The cost of discipleship

[cleanhippie]

The Christian faith isn’t just a story about how to get to heaven in the next life, it a way of walking by faith in all areas of your life.

“We’re going to show you how to get wealth and use it for the building of his kingdom,” [Ephren] Taylor shouted to the congregation one morning in 2009. It was all part of what he called his “Building Wealth Tour,” which crisscrossed the country touting his investments and financial advice.

It’s a popular theme in Christian circles. God actually wants you to be wealthy and successful, and people like Taylor are called by God to help share this good news. But?

But according to the Securities and Exchange Commission, what Taylor was actually peddling was a giant Ponzi scheme, one aimed to “swindle over $11 million, primarily from African-American churchgoers,” that reached into churches nationwide, from [Eddie] Long’s megachurch in Atlanta to Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church congregation in Houston.

Ah. The cost of teaching yourself how to uncritically swallow whatever men tell you in the name of God. Of course, the difference between Taylor and megapastors like Long and Osteen is that the latter two don’t promise to ever give the money back. Gullibility costs you either way, but the latter way goes unpunished.

http://freethoughtblogs.com/alethianworldview/2012/05/09/the-cost-of-discipleship/

[Adsos Letter]

1. I notice your title is that of a work by Bonhoeffer.

His understanding of the Christian life was certainly the opposite of the Prosperity Gospel leaders.

[dimbear]

2. There's only one guy we can be absolutely for sure and certain is burning in hell right now.

A guy named Dives. Now-- strangely enough-- Dives just means "Mr Rich." Dives got sent to hell for the terrible crime of being rich.

Think I'm wrong? Find somebody else you're sure is in hell.

[laconicsax]

3. Actually, since we can't be sure that hell exists, we can't be sure that anyone's there.

[dimbear]

4. Of course. In the whole fictional framework of the NT.

Odd that even arch villain Judas doesn't clearly end up in Hell. Only Dives, who suffers awful torments, and doesn't seem like that bad a guy.

Probably going to have a space near Mitt.

[laconicsax]

6. Judas should have been portrayed as a hero.

If not for Judas, Jesus wouldn't have been crucified and died for humanity's sins.

If, as the Bible says, God sent his only son to die for our sins, then why should anyone who had a more direct role in that death be cast as a villain? If not for them, there would have been no "sacrifice."

[dimbear]

8. To nobody's surprise, a lot of ink has been spilled on the subject.

Frinstance, the Gospel of Judas seems to go pretty easy on him.

Dives, not so much. Poor bastard--he was rich.

[Dorian Gray]

5. I know that we will never fully agree re:

religion. However, we probably will agree on the "Prosperity Gospel" teachings.

I am attracted to religious teachings which promote a sense of selflessness. Leaving one's self behind is something that most modern humans can not do. The Prosperity Gospel teachings are all about selfishness. Wanting to believe that you are so special as God's follower that you will be made rich.

It's anathema to all I believe about Christianity specifically and religious teachings in general. Or how humans should live communally. We are one large world community that needs to look out for one another, and our human experience benefits from mutual consideration. Osteen to a certain extent, but most of these other preachers specifically, promote what Christianity and belief in God can do for YOU. Not what we all can do for the world at large. It leaves a very bad taste in my mouth.

[cleanhippie]

7. Does what you speak of really constitute more of a philosophy rather than a religion?

I too, am attracted to the idea of promoting selflessness, but I wouldn't consider that idea, on its own, to be "religion". WOuld you?

[Dorian Gray]

11. Nope

I think selflessness can be a personal philosophy. I don't think it's dependent upon religious beliefs at all. I can't say that I'm perfectly selfless because I'm a totally flawed person, and I do tons of selfish things all the time. But I strive to be. Christianity helps me on that path, though I'd like to think that I'd be on that path without Christianity or religion in general. I am also attracted to Russian literature (Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy) that have the human condition as it's theme. Religion and philosophy often come into play but isn't necessarily the central force for the characters.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

9. Whatever you think of Christianity, the "prosperity gospel" is not in line

with the teachings of Jesus as recorded in the New Testament.

If there's anything that Jesus emphasizes, it's being against greed, against the worship of wealth, and for generosity.

What those free-lance fundamentalists in the megachurches, many of them self-ordained and without any Biblical or theological training, teach has nothing to do with actual Christian theology. (And their congregations are usually ignorant and deliberately kept ignorant.)

[Dorian Gray]

10. Obviously

I agree wholeheartedly with your post.