I read an interesting post on the prosperity doctrine and Bishop Eddie Long. If you think Pastor Long is your average pastor, you are wrong. He’s rich and unapologetic. His wealth is directly derived from the tithes of his congregants. It’s created an environment where wealth is worship and hedonism is encourage. Where is Jesus in all this? Don’t worry, what they do down at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church has nothing to do with Jesus. It’s all about Bishop Eddie Long.
…and that's why it dismays me to see these mostly Pentecostal pimps milking the working class masses to pay for their jets and Rolls Royces, while at the same time introducing a new gratuitous strain of consumerism to society: Christian consumerism.
I’ve never understood why a protestant church would imitate Catholicism by installing a mini-pope at the head of a megachurch. It makes no sense to pay a 3.5 million dollar salary, and buy jet planes and expensive cars, just so a man can be established as the wealthy head of a church. What does it buy you besides the illusory trappings of wealth? More importantly, what does it teach others? That the pursuit of wealth is the purpose of life? I don’t care if long is gay. I don’t care if Long is rich. I care about what he does to other people. Does he suck the life funds from poor families to pay for his lifestyle? Does he teach people about love or is it all about wealth? If Long is a sexual predator remains to be seen, but I know the man is a pig masquerading as a prince because I can see how he lives his hedonistic life. I've met good Christians, and Long is not one of them.
(Note to congregants) It really does not help your cause to brag about Long’s possessions. Pastor and Bentley should not be used in the same sentence. Not unless you are willing to admit that the purpose of your church is to build wealth instead of something noble like easing the suffering of the poor.
The average salary of a pastor in the United States is about $47k a year. His Bentley alone is worth 6 fulltime pastors (and he just rides in it). His salary is worth 47 fulltime pastors. Who is he worth that much? How is this in any way related to the worship of a carpenter who lived hand to mouth and still managed to help the poor? The corruption of the Christian message is on a scale so large that it redefines the word hypocrisy. And… he’s accused of coercing sex from young men. Don’t you see the connection here? Long live a live of excess and is catered to with every want or need provided for by the faithful. The man has established himself as your god, and you worship him with your gifts.
4 comments:
If Jesus loves him enough to give him a Bentley, who the hell are you to argue? I would guess from the bitter tone of your comments that Jesus doesn't love you that much.
What is the Prosperity gospel anyways. Isn't just "their" interpretation of the gospels that, "they" claim, says Jesus wants you to be rich. I thought it was the opposite. Really sad.
Patty... you're either playing a poe role, or you're a complete idiot.
The thing about the congregants is this: They are typically under educated, low IQ, easily lead people who givien the lack of potential financial advancement are easy prey for charlatans in holy dress.
The are frsnkly too stupid to understand that it's not some imaginary man-god who makes edie long rich...it's their gullibility.
They will die impoverished and shorn...but they figure they'll get their reward in the great beyond. It's pathetic, but I can't rally any sympathy for them. Humans have had enough time to come to reality. Thise that refuse to see their is no great and powerful Oz, and continue to donanteto the "man behind the curtain" get what they pay for: false hope.
"Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God."
I think the above phrase is the key reason why they support and elevate Long to the stature that he has. Because everybody has chipped in to make Long as rich as he is, they think that those riches are also theirs. If they see the church as a part of their immediate family then they are indeed (deluding themselves into thinking they are) rich.
No, it makes no sense, but that's my guess as to the how and the why.
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