Gotta Love It

[Sniper]

CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/02/07/church.scam.ap/index.html)

:sniper:

[Swordslinger]

Looks like the "reverend" Jesse Jackson has had some competition, huh? ;)

[GREYBEAR]

Jesse Jackson learned how to rip off his parish by studying Rev. Ike from Harlem. This guy would get up in front of his congregation and say that God wanted him to have another new Cadillac, and lots more jewelery so they should send him money and he would pray for them and he would personally speak to God for them. And the poor unfortunate IDIOTS actually would send him cash. <_<

:beer: :rapid:

[Sniper]

Some people are looking for something to grab onto and are willing to give it everything for a little peace of mind.

:sniper:

[swill269]

:o
p.t. barnum said "there is a sucker born every minute". :beer: :usa:
:cool:
"let the buyer beware" :eek:

[Tunug]

It aint easy to find a church today that isnt doing something wrong with the money they take in.

[swill269]

:o
it is not just churches, but nearly every institution which takes in large sums of money; for profit or nonprofit. corruption and greed come in many varieties, but always have the same effect. :ph34r:
:cool:

[Tunug]

yep, churches aren't much different anymore.
At school today in my campus crusade for Christ meeting (only "church" im involved in at the moment) we were talking about churches. This is what i figured... lot of churches start out with the best of intentions.... as their ministry and tithes (money taken in) grow, they turn into a business. There is one thing that dictates how a business operates: money -- the bottom line. It is barely escapable. Jesus went into a church and saw a market with buying, selling, and profit, and he got MAD! He threw over the money tables and rebuked the church!

I once worked in a hospital that was "non-profit." They made a LOT of money... and paid very low wages.... they had a lot of filthy rich doctors and disgruntled employees. As a result, the quality of service was ****poor.

[2CoolChris]

I swore to myself I wasn't going to join any posts about religion. Thats usually never good in discussion groups.
But having read most posts in most threads I find the majority of you very intelligent deep thinkers.
Most of you share similar beliefs about it all. I suppose thats why we've all ended up here?!?!

Anyway, It is true that the modern western church is nothing more than a business. Especially ones offering services such as school and daycare. Of course it has to be run like a business and it must turn a profit to survive. Churches do have staff working for them. Thats fine. It's how they do it that concerns me.
Example, my wife was just(wrongfully) terminated from her job as a daycare worker at a local church. She quit the first two churches. Mismanagement, Unfair working conditions, and it's all about the money. Not to mention the wat they treat the children.

So I called the head guy for the church and set up a meeting with him about his lady my wife worked for. Explained all the crisis management issues and other concerns I saw. Along with the high turn-over for employees there(because of management). And several other things I had a real problem with. Like calling my house and leaving rude messages trying to get my wife in to cover a no-show. Since our son attended there, the church resorted to leaving a message about my sons real sick and she needs to come at once. Wife showed up and they tried to put her to work on her off day. She got mad and left, said dont ever do that again. Next thing shes fired.

I told the guy, I really expected more from a christian organization. He offered no response to that. I feel like getting a lawyer. Wrongful termination.
And I have to tell you guys, we've delt with several churches and they are all alike. I look at a church now, I cringe and I know better. I went to christian schools till 8th grade. And lemme tell you, what they preach, isn't what they deal out. I have been so disappointed lately dealing with churches when money is involved. They are just a big a bastard as any other money hungry company. They'll slice and dice you in a heartbeat to save money or jip you. And all this in the face of God.
I get so disgusted dealing with these people only to walk out in the main entry and see all these religious quotes and pictures of Jesus. Give me a break. I ain't buying it anymore.

My uncle also just quit being a deacon of 14 years at his church because of all the politics and hidden agendas, and yes, money issues. Who gets it and why. It's gotten so misguided....it's sad.
Well, then again, most form of religion were nothing more than mind and crowd control. Granted, there's some good rules to live by, and some wise statements, but...ahhhh nevermind. I'll end up typing 4 pages. But it all comes down to the reason why theres a separation of church and state.

I'm thinking about a separation of church and me!

[Tunug]

Originally posted by 2CoolChris@Feb 26 2005, 06:31 PM
I'm thinking about a separation of church and me!
I know what ya mean... but I hope ya dont want a seperation of God and you.
dont throw the baby out with the bathwater... Jesus didnt like the corrupt church either.
Jesus went into a church and saw a market with buying, selling, and profit, and he got MAD! He threw over the money tables and rebuked the church!

I grew up in a church that didnt really seem to be Christ's deciples, and it sent me runnin... I havent found a church since. I'm startin to realize that church (meaning a support network of deciples) is necessary to help keep ya on track. Good luck!! I hope ya can find something that makes ya happy. Im going to Campus Crusade for Christ meetings every wednesday so i at least have some local Christian friends.

[2CoolChris]

Oh, just for the record, there will never be a separation of myself and God. Atleast not intentionally, besides my daily distractions. I am human.

No, just church as a delivery system. Which is all it is. Different flavors (denominations) to nourish your soul. Personally I'm finding too much vinegar in these flavors.

And I know not all churches like bosses are all bad. I have a real good boss now, so I know there's hope. Not everyone is bad or runs a business poorly, some are good. And love what they do.

It's also kind of frustrating since I want my son to attend church and familiarize himself with religion. Despite my personal observations of hypocrisy and misinterpatations of watered down forms of western religion.

Lately I've been looking into all interpratations of all forms of religion and spirituality. I've looked into Judism, the Torah. Muslim and Islam and some of the Koran.
I really enjoy, and have devoted more time to reading Confuscious, Taoism, Zen and some Buddism. Some of which I agree and is just plain common sense. Some ideas are warped by cultural beliefs at the time. So I disregard them. Yet there's still a message.

I've learned of American Indian beliefs and their theories of creation, as well as the Aborigines in Austrailia. Most of which is very superstitious and very spiritual. But interesting none the less.

There is a new school opened up near me. By Shaolin Buddist Monks. And I'm seriously considering enrolling my son there. If I didn't work so much I'd attend myself. I could use the discipline and clean up my life more. These guys are the real deal, authentic and focused. No BS, no games, no false pretenses. Just good clean living and philosophies reflecting such a lifestyle.

My core belief is this:
When the final curtian call of judgement comes, they dont ask you what part you played. They ask how well you played your part.

[demal]

Best to be in church with a few hypocrites than in hell with all of them. ;)

[lendell]

You said it.