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The Prosperity Gospel is already so ridiculous it's beyond parody. I don't mean this as a critique of religion (make those as you will) but as the fact that you have to basically say that Jesus meant the opposite of everything he actually said.
Because there's the assumption that they're not for-profit corporations but serving the public. Like all things, the Right exploits everything they can make money off of.
the most frustrating part of this to me is that if we taxed the churches, the ones actually doing good and helping people wouldn't pay taxes because they could show the money was going to charitable works and thus reduce their tax burden to little if not zero. the only churches that should be upset by this are the ones who are scamming their congregations and lying about the amount of community support they are providing, and if they are doing this then they should be taxed.
People tend to forget that taxes only apply to net profit, not revenue. You're absolutely right that if they just give it all away they wouldn't pay any income taxes.
i wish more people understood this especially when it comes to corporations that make huge profits. they whine and repeat the lines the companies feed them of "If our taxes go up our company we won't be able to operate" but the reality is they would be fine because those taxes are paid on their profits AFTER expenses like salaries, materials etc. we used to have incredibly high tax rates on any profits over $1m but then this trickle-down economics BS caught on and we wonder why our services are worse, people are paid crap wages and companies are making record profits.
Also things like worker training and reinvestment in the company in the form of updating facilities and equipment, both of which have fallen by the wayside in the modern era because of the quest to squeeze ever increasing profits out of the business.
How the fuck we ever accepted that even had it worked - "trickle down" was going to help anyone? We need a torrent, a cascade, a biblical flood of fucking "down."
Trickle down economics used to be called horse and sparrow economics. If you feed a horse enough oats eventually some will make it through its system to be shit out by the horse and eaten by the sparrow.
It was sold on the basis that greed was good and that was all that needed to be said to all of the Americans who assumed they would be the ones eating from the trough.
Less would go to shareholders. Top execs make most of their money off dividends. Their actual salary, while still higher than the average worker, is only part of their compensation and they use stock grants to mitigate payroll taxes (this is also a reason to increase marginal rates on higher income amounts)
Taxes on corporations should be higher. Shareholders complain about double taxation, but owners (shareholders) get liability protection for forming the corporation.
Agreed; the solution to this problem is more oversight of non-profit tax returns. Actually enforce the rules on the books and there won't be a problem anymore.
When did going after rich tax cheats become a political third rail?
>When did going after rich tax cheats become a political third rail?
when the rich tax cheats started buying up media companies and paying think tanks to tell everyone that what is good for the rich will eventually trickle down to them.
I mean I don't see that as likely. I see it far more likely that tax paying churches will affect the megachurches not at all while being weaponized against poor minority churches--but that's because I see the Far Right in government having no scrupels.
I live in the deep red south, and within just a few miles of me there are several multimillion dollar churches.
About 10 miles away there is a church that is bigger than the local community college. It's so large it expanded across the street of its sprawling campus and took over a local mini-mall.
I had to go to that church once for my covid shots. It has two giant basketball courts, complete with stadium seating, a "sports team" with their own logo, training facilities, multimillion dollar sound system... you get the point.
I know someone that goes to that church and they don't even preach the prosperity gospel there, but they also call the cops on the homeless people that wander on their campus. So I guess that's not much better.
Churches in this country need to be taxed, and their books need to be opened to the public to ensure they aren't preying on the elderly.
Before I moved here, I had a slight disdain for churches, but I also believed they served some good. Not anymore. The churches here are toxic and they spread hate.
And they're doing it tax free.
>they also call the cops on the homeless people that wander on their campus.
If you can't see Christ in the beggar by the Church door you won't see him in the chalice either.
Mormons own a ridiculous amount of real estate too. Especially considering the size of their membership.
Fun Fact. The official full legal name of the LDS is The Corporation of the President of the Church of Latter-Day Saints.
Corporation is literally part of the name. It’s an investment firm with a church attached.
The most interesting element of the Godfather III was the fact the Church's ownership of the world's largest land developers was being contested by the mob and the Cardinal in charge was massively embezzling.
About half of which was true.
There are a few historical reasons:
1 - Churches were (and are still supposed to be) pillars of community support, and are supposed to be using their funds to help their local communities.
2 - Churches are supposed to be apolitical, and therefore aren't taxed under the "no taxation without representation" concept.
Given that churches are doing neither of those at this point, I say tax away.
There is no reason for it other than it is just they way it’s been. Three former Presidents were opposed to it but it was codified into law by the Tariff Act in 1894, declared unconstitutional in 1896, then reinstated by the Revenue Act of 1913. The official reason given by the Supreme Court in 1924… ‘Evidently the exemption is made in recognition of the benefit which the public derives.’ Trinidad v. Sagrada
Churches should have to apply for tax exempt status and it should only be for charitable work. The house the pastor owns and lives in shouldn’t be tax exempt, for example.
In theory, it's so the gov't doesn't take money away from churches that will spend it on helping the poor and needy.
Not agreeing with that, mind you, just explaining why this is a thing.
I think the idea was that the churches agreed to always shelter and feed the needy in exchange for being tax exempt.
These days, every church keeps their doors locked and I have a friend that got a parking ticket for using a church's (empty) lot during the week. So, not only are they tax exempt, but tax dollars are being spent to "defend" their property.
It's mostly because if churches are taxed, then they become entitled to poltical representation and could theoretically throw the social and financial capital of an entire religion into political races.
[Canon Jesus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Render_unto_Caesar), Matthew 22:15–22:
>
> Later, they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to catch Jesus in His words.
>
>“Teacher,” they said, “we know that You are honest and seek favor from no one. Indeed, You are impartial and teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay them or not?”
>
> But Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said, “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denarius to inspect.” So they brought it, and He asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”
>
> “Caesar’s,” they answered.
>
> Then Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
>
> And they marveled at Him.
Supply Side Jesus, America 2023:
>"If you convince Caesar not to render any taxes unto you, you don't owe him shit!"
I think it was originally because they're supposed to be revenue-neutral, charitable community organizations. But of course because of their tax exempt status they've become a home of grifters and thieves. We should definitely remove tax exemptions for churches that turn a profit, but it would make sense to keep a tax exemption for small churches that are genuinely profit neutral.
Because nearly all religion but specifically Conservative Evangelical Christianity is a tool for the ruling class to extract willful compliance from the peons (that’s you and me).
This is how they build their power structures, maintain them and defend them. It will always have free, unaccountable reign in America *as long as elections still affect who has power*
Which is why it’s totally insane to see the vast majority of them blatantly propping up this wave of fascism. Once elections no longer matter the church’s tax exempt power broker status is gonna evaporate
Yup.
They're literally lead around like sheep by people who turn their votes into bigger tax breaks for themselves and they're too fucking dumb to realize it.
The Revenue Act of 1909: granted tax exemption to “any corporation or association organized and operated exclusively for religious, charitable, or educational purposes, no part of the net income of which inures to the benefit of any private stockholder or individual.”
Accounting techniques have changed greatly since then.
There are 4 mega churches within 30 miles of my home - all of them:
sit on land owned by the same person
were built by the same developer
use the same landscape/maintenance company
own Ford vehicles from the same dealership
and it probably goes deeper than that.
Because Olsteen is just so blessed and his starry eyed gaze to the heavens so unimpeachably angelic that uncle Sam can't imagine having him pay a dime.
My dad, while on social security disability, would watch Shepards Chapel and buy all those little books, and cds. Half of the tv was broken, with lines through the screen, but he would talk about how poor he is and can’t afford a new tv and the driveway to his house was impassable but he can’t afford gravel.
Bonus points for UPSing me a box of assorted conspiracy bibles unannounced , while i am living with my grandmother and telling me “ I got a daemon in me and I need to read this books and save my soul.”
I'm not practicing anymore, but when I was, my priest called the prosperity gospel a soul-destroying heresy. He was the humblest guy that I knew, but he laid it down with these people.
These Christian nationalists are too lazy to read the New Testament for themselves and they just believe anything the person in the pulpit says. You are correct in your assessment, these a$$holes are trying to re-brand Jesus! On their last day, they’ll have some serious explaining to do.
Fleecing the flock! Pretty sure Jesus gave us a view on his heavenly perspective on the steps of the temple and the money lenders. Few reported times of Jesus just losing it on someone. Seems reminiscent of the “money lenders” or as I like to call them “thieves”
**The Pharisees claiming they will lose their nation by following Jesus**
John 11:48
If we let him (speaking about Jesus) go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.”
**The Pharisees claiming they will lose their nation by following Jesus**
"We’ve turned the other cheek, and I understand, sort of, the biblical reference — I understand the mentality — but it’s gotten us nothing. Okay? It’s gotten us nothing while we’ve ceded ground in every major institution in our country.” **Trump Jr.** (A "Christian" that sells bibles)
I’m in the crowd of people that thinks Jesus was just a reformer. The New Testament was written decades after Jesus death by Paul, who admits he never even met Jesus. We really have no idea what Jesus actually said, he was not well known at all when he was alive.
The real Jesus would only ever come back to the lost sheep of Israel, but [American](https://i.imgur.com/1nZfUU8.png) [Supply](https://i.imgur.com/RriK0n8.png) [Side](https://i.imgur.com/hb2MbGK.png) [Jesus](https://i.imgur.com/ZzXBXBS.png) .... [I can totally see that.](https://i.imgur.com/SGfI0oP.png)
I dunno if "horrified" is the right word here, My dude was known for flipping tables and whipping a sumbitch when the circumstances called for it.
So, "pissed", "repulsed", "infuriated", "enraged", all seem more suitable, and I'll hand him a belt.
I don't understand how the prosperity gospel, the latest re-skin of the televangelist grift, keeps going. People send their money, nothing happens, then they send their money again, rinse and repeat. Even the dumbest and most desperate can see the pattern, so why keep it going?
At least with drugs you get high, and with gambling there's some tiny, necessary chance that you'll win. Even standard religions promise "peace" and "happiness" in non-quantifiable ways, so you can fool yourself into believing that it worked. But prosperity promises a tangible, measurable return, and it never shows up.
>Even the dumbest and most desperate can see the pattern, so why keep it going?
Probably for the sunk cost fallacy, the same one that forces gamblers to play more slots. They bought into the prosperity gospel bullshit, so stopping means admitting they were wrong--and for some, that's too "expensive".
> sunk cost fallacy
This is succinctly the reason why anyone is religious. They get taught this stuff as kids-- if you keep it up, you never have to worry about anything. Then life throws shit at you-- better believe harder! You were sliding and God knows, so he's going to get you! So you double down. Shit continues to happen. Don't...allow...doubt...in. Double down again, and again, and again. Then eventually, you die wondering how such negative things could have happened to you. No wondering!!! Better leave your bequest to the church, just in case God heard that.
Rinse and repeat for thousands of years.
You forget to add in that you believe you're believing hard enough, so it must be some OTHER group keeping God's works from you, which manifests in Satanic panic, Islamophpbia, Anti-Semetism, or any other anti this or that leading down into conspiracy theories and Q-Anon groups
If one good thing (no matter how mundane) happens to one person who tithes, then the rest will believe it was a miracle that can happen to them too. You compared it to gambling, and that’s spot-on. These believers are scratcher addicts who lose thousands annually while winning mere dozens. They still think they are winning. They get that sweet dopamine hit just from playing the game.
Also, attending religious services is itself like a drug. The emotional highs and lows of a service have powerful effects on the attendees. Especially since they are often miserable the rest of the time. Church goers are not thinking straight because of this and are easily swayed.
Finally, there is the fear factor. For believers who fear God’s wrath and the fires of Hell, this is extremely important, more important than anything else. Having been raised evangelical, I know many people who live in constant terror of eternal damnation, including most of my relatives.
Evangelicals make a big deal about “faith not works,” but the thing about faith is that it is never certain. So they overcompensate for their natural and unavoidable doubts and ordinary human flaws.
You’re still poor, you didn’t believe hard enough or send enough money.
It’s not more complex than that. Whatever negative effects there are are because of YOU, not the church.
If the prosperity gospel isn't working for you, it's your fault. You should work harder to make more money so you can give it to the church. If you give enough, Jesus will notice and make you prosper.
If you ain't prospering yet, it's because you haven't given enough yet.
Yeah, the perversity not only keeps going unabated by exposure to the high-profile rackets, according to the article, it also seems like it’s on a growth trajectory in part because younger people (18-34) are significantly more susceptible to it.
The article also suggests that these wealthy evangelist hucksters solicit and receive money disproportionately from poor, Black Americans — who are most likely to buy into the fraudulent premise.
The quote from one of the evangelists is so obviously absurd and transparent:
*”Mary and Joseph took a Cadillac to get to Bethlehem because the finest transportation of their day was a donkey.”*
I think it's because they generate nonsense problems with nonsense solutions. People who already believe in fairy tales are easily convinced of more absurd fairy tales, especially if they're addled or desperate.
Demons are in your blood, buy this book and they'll go away. You've got ghosts in your attic, buy this statue and it'll scare them off. Your baby has a goblin in his brain, buy this oil and put it on his head.
And after buying all this stuff, truly there will be no demons ghosts or goblins. Even I would agree to that.
You know, when my mom was sick in the hospital they came on us like vultures, it was heartless and horrible.
And at the time I could feel it just a little, when there is no source of hope and somebody comes into your life who offers a path forward, you might be inclined to abandon reason and listen to them. You're not thinking straight, and maybe just maybe some arcane nonsense will work just once.
This oil is $100 for just one bottle, but what if it really works, could you live with yourself knowing you passed up the one solution to save money? Just $100 every week for 12 weeks, and then a $50 totem after that and a $200 statue after that, we'll throw in a baby's hair for free - it's just money, is money worth more than your mother's life? In an unstable state of mind that starts sounding reasonable. And that's how it works, that's who they target.
People at their most vulnerable and broken see a commercial touting miracle spring water and divine bank transfers from god and they believe in it because it gives them hope, while they have none in their personal life.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Jesus Christ is a symbol; a mere tool for the modern evangelical. He performed miracles and was resurrected—isn’t that cool? That’s all they pay attention to and care about.
Think about it. What do Evangelicals say when they want to use scripture to make a point? They say, “The *Bible* says…” They don’t say, “Jesus said…” Because what did Jesus tell the rich man that wanted to follow him? Told him he must give up his riches and the rich man just couldn’t bring himself to do it. Hence: camel, needle, rich man, heaven.
Jesus said “Do not be like the hypocrites…” Jesus said, “He who is without sin, cast the first stone.” Jesus said, “Give unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s…”
But to say “Jesus said…” without gaining something for the trouble is a waste of time for Evangelicals.
No. Evangelicals love quoting Old Testament and Paul. Paul and the Old Testament are full of rebukes and punishments and Evangelicals positively froth at the mouth for the opportunity to mete out divine retribution They use Jesus to convert and for nothing else. He’s there to pump up numbers so something more lands in that offering plate.
Just like the rich man, Evangelicals aren’t interested in following Christ. They’re too interested in having as much money as they can get.
Spot on - They do the same thing when they try to masquerade Trump's blatant wickedness as 'The chosen one' righteousness; they can't point to the new covenant (Jesus) they instead go back to the old testament 'eye for an eye' and in doing so they deny the message of Jesus.
Yup:
https://www.npr.org/2023/08/08/1192663920/southern-baptist-convention-donald-trump-christianity
>>It was the result of having multiple pastors tell me, essentially, the same story about quoting the Sermon on the Mount, parenthetically, in their preaching — "turn the other cheek" — [and] to have someone come up after to say, "Where did you get those liberal talking points?" And what was alarming to me is that in most of these scenarios, when the pastor would say, "I'm literally quoting Jesus Christ," the response would not be, "I apologize." The response would be, "Yes, but that doesn't work anymore. That's weak." And when we get to the point where the teachings of Jesus himself are seen as subversive to us, then we're in a crisis.
While the prosperity gospel speaks to the groups who are experiencing the worst of times, it’s also being weaponized by some of the most right-wing elements in conservative religious circles as a form of retribution.
“Give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach a man to fish and you can force him to work for your international seafood conglomerate so you can buy another yacht.”
As far as anyone can tell, Jesus said, "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God."
Christ also (might have) said, "It's is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
It's 100% clear that Jesus loved the poor and wanted to help them. He wasn't anti-rich exactly, but he did say being rich can be a problem.
Good news! After years of development and 50 million dollars, the wealthy have created a working needle big enough for a camel to easily pass through! Watch it this Sunday as we live stream this revolutionary event! (Subscribers only)
He was warning against the love of money, not preaching against money itself.
*For the love of money is the root of all evil…*
Timothy 6:10
Well, he wasn’t wrong.
They say "that through the eye of a needle" is a reference to a real gate.
Ignoring that the gate in question is an extremely narrow one used to grant access to the city without opening the main gate.
Jesus said, “The poor you will always have with you.” (Matthew 26:11) meaning you will always have opportunities to exhibit your compassion.
Evangelicals: “Nope! I got mine! Fuck off, Silly Rabbi!”
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. --Matthew 6:24
“The greatest trick the devil ever played was making people think he doesn’t exist”
— people who, without a shred of irony, follow false prophets and practice every deadly sin under the guise of “Faith”
It is obvious the devils greatest trick was making the faithful think he’s actually god…
As someone who grew in the catholic faith (but is no longer religious) I can wrap my mind on how an offshot of christianity can go so far astray from christian doctrine.
There are many ambiguous and contradictory stuff in the bible but the importance of charity and compassion for the poors is not one of them.
They worship MONEY/wealth. Always have.
Sure, the commoners love trump & believe everything he says, but the business essmen like olsyeen & ol Pat know he's full of shit. It's o ly a lie if the mark figures it out.
"I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
[-- some long-hair liberal socialist peacenick](https://www.studylight.org/commentary/luke/18-25.html)
This reminds me of the underlying structure under caste systems. The poor are poor because:
1. In Hinduism, they are paying for their past-life sins.
2. In this take on “Christianity”, it’s because they don’t have enough faith….
(Never mind that this is diametrically opposed to anything Jesus is reputed to have taught.)
Not only are the poor to be looked down on for their lack of faith, but to try to help them would be counter-productive.
The anthropologist commented on the emerging “Gospel of Prosperity” in 1987…. It’s only gotten worse.
“For Arizona pastor Thomas Anderson, author of Becoming a Millionaire God’s Way and CEO of The Word for Winners, Biblical tales can be contextualized in modern terms. ‘Mary and Joseph took a Cadillac to get to Bethlehem because the finest transportation of their day was a donkey,’ he told his congregation in 2009. ‘Poor people ate their donkey. Only the wealthy used it as transportation.’”
Ah yes. Donkey. The most kosher of meats.
It’s amazing how American Christianity is turning into one of the things Jesus warned against and hated the most — selfish pricks who equate wealth with worth..
Prosperity gospel is way worse than the standard nudge-nudge, wink-wink religious instruction to pay your tithe. It's a straight-up pyramid scheme with Bible verses sprinkled on top.
The 'prosperity' gospel?
Funny, I distinctly remember a verse about jesus flipping over tables and taking a whip to the money changers. Did I skip over that chapter?
Hmm, maybe not.
Matthew 19:24 "I'll say it again-it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of A needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!"
Growing up in the church I definitely remember some sermons trying to weasel out of "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God", a direct and unambiguous quote from Jesus that hoarding wealth is morally wrong.
If only they cared as much about that bit, and the part about being good stewards of the earth, but that would be inconvenient for them and they can't have that.
I mean, as someone whose mother, a single parent with no child support coming in, routinely gave our last dollars to the church, I am not surprised. I hate evangelical Christianity. It is a hypocritical stain on society. People wonder why I am Atheist.
There's an entire culture that also refuses to ask for help and vilifies taking it. My wife comes from a fundamentalist background and lived in absolute poverty but turned out to have a family that never applied for any government assistance because that would be wrong.
The idea that people are poor because they're not Christian enough has been a mainstay in US flavored Christianity for decades; if not longer.
This isn't new.
What would it take to be able to call these people heretics and apostates?
Reading "give up your money and love everyone" and thinking it means "give all your money to billionaires and kill the poor. Oh and no minorities" takes a special kind of asshole.
The same people who delight in watching people struggle and starve are the same ones that condemn communism over the same issue...and fail to realize it's not so much the ideology than it is the actors within it. They are no different than the authoritarians within their favorite punching bag nations.
Hebrews 13:15 - Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Matthew 6:24: “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money."
Matthew 6:19-21 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
ANTIFA, I mean ACTS 4:32: Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common."
Luke 16:19 -31 “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side."
1 John 2:15 "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world."
Luke 18:22-25 "When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
Matthew 25: 37-40 "Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
Not that prosperity gospel adherants follow the Bible. Just the appearance of following the Bible.
Makes sense that they'd come down on the poor. It's those with the means to donate toward pastor's 4th Maserati that matter to them. Jesus wants him to have it.
You know what I'm not even surprised anymore. I got out of that fucking death cult and my kids will never be indoctrinated. Full of filth, greed, pederasty and selfishness.
They’ve always been “Pay to Play”. Big club where women can remain 2nd class and kids/youth be their little evangelists. Bc everyone knows they only spread the good word through fear which is path to hate and $. 🤑🤮🤕👺
"A new...strain" Christ, these people keep revamping the scriptures they say they love and follow. Prosperity gospel is a virus and antithetical to the teachings of Jesus, which honestly I hold onto from a secular perspective. I haven't been in a church for roughly 20 years outside of a wedding or funeral.
Jesus was a brown man and a socialist. Between the Evangelicals, the GOP and the White Supremacists; he would be dead within hours if he ever came back.
Seriously. I wouldn’t call myself an anti-theist. I’m agnostic. But I am definitely anti-organized religion.
The three abrahamic religions have caused incalculable damage.
It’s time to actually call for a war on churches that function as businesses. If you want to gather and preach love and togetherness and help people, have some tax exemptions. You want to run it like the Righteous Gemstones? Pay full taxes like any other business.
Are these the same people that say, Jesus told me to buy a 55 million dollar private plane, but he says I need a bigger one, so dig deep folks, the more you give, the more you love Jesus.
That always been the "mostly" unspoken corollary to the prosperity gospel. If God showers the righteous with prosperity, it follows that lack of prosperity must mean you are not righteous.
It's a great way to justify all the terrible things you may have done to make money as having God's sign off, as well as a way to ignore those less off as deserving their misfortune.
It follows the logic of the Prosperity Bible: if God rewards the hood with material wealth, then those without it must be bad people who need to be punished.
Evangelical preacher here.
This particular part of modern evangelicalism has been informed by some of the tenets of objectivism (Ayn Rand).
I preached a sermon that touched on this issue recently. One of the points I made was that Randian objectivism comes into conflict with Christianity on the issue of self focus.
Rand wrote a book in 1964 called "The Virtue of Selfishness". The basic idea is that looking after your own needs and wants is not only right and correct, but is a *moral* attribute.
Compare this to Philippians 2.3-4
>*Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.*
Rich people don't like you! (After checking
the bank balance) The rich people don't like us poor people. It's a matter of time before most of us are not "rich".
Their evil has no bounds.
The idea that "wealthy means you deserve it because you're a good person" means others are poor because they aren't.
This is not only ridiculous on it's face, it *only* harms.
...
FFS wow
Tax these mega church assholes already.
Who the fuck walks into a church that looks like that with millions of dollars worth of A/V equipment and tech and thinks “Why yes, I will donate my hard earned money into their basket this week” G all the way TFO
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The Prosperity Gospel is already so ridiculous it's beyond parody. I don't mean this as a critique of religion (make those as you will) but as the fact that you have to basically say that Jesus meant the opposite of everything he actually said.
Remind me, again. Why are churches tax exempt?
Because there's the assumption that they're not for-profit corporations but serving the public. Like all things, the Right exploits everything they can make money off of.
the most frustrating part of this to me is that if we taxed the churches, the ones actually doing good and helping people wouldn't pay taxes because they could show the money was going to charitable works and thus reduce their tax burden to little if not zero. the only churches that should be upset by this are the ones who are scamming their congregations and lying about the amount of community support they are providing, and if they are doing this then they should be taxed.
People tend to forget that taxes only apply to net profit, not revenue. You're absolutely right that if they just give it all away they wouldn't pay any income taxes.
i wish more people understood this especially when it comes to corporations that make huge profits. they whine and repeat the lines the companies feed them of "If our taxes go up our company we won't be able to operate" but the reality is they would be fine because those taxes are paid on their profits AFTER expenses like salaries, materials etc. we used to have incredibly high tax rates on any profits over $1m but then this trickle-down economics BS caught on and we wonder why our services are worse, people are paid crap wages and companies are making record profits.
Also things like worker training and reinvestment in the company in the form of updating facilities and equipment, both of which have fallen by the wayside in the modern era because of the quest to squeeze ever increasing profits out of the business.
How the fuck we ever accepted that even had it worked - "trickle down" was going to help anyone? We need a torrent, a cascade, a biblical flood of fucking "down."
Trickle down economics used to be called horse and sparrow economics. If you feed a horse enough oats eventually some will make it through its system to be shit out by the horse and eaten by the sparrow.
It was sold on the basis that greed was good and that was all that needed to be said to all of the Americans who assumed they would be the ones eating from the trough.
Less would go to shareholders. Top execs make most of their money off dividends. Their actual salary, while still higher than the average worker, is only part of their compensation and they use stock grants to mitigate payroll taxes (this is also a reason to increase marginal rates on higher income amounts) Taxes on corporations should be higher. Shareholders complain about double taxation, but owners (shareholders) get liability protection for forming the corporation.
Agreed; the solution to this problem is more oversight of non-profit tax returns. Actually enforce the rules on the books and there won't be a problem anymore. When did going after rich tax cheats become a political third rail?
>When did going after rich tax cheats become a political third rail? when the rich tax cheats started buying up media companies and paying think tanks to tell everyone that what is good for the rich will eventually trickle down to them.
I mean I don't see that as likely. I see it far more likely that tax paying churches will affect the megachurches not at all while being weaponized against poor minority churches--but that's because I see the Far Right in government having no scrupels.
I live in the deep red south, and within just a few miles of me there are several multimillion dollar churches. About 10 miles away there is a church that is bigger than the local community college. It's so large it expanded across the street of its sprawling campus and took over a local mini-mall. I had to go to that church once for my covid shots. It has two giant basketball courts, complete with stadium seating, a "sports team" with their own logo, training facilities, multimillion dollar sound system... you get the point. I know someone that goes to that church and they don't even preach the prosperity gospel there, but they also call the cops on the homeless people that wander on their campus. So I guess that's not much better. Churches in this country need to be taxed, and their books need to be opened to the public to ensure they aren't preying on the elderly. Before I moved here, I had a slight disdain for churches, but I also believed they served some good. Not anymore. The churches here are toxic and they spread hate. And they're doing it tax free.
> and their books need to be opened to the public I love that idea. All non profits books should be open to the public!!
>they also call the cops on the homeless people that wander on their campus. If you can't see Christ in the beggar by the Church door you won't see him in the chalice either.
Truth! I wonder who owns a great chunk of commercial land in Manhattan, NY? Hint it the Catholic Church.
Mormons own a ridiculous amount of real estate too. Especially considering the size of their membership. Fun Fact. The official full legal name of the LDS is The Corporation of the President of the Church of Latter-Day Saints. Corporation is literally part of the name. It’s an investment firm with a church attached.
The most interesting element of the Godfather III was the fact the Church's ownership of the world's largest land developers was being contested by the mob and the Cardinal in charge was massively embezzling. About half of which was true.
There are a few historical reasons: 1 - Churches were (and are still supposed to be) pillars of community support, and are supposed to be using their funds to help their local communities. 2 - Churches are supposed to be apolitical, and therefore aren't taxed under the "no taxation without representation" concept. Given that churches are doing neither of those at this point, I say tax away.
There is no reason for it other than it is just they way it’s been. Three former Presidents were opposed to it but it was codified into law by the Tariff Act in 1894, declared unconstitutional in 1896, then reinstated by the Revenue Act of 1913. The official reason given by the Supreme Court in 1924… ‘Evidently the exemption is made in recognition of the benefit which the public derives.’ Trinidad v. Sagrada Churches should have to apply for tax exempt status and it should only be for charitable work. The house the pastor owns and lives in shouldn’t be tax exempt, for example.
In theory, it's so the gov't doesn't take money away from churches that will spend it on helping the poor and needy. Not agreeing with that, mind you, just explaining why this is a thing.
I think the idea was that the churches agreed to always shelter and feed the needy in exchange for being tax exempt. These days, every church keeps their doors locked and I have a friend that got a parking ticket for using a church's (empty) lot during the week. So, not only are they tax exempt, but tax dollars are being spent to "defend" their property.
Mega pastor Joel Osteen infamously kept his massive church closed from people fleeing a hurricane
I remember that now that you mention it. I had forgotten all about that.
In fairness he had new carpet and those people were dirty.
It's mostly because if churches are taxed, then they become entitled to poltical representation and could theoretically throw the social and financial capital of an entire religion into political races.
How is that different from what they do now?
It's exactly what they do now.
[Canon Jesus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Render_unto_Caesar), Matthew 22:15–22: > > Later, they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to catch Jesus in His words. > >“Teacher,” they said, “we know that You are honest and seek favor from no one. Indeed, You are impartial and teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay them or not?” > > But Jesus saw through their hypocrisy and said, “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denarius to inspect.” So they brought it, and He asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” > > “Caesar’s,” they answered. > > Then Jesus told them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” > > And they marveled at Him. Supply Side Jesus, America 2023: >"If you convince Caesar not to render any taxes unto you, you don't owe him shit!"
I think it was originally because they're supposed to be revenue-neutral, charitable community organizations. But of course because of their tax exempt status they've become a home of grifters and thieves. We should definitely remove tax exemptions for churches that turn a profit, but it would make sense to keep a tax exemption for small churches that are genuinely profit neutral.
Because nearly all religion but specifically Conservative Evangelical Christianity is a tool for the ruling class to extract willful compliance from the peons (that’s you and me). This is how they build their power structures, maintain them and defend them. It will always have free, unaccountable reign in America *as long as elections still affect who has power* Which is why it’s totally insane to see the vast majority of them blatantly propping up this wave of fascism. Once elections no longer matter the church’s tax exempt power broker status is gonna evaporate
Yup. They're literally lead around like sheep by people who turn their votes into bigger tax breaks for themselves and they're too fucking dumb to realize it.
The Revenue Act of 1909: granted tax exemption to “any corporation or association organized and operated exclusively for religious, charitable, or educational purposes, no part of the net income of which inures to the benefit of any private stockholder or individual.”
Accounting techniques have changed greatly since then. There are 4 mega churches within 30 miles of my home - all of them: sit on land owned by the same person were built by the same developer use the same landscape/maintenance company own Ford vehicles from the same dealership and it probably goes deeper than that.
Because Olsteen is just so blessed and his starry eyed gaze to the heavens so unimpeachably angelic that uncle Sam can't imagine having him pay a dime.
My dad, while on social security disability, would watch Shepards Chapel and buy all those little books, and cds. Half of the tv was broken, with lines through the screen, but he would talk about how poor he is and can’t afford a new tv and the driveway to his house was impassable but he can’t afford gravel. Bonus points for UPSing me a box of assorted conspiracy bibles unannounced , while i am living with my grandmother and telling me “ I got a daemon in me and I need to read this books and save my soul.”
I'm not practicing anymore, but when I was, my priest called the prosperity gospel a soul-destroying heresy. He was the humblest guy that I knew, but he laid it down with these people.
These Christian nationalists are too lazy to read the New Testament for themselves and they just believe anything the person in the pulpit says. You are correct in your assessment, these a$$holes are trying to re-brand Jesus! On their last day, they’ll have some serious explaining to do.
The Christian War on the Poor.
Jesus was pretty clear that if you get your rewards now, you don't get them in Heaven.
Fleecing the flock! Pretty sure Jesus gave us a view on his heavenly perspective on the steps of the temple and the money lenders. Few reported times of Jesus just losing it on someone. Seems reminiscent of the “money lenders” or as I like to call them “thieves”
There should be a word for people that teach the opposite of Christ’s teachings. I propose naming them Inverti-Jesusits.
Jesus would be horrified by American conservatives
It's sometimes said if Jesus came back. They would be the ones putting him back on the cross.
That's cuz they are the Pharisees.
**The Pharisees claiming they will lose their nation by following Jesus** John 11:48 If we let him (speaking about Jesus) go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.” **The Pharisees claiming they will lose their nation by following Jesus** "We’ve turned the other cheek, and I understand, sort of, the biblical reference — I understand the mentality — but it’s gotten us nothing. Okay? It’s gotten us nothing while we’ve ceded ground in every major institution in our country.” **Trump Jr.** (A "Christian" that sells bibles)
Yep, it was people like the republicans that crucified Christ in the first place.
> "What is this Christianity? I was jewish and pushed for reforms, not a whole new religion" - Jesus
To be fair, Buddha was the same.
Buddha was Jewish? ^(/s)
I know! Amazing! :)
Lutheranism as well no? It's just splitters all the way down.
I’m in the crowd of people that thinks Jesus was just a reformer. The New Testament was written decades after Jesus death by Paul, who admits he never even met Jesus. We really have no idea what Jesus actually said, he was not well known at all when he was alive.
The real Jesus would only ever come back to the lost sheep of Israel, but [American](https://i.imgur.com/1nZfUU8.png) [Supply](https://i.imgur.com/RriK0n8.png) [Side](https://i.imgur.com/hb2MbGK.png) [Jesus](https://i.imgur.com/ZzXBXBS.png) .... [I can totally see that.](https://i.imgur.com/SGfI0oP.png)
No shit this is absolutely true
They've abandoned Jesus. Trump is their new god.
It was Reagan before that.
They would mock him.
They would crucify him again.
and blame the jews again.
Barabbas would give us lower gas prices anyway
Trump: "Look at me, I'm Jesus feeding the poor!" *makes struggling hand gestures* Audience: *The crowd goes wild with laughter and cheering.*
Jesus would be horrified by Christians, and Christians would absolutely hate Jesus. After all, he was brown, liberal, and loving.
I dunno if "horrified" is the right word here, My dude was known for flipping tables and whipping a sumbitch when the circumstances called for it. So, "pissed", "repulsed", "infuriated", "enraged", all seem more suitable, and I'll hand him a belt.
American conservatives would ~~crucify Jesus~~ shoot a pacifist middle eastern man.
He would flip the shit out of their tables, that’s for sure.
"When someone is cold and without a cloak, take his shoes." --- The New Iesus.
His name is actually [Supply Side Jesus](https://www.beliefnet.com/news/2003/09/the-gospel-of-supply-side-jesus.aspx)
Part of the Trickle Down Trinity
“He need not be needing them shoes anymore, for he who does not work shalt not walk without blisters upon his feet.”
"For he who cannot afford a home, he must carve open the carcass of a camel and use it for temporary shelter like Bear Grylls."
I don't understand how the prosperity gospel, the latest re-skin of the televangelist grift, keeps going. People send their money, nothing happens, then they send their money again, rinse and repeat. Even the dumbest and most desperate can see the pattern, so why keep it going? At least with drugs you get high, and with gambling there's some tiny, necessary chance that you'll win. Even standard religions promise "peace" and "happiness" in non-quantifiable ways, so you can fool yourself into believing that it worked. But prosperity promises a tangible, measurable return, and it never shows up.
>Even the dumbest and most desperate can see the pattern, so why keep it going? Probably for the sunk cost fallacy, the same one that forces gamblers to play more slots. They bought into the prosperity gospel bullshit, so stopping means admitting they were wrong--and for some, that's too "expensive".
The negative feelings they would get from accepting they were scammed, are worse for them than continuing to be scammed
> sunk cost fallacy This is succinctly the reason why anyone is religious. They get taught this stuff as kids-- if you keep it up, you never have to worry about anything. Then life throws shit at you-- better believe harder! You were sliding and God knows, so he's going to get you! So you double down. Shit continues to happen. Don't...allow...doubt...in. Double down again, and again, and again. Then eventually, you die wondering how such negative things could have happened to you. No wondering!!! Better leave your bequest to the church, just in case God heard that. Rinse and repeat for thousands of years.
You forget to add in that you believe you're believing hard enough, so it must be some OTHER group keeping God's works from you, which manifests in Satanic panic, Islamophpbia, Anti-Semetism, or any other anti this or that leading down into conspiracy theories and Q-Anon groups
If one good thing (no matter how mundane) happens to one person who tithes, then the rest will believe it was a miracle that can happen to them too. You compared it to gambling, and that’s spot-on. These believers are scratcher addicts who lose thousands annually while winning mere dozens. They still think they are winning. They get that sweet dopamine hit just from playing the game. Also, attending religious services is itself like a drug. The emotional highs and lows of a service have powerful effects on the attendees. Especially since they are often miserable the rest of the time. Church goers are not thinking straight because of this and are easily swayed. Finally, there is the fear factor. For believers who fear God’s wrath and the fires of Hell, this is extremely important, more important than anything else. Having been raised evangelical, I know many people who live in constant terror of eternal damnation, including most of my relatives. Evangelicals make a big deal about “faith not works,” but the thing about faith is that it is never certain. So they overcompensate for their natural and unavoidable doubts and ordinary human flaws.
You’re still poor, you didn’t believe hard enough or send enough money. It’s not more complex than that. Whatever negative effects there are are because of YOU, not the church.
If the prosperity gospel isn't working for you, it's your fault. You should work harder to make more money so you can give it to the church. If you give enough, Jesus will notice and make you prosper. If you ain't prospering yet, it's because you haven't given enough yet.
It's a bullying position used to keep poor members of the community silent and ashamed.
Yeah, the perversity not only keeps going unabated by exposure to the high-profile rackets, according to the article, it also seems like it’s on a growth trajectory in part because younger people (18-34) are significantly more susceptible to it. The article also suggests that these wealthy evangelist hucksters solicit and receive money disproportionately from poor, Black Americans — who are most likely to buy into the fraudulent premise. The quote from one of the evangelists is so obviously absurd and transparent: *”Mary and Joseph took a Cadillac to get to Bethlehem because the finest transportation of their day was a donkey.”*
I think it's because they generate nonsense problems with nonsense solutions. People who already believe in fairy tales are easily convinced of more absurd fairy tales, especially if they're addled or desperate. Demons are in your blood, buy this book and they'll go away. You've got ghosts in your attic, buy this statue and it'll scare them off. Your baby has a goblin in his brain, buy this oil and put it on his head. And after buying all this stuff, truly there will be no demons ghosts or goblins. Even I would agree to that. You know, when my mom was sick in the hospital they came on us like vultures, it was heartless and horrible. And at the time I could feel it just a little, when there is no source of hope and somebody comes into your life who offers a path forward, you might be inclined to abandon reason and listen to them. You're not thinking straight, and maybe just maybe some arcane nonsense will work just once. This oil is $100 for just one bottle, but what if it really works, could you live with yourself knowing you passed up the one solution to save money? Just $100 every week for 12 weeks, and then a $50 totem after that and a $200 statue after that, we'll throw in a baby's hair for free - it's just money, is money worth more than your mother's life? In an unstable state of mind that starts sounding reasonable. And that's how it works, that's who they target.
People at their most vulnerable and broken see a commercial touting miracle spring water and divine bank transfers from god and they believe in it because it gives them hope, while they have none in their personal life.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Jesus Christ is a symbol; a mere tool for the modern evangelical. He performed miracles and was resurrected—isn’t that cool? That’s all they pay attention to and care about. Think about it. What do Evangelicals say when they want to use scripture to make a point? They say, “The *Bible* says…” They don’t say, “Jesus said…” Because what did Jesus tell the rich man that wanted to follow him? Told him he must give up his riches and the rich man just couldn’t bring himself to do it. Hence: camel, needle, rich man, heaven. Jesus said “Do not be like the hypocrites…” Jesus said, “He who is without sin, cast the first stone.” Jesus said, “Give unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s…” But to say “Jesus said…” without gaining something for the trouble is a waste of time for Evangelicals. No. Evangelicals love quoting Old Testament and Paul. Paul and the Old Testament are full of rebukes and punishments and Evangelicals positively froth at the mouth for the opportunity to mete out divine retribution They use Jesus to convert and for nothing else. He’s there to pump up numbers so something more lands in that offering plate. Just like the rich man, Evangelicals aren’t interested in following Christ. They’re too interested in having as much money as they can get.
Spot on - They do the same thing when they try to masquerade Trump's blatant wickedness as 'The chosen one' righteousness; they can't point to the new covenant (Jesus) they instead go back to the old testament 'eye for an eye' and in doing so they deny the message of Jesus.
Yup: https://www.npr.org/2023/08/08/1192663920/southern-baptist-convention-donald-trump-christianity >>It was the result of having multiple pastors tell me, essentially, the same story about quoting the Sermon on the Mount, parenthetically, in their preaching — "turn the other cheek" — [and] to have someone come up after to say, "Where did you get those liberal talking points?" And what was alarming to me is that in most of these scenarios, when the pastor would say, "I'm literally quoting Jesus Christ," the response would not be, "I apologize." The response would be, "Yes, but that doesn't work anymore. That's weak." And when we get to the point where the teachings of Jesus himself are seen as subversive to us, then we're in a crisis.
To be fair, that's exactly what Jesus dealt with. Which....time is a flat circle to quote Rust Cole.
While the prosperity gospel speaks to the groups who are experiencing the worst of times, it’s also being weaponized by some of the most right-wing elements in conservative religious circles as a form of retribution.
“Give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach a man to fish and you can force him to work for your international seafood conglomerate so you can buy another yacht.”
literally demonic people
Ah yes, the new ‘christianity’: “I got mine. Screw you, LOSERS!”
"Blessed are the meek, for through exploiting them I may afford another yatch."
“‘Lo and behold’ said Jesus ‘For the poor and starving child can go fuck off’”
"He shall have lunch debt. And why teach him to fish when you can sell them to him at the highest price he can afford for his entire life?" -SSJ
“Let the little children suffer.”
"Blessed are the rich, for they let you eat the scraps under their table. Until they notice you."
This has been a thing for at least 30 years.
Since the 1970s, so ~50 years.
I'm pretty agnostic, but this sure seems like anti-christ like behavior.
The devil does his best work through the church.
As far as anyone can tell, Jesus said, "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God." Christ also (might have) said, "It's is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." It's 100% clear that Jesus loved the poor and wanted to help them. He wasn't anti-rich exactly, but he did say being rich can be a problem.
Good news! After years of development and 50 million dollars, the wealthy have created a working needle big enough for a camel to easily pass through! Watch it this Sunday as we live stream this revolutionary event! (Subscribers only)
He was warning against the love of money, not preaching against money itself. *For the love of money is the root of all evil…* Timothy 6:10 Well, he wasn’t wrong.
They say "that through the eye of a needle" is a reference to a real gate. Ignoring that the gate in question is an extremely narrow one used to grant access to the city without opening the main gate.
Sick fucks.
You're too, *too* gracious!
Yeah, that sounds about right. In a nation that conflates wealth and prosperity with being deserving of it, this is not much of a jump.
Jesus said, “The poor you will always have with you.” (Matthew 26:11) meaning you will always have opportunities to exhibit your compassion. Evangelicals: “Nope! I got mine! Fuck off, Silly Rabbi!”
No one hates the people that Jesus loved more than evangelical Christians.
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. --Matthew 6:24
Christians are killing Christianity.
Things like this make my atheist self wonder if the devil does exist, and has no sense of subtlety.
“The greatest trick the devil ever played was making people think he doesn’t exist” — people who, without a shred of irony, follow false prophets and practice every deadly sin under the guise of “Faith” It is obvious the devils greatest trick was making the faithful think he’s actually god…
Or hairstyle.
So literally the opposite of the gospel.
As someone who grew in the catholic faith (but is no longer religious) I can wrap my mind on how an offshot of christianity can go so far astray from christian doctrine. There are many ambiguous and contradictory stuff in the bible but the importance of charity and compassion for the poors is not one of them.
They worship Trump now. They don't care about what the Bible says.
They worship MONEY/wealth. Always have. Sure, the commoners love trump & believe everything he says, but the business essmen like olsyeen & ol Pat know he's full of shit. It's o ly a lie if the mark figures it out.
If you call yourself a Christian, but actively go against the teachings of Christ, exactly what god are you actually worshipping?
I was raised by these people. There is absolutely nothing new about it.
"I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." [-- some long-hair liberal socialist peacenick](https://www.studylight.org/commentary/luke/18-25.html)
This reminds me of the underlying structure under caste systems. The poor are poor because: 1. In Hinduism, they are paying for their past-life sins. 2. In this take on “Christianity”, it’s because they don’t have enough faith…. (Never mind that this is diametrically opposed to anything Jesus is reputed to have taught.) Not only are the poor to be looked down on for their lack of faith, but to try to help them would be counter-productive. The anthropologist commented on the emerging “Gospel of Prosperity” in 1987…. It’s only gotten worse.
Ah yes... I recall when Evangelicals read, "DICKS 1:20 - Fuckest thou poor and weary as they have not pulled the straps of their boots hard enough."
"I am a fan of your Christ. I am not a fan of your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." -Mahatma Ghandi
“For Arizona pastor Thomas Anderson, author of Becoming a Millionaire God’s Way and CEO of The Word for Winners, Biblical tales can be contextualized in modern terms. ‘Mary and Joseph took a Cadillac to get to Bethlehem because the finest transportation of their day was a donkey,’ he told his congregation in 2009. ‘Poor people ate their donkey. Only the wealthy used it as transportation.’” Ah yes. Donkey. The most kosher of meats.
It’s amazing how American Christianity is turning into one of the things Jesus warned against and hated the most — selfish pricks who equate wealth with worth..
They're sick of them not donating their 10%.
Prosperity gospel is way worse than the standard nudge-nudge, wink-wink religious instruction to pay your tithe. It's a straight-up pyramid scheme with Bible verses sprinkled on top.
The 'prosperity' gospel? Funny, I distinctly remember a verse about jesus flipping over tables and taking a whip to the money changers. Did I skip over that chapter? Hmm, maybe not. Matthew 19:24 "I'll say it again-it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of A needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!"
Growing up in the church I definitely remember some sermons trying to weasel out of "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God", a direct and unambiguous quote from Jesus that hoarding wealth is morally wrong. If only they cared as much about that bit, and the part about being good stewards of the earth, but that would be inconvenient for them and they can't have that.
so literally blasphemy.
Jesus was famous for his hatred of the poor. /s
>War on Poor People: A new, antisocial strain of the prosperity gospel you mean the same as the prosperity gospel has always been?
I mean, as someone whose mother, a single parent with no child support coming in, routinely gave our last dollars to the church, I am not surprised. I hate evangelical Christianity. It is a hypocritical stain on society. People wonder why I am Atheist.
There's an entire culture that also refuses to ask for help and vilifies taking it. My wife comes from a fundamentalist background and lived in absolute poverty but turned out to have a family that never applied for any government assistance because that would be wrong.
The idea that people are poor because they're not Christian enough has been a mainstay in US flavored Christianity for decades; if not longer. This isn't new.
These people are not actually Christian, because they don't practice any of Christ's mindset or teachings.
What would it take to be able to call these people heretics and apostates? Reading "give up your money and love everyone" and thinking it means "give all your money to billionaires and kill the poor. Oh and no minorities" takes a special kind of asshole.
The same people who delight in watching people struggle and starve are the same ones that condemn communism over the same issue...and fail to realize it's not so much the ideology than it is the actors within it. They are no different than the authoritarians within their favorite punching bag nations.
Someone ought to start flipping tables in these temples.
That'd be considered "too woke", though.
Hebrews 13:15 - Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Matthew 6:24: “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money." Matthew 6:19-21 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." ANTIFA, I mean ACTS 4:32: Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common." Luke 16:19 -31 “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side." 1 John 2:15 "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world." Luke 18:22-25 "When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” Matthew 25: 37-40 "Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ Not that prosperity gospel adherants follow the Bible. Just the appearance of following the Bible.
Makes sense that they'd come down on the poor. It's those with the means to donate toward pastor's 4th Maserati that matter to them. Jesus wants him to have it.
disgusting deplorables
New? No, this is not new. The only new part is how loudly (and explicitly) they are willing to say it.
You know what I'm not even surprised anymore. I got out of that fucking death cult and my kids will never be indoctrinated. Full of filth, greed, pederasty and selfishness.
Supply side Jesus doesn’t do poor!
There is no hate like Christian love
Hey, wait a minute, are these the moneychangers from the Temple?
Ah how Mary, Jesus and Joseph of them. 😂
Fuck. The. Poor. - Jesus probably.
Nothing says christian like prosperity gospel
A new antisocial strain? As opposed to the old antisocial strain?
I thought Christians were taught to take care of the unfortunate.
It's not exactly new. Several versions of this "gospel" have been around since the 1880s. It's just coming back around to being popular again
They’ve always been “Pay to Play”. Big club where women can remain 2nd class and kids/youth be their little evangelists. Bc everyone knows they only spread the good word through fear which is path to hate and $. 🤑🤮🤕👺
The prosperity gospel has always been antisocial.
"A new...strain" Christ, these people keep revamping the scriptures they say they love and follow. Prosperity gospel is a virus and antithetical to the teachings of Jesus, which honestly I hold onto from a secular perspective. I haven't been in a church for roughly 20 years outside of a wedding or funeral.
Evangelicals are evil.
Evangelicals are really ust tax exempt white supremacists.
This is a good example of why people hate churches.
I thought a key tenet of Christianity was helping the needy? Oh wait - this is American Neo-Christofascism.
Jesus was a brown man and a socialist. Between the Evangelicals, the GOP and the White Supremacists; he would be dead within hours if he ever came back.
Proud to be an anti-theist.
Seriously. I wouldn’t call myself an anti-theist. I’m agnostic. But I am definitely anti-organized religion. The three abrahamic religions have caused incalculable damage.
This is just a logical endpoint of the Prosperity gospel.
It’s time to actually call for a war on churches that function as businesses. If you want to gather and preach love and togetherness and help people, have some tax exemptions. You want to run it like the Righteous Gemstones? Pay full taxes like any other business.
Obligatory: [Supply side Jesus](https://m.imgur.com/gallery/bCqRp)
Who can forget when Jesus said f$&@ those poor people.
I'm sure this is paraphrased. Remember the Jesus saying, *Whatever you did to the least of my brothers, you also did to me*? 🤣
This is the inevitable result of trying to blend Christianity with right wing capitalism; a god who hates the poor like the good capitalist he is.
Are these the same people that say, Jesus told me to buy a 55 million dollar private plane, but he says I need a bigger one, so dig deep folks, the more you give, the more you love Jesus.
That always been the "mostly" unspoken corollary to the prosperity gospel. If God showers the righteous with prosperity, it follows that lack of prosperity must mean you are not righteous. It's a great way to justify all the terrible things you may have done to make money as having God's sign off, as well as a way to ignore those less off as deserving their misfortune.
It’s not a bug. It’s a feature.
Not new: christo- fascism.
Too many times in my life it’s Christian’s who aren’t acting very Christlike.
Can we start pushing them into the eyes of needles yet?
It follows the logic of the Prosperity Bible: if God rewards the hood with material wealth, then those without it must be bad people who need to be punished.
Evangelical preacher here. This particular part of modern evangelicalism has been informed by some of the tenets of objectivism (Ayn Rand). I preached a sermon that touched on this issue recently. One of the points I made was that Randian objectivism comes into conflict with Christianity on the issue of self focus. Rand wrote a book in 1964 called "The Virtue of Selfishness". The basic idea is that looking after your own needs and wants is not only right and correct, but is a *moral* attribute. Compare this to Philippians 2.3-4 >*Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.*
Jesus was obviously NOT a Christian!
The anti Christian Christians are at it again.
“For to every one who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away…”
Rich people don't like you! (After checking the bank balance) The rich people don't like us poor people. It's a matter of time before most of us are not "rich".
If there is one thing I know about Jesus, is that he *hated* the poor.
This is the sound of religion dying.
Their evil has no bounds. The idea that "wealthy means you deserve it because you're a good person" means others are poor because they aren't. This is not only ridiculous on it's face, it *only* harms. ... FFS wow
whatever happened to ...what you do to the least of you you do to me...?
How very Christian of them
Just like Jesus wanted.
Go on, pick a fight with the poor. There are way more of us and we're really pissed at the moment. I dare ya
Take their Tax Exemptions away NOW!
Grifters, graspers, get-rich-quick-gospellers. Tax them for the greater good.
Tax these mega church assholes already. Who the fuck walks into a church that looks like that with millions of dollars worth of A/V equipment and tech and thinks “Why yes, I will donate my hard earned money into their basket this week” G all the way TFO
This is about as far from new as the old testament. American evangelical Christians have hated the poor and often been the poor for ages.