-art5.htm

[GOPBasher]

27. This Christian agrees with you. n/t

[earth mom]

29. Preachin' TO and FOR the Almighty Dollar.

:puke:

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

32. Benny Hinn

My girlfriends parents live near the "compound" of Benny Hinn - it is really a sight of excess to behold. I can't find a picture of it online but it is really something.

What is sad is sometimes driving past it I see a couple with a child who appears to be paraplegic in a wheel chair - no doubt trying to see the good pastor, who I am guessing is always unavailable...

[and-justice-for-all]

33. Religion is big business....

...Its a coperation that uses peoples faith to obtain massive amounts of wealth for the CEOs (Falwell, Haggard, Hagee, Robertson and Dobson to name a few). They all live that way, excessively and prideful, why people buy their bullshit is beyond me, well sort of. Thanks to Dawkins and Harris my eyes have been open so wide, I can see the surface of Mars...

I have known, before I knew Dawkins and Harris, that religion is poison and that the fundamental purpose of religion was not onlt for control of masses, but also for finacial and social dominace.

Atheism cures religious terrorism.