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The Ponzi Prosperity Gospel
May 22nd, 2009
CommentaryReligion dispatches - Pen Itent.
Categories: Commentary;The Church;Apostasy

From an anonymous teacher with an inside view of the Prosperity Gospel. What happens when a theology of giving all you've got for a God who will enrich you meets the poorest and least educated?

Today we shriek as we hear of financial scams, corporate greed, and virtually anything money-related that isn’t entirely on the up-and-up. While religion has generally been a help in these economically difficult times, there is one segment of Christianity that is scamming as many as they can. Those who have ears (and debt) let them hear.

The Prosperity Gospel, also known as a facet of the Word of Faith movement (a louder voice in Pentecostalism), has been writing checks with its lips that’s its theology can’t cash. Last year’s Pew Foundation mega-poll, which surveyed nearly 35,000 people (one of the largest religion polls ever accomplished), revealed a few interesting facts about Christians in the Pentecostal tradition, among them:

• Pentecostals have the lowest incomes of any other Christian denomination.
• Pentecostals have the least education of any other Christian denomination.

The results show that Pentecostals have the most high school dropouts, the fewest college graduates, and the fewest post-graduates. But the most interesting thing is that they earn the least annual income of any other Christian tradition polled. This is shocking, considering that a main feature in popular Pentecostalism is the Prosperity Gospel, where church members are promised that God will make them rich beyond their wildest dreams if they tithe generously and believe that they will receive the money.

The trouble I’ve seen…

Not only do Pentecostals fail to out-earn the regular “non-spirit filled” Christian, they make less. For me, to read such information is heartbreaking, as I am a teacher in a private school that’s part of a Word of Faith church. The church is doing very well for itself, as most Pentecostal churches are, but the people are suffering.

I often speak with coworkers and church members as they slowly slip into despair. I watch helplessly as their hopes dim, and their pennies dwindle. When I attend a service at this church, I hear the pastors declare that God will make everybody rich, if only they will throw what little they do have into the offering plate. Loud confident voices echo off the palatial walls of the sanctuary, while weary, struggling believers bristle with the hope of God’s “promises.” My impoverished friends dance down the plush expensive carpet to the altar and pull out their dollar bills (not their food stamps and government checks, though they have those also) and cheerfully give. The pastor nods approvingly, his hands folded in prayer (a shiny Rolex on his wrist), his eyes misty.

Say what you want about the corruption of the pulpit, or the decadence of the minister—that’s not my issue. My point is that while the world howls at the scam artists who fail to deliver on big promises, Christianity has its very own Ponzi scheme that’s alive and well. At least when Bernie Madoff promised big returns he actually delivered (if only for a moment); the prosperity gospel doesn’t even do that much. When Joel Osteen, Ken Copeland, Paula White, or Benny Hinn take your money, you’ll never see it again (unless you happen to glimpse one of their private jets leaving a runway for Bermuda).

Creating “The Least of These”

When a major tenet of your theology is that people who invest in your church will experience wealth, while the facts show that your congregants are among the poorest and most desperate in the country, you have just been exposed. Further, when the national economy is in shambles, it should be criminal to continue to avoid taxes as a charity, yet earn immense amounts of capital on the promise of a better future. In the business world we call it a scam.

So why are we silent while this happens in every neighborhood in America?

Another concern raised by the Pew poll is the average profile of the victim. As Pentecostals tend to be the least well-educated group of believers they make a prime target for would-be millionaire pastors. In many ways, I am as green with jealousy as these prosperity preachers are with greed, in that the scammed believers have more faith in their little finger than I will probably ever know in my lifetime. They would give the shirt off their backs if they believed God wanted them to, and many of them have. These people have the purest of Christian hearts, trusting the intentions of their Shepherd as they’re led as lambs to the slaughter.

Bankrupt Prosperity

Imagine that there was a brand of theology in which people were taught that God has promised to give followers an additional arm, right from the center of their chest. Let’s say it taught that scripture had everywhere indicated that this was the case, and that by believing this “fuller” version of the gospel, you were opening up the as-of-yet closed off area of blessings that Christians have forgotten about (i.e. growing another appendage to better do God’s work).

Let’s imagine that after about 50 years the movement has spread worldwide, with followers numbering in the millions, and you look to see how many of these folks have in fact grown that “arm of the Lord.” Upon inspection you find that the vast majority of them have lost an arm, leaving them worse off and less able to serve than even those old two-armed folk. The irony would be overwhelming.

Despite the statistics, and the continued empirical evidence of devastated human lives (Pentecostals also have the most divorces), few if any Christians have plainly spoken against the Prosperity Gospel, or raised awareness that measures any merit. While high-level corruption and financial disarray are the soup du jour of recent weeks’ media cycles, this prominent and aberrant theology has been allowed to wreak destruction on a mass of people who are grasping at economic straws.

Prosperity Gospel theology is bankrupt. The debate raged for years about how much sense coveting money made in the context of biblical principles, but now the fruit has been borne and the numbers don’t lie: those who attend Prosperity Gospel churches are in fact worse off for it.

Pa Peace Plan: Iran to Share Rule Over Temple Mount
May 22nd, 2009
Daily NewsIsraelNN.com - Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu
Categories: Today's Headlines;The Nation Of Israel;Anti-Israel

Ireported Thursday by the Hebresrael may find Iran as one of the administrators of the Temple Mount, according to a new Palestinian Authority plan w-language newspaper Haaretz.

PA sources said giving up claims to the Temple Mount and handing over control to the 57-member Saudi-based Islamic Conference Organization is conditional on Israel’s agreeing to a final status agreement.

Iran, which is classified as Persian and not an Arab country, is part of the Islamic group.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has opposed agreeing to a new PA state without knowing ahead of time what it would entail.

The PA recently has escalated its propaganda campaign that disassociates the holy site from any connection with Judaism and claims it is solely a Muslim site.

A group of Arabs demonstrated at Shechem Gate in the Old City Thursday morning, shouting anti-Israeli slogans as Jews began celebrating Jerusalem Reunification Day.

Sovereignty over the Temple Mount, based in Jerusalem, has been one of the foundations for a new Arab country that the PA wants following the proposed expulsion of more than half a million Jews from Judea and Samaria, as well as from Jerusalem neighborhoods that were established after the 1967 Six-Day War.

The PA's official website as far back as 2005 rejected the Jewish connection with the Western Wall (Kotel), the remains of the wall that surrounded the Holy Temple area. Muslim legend claims that Mohammed tied his horse to the wall before ascending to heaven, even though the city of Jerusalem is not even mentioned in the Koran.

Writer Daniel Pipes several years offered one million dollars to anyone who can find the name "Jerusalem" explicitly written in the Koran.

The Israeli government initially ignored the PA propaganda campaign, but Rabbi Chaim Richman, director of the International Department of the of the Temple Institute in Jerusalem, warned in 2005 that the PA claims have “far reaching implications” for Israel.

Rabbi Richman said that the PA’s denial of the Jewish Temple's existence “is part of a campaign to totally eradicate, erase, and destroy all Jewish connection to the Temple Mount, Jerusalem and the land of Israel.”

Obama to Say It is Time to Divide Jerusalem: No, Mr. President, It’s Not.
May 22nd, 2009
Daily NewsJoel Rosenberg
Categories: Today's Headlines;The Nation Of Israel;Warning

I am horrified by reports this morning that in his June 4th. speech in Cairo, President will say its time to divide Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is and should be the eternal, undivided capital of the Jewish people and the Jewish state. Dividing Jerusalem will not make peace. Rather, it would send a message to every Radical Islamic jihadist around the world that Israel is weak, that the Jews won’t even defend the sovereignty of their own capital, that there is “blood in the water,” and that it is time to strike Israel and wipe her off the map. Dividing Jerusalem would trigger an apocalyptic war in the Middle East the likes of which the region has never seen. Already, the Radicals believe Israel is doomed to destruction. Hearing that the American President is now ready to apply intense pressure against the Israelis to divide their capital will only embolden the Radicals and convince them further that Allah is on their side, the wind is at their back, and they will soon triumph over the Jews and Christians.

While I am not surprised by where the President is headed, I am horrified nonetheless. Right at the moment when the U.S. and Israel need to be working with Arab states in unity against the Iranian nuclear threat, this White House is systematically turning against Israel. Despite all the smiles and boilerplate rhetoric from senior administration officials over the last few days that Prime Minister Netanyahu has been in town — promising to stand with Israel and maintain her security — what the administration is actually advancing in terms of policy is dangerous and destabilizing. They are playing with fire, and they must be publicly and peaceably challenged and resisted.

Mullen: Iran With Nukes 'calamitous'
May 22nd, 2009
Daily NewsJpost
Categories: Today's Headlines;Warning

Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen said Thursday that the consequences of Iran acquiring a nuclear weapon would be "calamitous" and that major powers must join hands and act to prevent it, Reuters reported.

Speaking a day after Iran test-launched a long-range ballistic missile, Mullen told the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, "I'm one who believes that Iran getting a nuclear weapon is calamitous for the region and for the world."

"It then, in my view, generates neighbors who feel exposed, deficient and then develop or buy the capability themselves," he continued. "The downside, potentially, is absolutely disastrous," alluding to the possibility of a nuclear arms-race in the Middle East.

"Major leaders, internationally, have got to come together to arrest this growth or the long-term downside for the people in the world is really, really tragic and drastic," Mullen said.

On Monday, US President Barack Obama expressed his wish to start talks with Teheran in the near future, following Iranian presidential elections scheduled for June. He also set a tentative timetable for his diplomatic efforts, stating that the US would evaluate progress by the end of 2009.

Mk Katz: “mr. Obama, Please Don’t Ignore Our Democratic Choice"
May 22nd, 2009
Daily NewsArutz Sheva - Hillel Fendel
Categories: Today's Headlines;The Nation Of Israel

 
Speaking from the Knesset plenum on Tuesday, MK Yaakov Katz asked U.S. President Obama to remember that Israel’s electorate voted against a 2-state solution.

MK Katz, head of the National Union party, received special permission from the Knesset Speaker to speak for 15 minutes on an “urgent motion for the agenda.” His topic: U.S. President Obama’s demand that Israel stop construction in Judea and Samaria.

“Mr. Obama knows that a full 47% of his country did not vote for him,” Katz said, “yet still and all, the moment that he was elected, it was his obligation to implement the agenda that he promised his people. The same must be true for Israel. We, as a nation, are sovereign to act the way we want, and once we decided to vote against the two-state solution, by voting for the nationalist parties by a wide majority, then the first thing Obama must do is to respect our choice, the choice of the democratic country of Israel.”

“Not to mention,” continued the freshman MK and veteran Judea/Samaria settlement leader, “that the areas in question have been our homeland for nearly 3,000 years – well before Islam was founded, and even longer before the Americans ever dreamed of founding their country. The entire monotheistic world – Christianity and Islam - knows that we were granted Divine rights to this land, and to say otherwise goes against the Bible, the Book of Books, and against G-d.”

“Mr. Netanyahu, on the whole, stood up proudly to the President, but on this matter of the settlement freeze, he appeared to be a bit bashful. If I was in his place," Katz said, "I would show great respect to President Obama, but I would tell him that, with all due respect, he cannot dictate to us our rights to build in the Land of Israel."

"We wish Mr. Obama well in his job, and hope that he succeeds, but we do not believe that he has the right, as the leader of the world’s largest democracy, to not show the required respect to our democratic choice.”

King David and Herod Reigned in Hevron Well Before Islam

Katz, and his three colleagues from the National Union, toured the ancient Biblical city of Hevron on Monday: “I met there with many representatives of the Arab media, from Al Jazeera and others, and I told them that we respect the prophet Muhammed and the millions of practitioners of Islam, but still and all, the fact is that King Herod built the Machpelah Tomb building atop the burial sites of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs hundreds of years before Islam was even founded. Not only that, but King David was King of Israel in this city of Hevron some 700 years before Herod!”

At this point, Knesset Speaker Ruby Rivlin interjected, “It was exactly 922 years earlier, not 700.”

Katz thanked him for the correction, and expressed the hope that the MKs would benefit from the important history they were learning. 

Praise for Netanyahu, Invitation to Emanuel

Katz concluded by praising, once again, Netanyahu for his general approach in Washington. He also invited top Obama-aide Rahm Emanuel, “the son of a Lechi fighter, to return to Israel, and we will be glad to have you live with us in Beit El.” 

Katz is a founding member and long-time resident of Beit El, the 10th-largest Jewish town in Judea and Samaria.

Jerusalem Day in Downtown Jerusalem
May 22nd, 2009
Daily NewsIsraelNN.com - Hillel Fendel
Categories: One World Church;The Nation Of Israel

Thursday evening marks the beginning of Jerusalem Day celebrations, marking the 42nd anniversary of the day the Old City of Jerusalem was liberated, and the entire city reunified, during the Six Day War.

The date also marks the accompanying defeat of Egypt, Jordan and Syria, which had repeatedly threatened to destroy the Jewish State and "drive the Jews into the sea." Instead, Israel won a miraculous victory, and the Six Day War has become a synonym around the world for "a modern-day miracle."

Events marking the joyous day have already begun – and not only in Jerusalem. In the lower Galilee city of Nazareth Illit, for instance, some 800 youths from the Ariel religious youth movement descended on the city to dance and sing through the streets with Israeli flags – a Rikudgalim event of the type that has taken place in Jerusalem for 40 years.  The Nazareth event was part of a campaign that began two years ago to strengthen Jewish cities in which the Arab presence is growing.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu says that Jerusalem will never again be divided
May 22nd, 2009
News UpdateJimmy DeYoung
Categories: Jimmy DeYoung News

On the day that Israel marks the 42nd anniversary of the reuniting of the city of Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu vowed to never divide the city of Jerusalem and he pledged to keep the city as the capital of Israel united and under Israeli sovereignty. Netanyahu also said that Jerusalem has always been a Jewish city, will always be a Jewish city and that it will never again be partitioned or divided.

The reunification of Jerusalem took place during the Six Day War, 42 years ago, and since then, Netanyahu added, only under Israeli sovereignty has Jerusalem ensured the freedom of religion and and freedom of access for the three religions to the holy places.

Jimmy's Prophetic Prospective on the News

Jerusalem Day, marking the reunification of this holy city 42 years ago, is a reminder of the past, the present, and the prophetic significance to the most important city in the world - according to Bible prophecy.

Parades, political speeches, and fireworks marked the 42nd anniversary of Jerusalem being reunited during the Six Day War in 1967. The recapturing of Jerusalem, after almost 2000 years, allowed the Jewish people to return to the city and to return the city to Jewish control which first began 3000 years ago when the Jewish King David captured this Jebusite stronghold and named it the political capital of the Jewish people (II Samuel 5). King David made Jerusalem the spiritual capital of the Jewish people when he brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem as recorded in II Samuel 6. Down through the centuries, Jerusalem has been in and out of the hands of the Jewish people, but King David did receive a promise from God, the Davidic Covenant, that Jerusalem would be the eternal undivided capital of the Jewish people forever (II Samuel 7).

The ancient Jewish prophet Zechariah foretold of today when Jerusalem would be a city of controversy (Zechariah 12:2). However, the prophet also wrote that the Messiah, Jesus Christ, would return and build His temple in Jerusalem where He would rule and reign forever (Zechariah 1:16, 6:12-13).

Bible prophecy will be fulfilled.

Bibi Rejects Obama's 'un Flag At Kotel'; Star of David to Remain
May 22nd, 2009
Daily NewsArutz Sheva - Tzvi Ben Gadalyahu
Categories: Today's Headlines;The Nation Of Israel

 
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu vowed at the Mercaz HaRav yeshiva in Jerusalem Thursday night that the Israeli flag will continue to fly over the Western Wall (Kotel). The first prime minister in years to appear at the venerable yeshiva on Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day), he ignored U.S. President Barack Obama’s apparent trial balloon that he wants to see the United Nations flag fly over the Old City holy sites.

Jordan’s King Abdullah II said the president put forward the proposal during his visit to the White House last month.

Prime Minister Netanyahu declared, "The flag that flies over the Kotel is the Israeli flag... Our holy places, the Temple Mount -- will remain under Israeli sovereignty forever.”

Between 1949 and 1967, the religious sites in the City, as well as all of Judea and Samaria, had been under the control of Jordan, which forbid entry of Jews to the Western Wall (Kotel) and other holy places, as well as barring Christians from churches. Israel immediately opened all holy sites to all religions after the entire city was re-united in 1967, returning the Old City to Israeli sovereignty after nearly 2,000 years.

In his short but enthusiastic speech at the yeshiva, where an Arab terrorist slaughtered eight young students slightly more than a year ago, Prime Minister Netanyahu repeated his “Undivided Jerusalem” message.

The packed study hall of the yeshiva interrupted Prime Minister Netanyahu’s short speech several times with applause. The first clap of hands was in response to the statement that Israel’s capital “never will be divided again.” Jerusalem Day marks the day in the Six Day War upon which the Israel Defense Forces liberated the eastern neighborhoods of Jerusalem from Jordanian rule.

In an attempt to appeal to the national-religious community after years of neglect from a prime minister, Netanyahu said, “It is important for me to stay in warm communication with you. The connection with Jerusalem unites all sectors of the people, secular and religious, as one."

Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had kept a very close relation with Yeshivat Mercaz HaRav when he was mayor of Jerusalem and attended annual Jerusalem Day ceremonies there, but he became more distant from religious institutions after he followed former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to his new Kadima party.

Prime Minister Netanyahu’s vow on Jerusalem was made in the presence of Israel’s two chief rabbis, Likud Knesset Member and former IDF Chief of Staff Moshe Yaalon, and Jewish Home party chairman MK Rabbi Daniel Hershkowitz.

It was the second time during the day he promised to keep the city united, having stated earlier in the day that “Jerusalem was always ours, will always be ours, and will never again be divided.” His speech was delivered at Ammunition Hill in memory of soldiers who fell in the Six-Day War in 1967

'we Reserve Operational Freedom on Iran'
May 22nd, 2009
Daily NewsJpost
Categories: Today's Headlines;The Nation Of Israel;War

Israel will not let Iran attain nuclear weapons capability, said Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's National Security Adviser Uzi Arad on Thursday, adding that the US was aware of Israel's security needs and knew that it would not necessarily receive forewarning of an Israeli strike against Teheran's nuclear facilities.

Israel maintains its liberty to operate against Iran, Arad told Army Radio. During this week's visit to Washington, Arad said, the prime minister "clarified that Israel reserves operational freedom, and several of the most senior figures in the administration said 'of course.'"

Arad emphasized that the Americans were aware of Israel's unique security needs and accepted them. "There have been past instances," he said, "in which Israel did not update the United States regarding military operations."

On Wednesday, CIA director Leon Panetta said Israel knew it needed to coordinate its strategy on Iran with other nations and that attacking Teheran's nuclear facilities would mean "big trouble."

Acknowledging that he had recently traveled to Israel to meet Netanyahu and warn him against a strike on Iran, the CIA chief told Global Viewpoint that he "felt assured" Israel would not break ranks with Washington's strategy.

"Yes," he said, "the Israelis are obviously concerned about Iran and focused on it. But [Netanyahu] understands that if Israel goes it alone, it will mean big trouble. He knows that for the sake of Israeli security, they have to work together with others."