Posted on 04/02/2007 10:54:32 AM PDT by blackbeardsghost
Correction: I meant she was mentally ill before she even received the inheritance and started giving money to the church.
From the article, it sounds like a lot more than 10%.
there is no dispute that over 11 months in 2000 Bennett gave the bulk of her inheritance to the wealthy church and a former pastor
I'll attend a "MEGA" church, when GOD dictates a "MEGA" bible....
MEGA churches IMHO are pretty much drive through feel goodism designed to make the church execs as much $$ as possible... and have little to nothing to do with the word of God.
I don't disagree with you but just watch the negative articles about churches that will come up in the next week. Clearly this pastor made an unconscionable decision to take that money without more serious consideration.
mostly against the mythical "Evangelical" denomination.
Besides it takes a while for the hundred-fold to come in--often without notice...
Yes, it doesn't sound like a normal trust.
No - I am just amazed at people that think they can get God to do their bidding for some cash...
What GOD says on the matter of giving:
"Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." - 2 Corinthians 9:7
Nothing in there about a quid-pro-quo
Well then, where do you think she got this "bizarre" notion? Hmm?
There should be a Government run oversight bureau for Churches. This would prevent this problem. I think they should tax and audit Churches as well. I'm about tired of seeing multi million dollar church buildings go up, and the purchase of as much acreage around the same development as possible. All of this real estate being purchased with money that is not taxed at the Church level.
A Fool . . .
Her Money
Tax exhempt status is the stick the government uses to keep churches in line.. if church would not worry about paying taxes, they could be free to say flat out, this idiot is pro abortion/ pro gay marriage etc etc etc and our church doctrine is clear on that topic and as such we do not support them and recommend our members vote for the other guy.
Make no mistake about it, the last thing the Fed wants is churches who actually pay taxes, once they do, they have no club to keep them in line with and the leftist/marxist/liberals will be gutted pretty quickly.
If folks would read their Bibles instead of taking what these "Prosperity Preachers" say for granted, youd read less stories like this.
LOLH (Laughing out loud hysterically).
Cordially,
That is a very slippery slope. One could get government controlled church quite easily from there.
I suspect that when this lawsuit is over that God is going to give back to her. The jury will most likely make the church return a substantial portion of the gifts.
I think that any jury in their right mind would have to conclude that when Lucinda Bennett gave all that money to the church that she was not in her right mind.
Ah, there's the problem...she bought into the bribe God with money, wealth and prosperity charlatans. They are a blight on the earth and criminal to even call themselves Christians. It's too bad she fell in with non-Christians passing themselves off as Christians.
That's really the unbelievable part. A pastor would know well any member who was giving this kind of money (it sounds terrible, but it's true). But any good pastor would know well any faithful member who had been hospitalized, especially one who had been involuntarily committed.
But, you know, she could always...get a job.
She does have a job and is going to school; it's in the article. But of course, her having or not having a job isn't the point here.
There is an undercurrent in Evangelicalism that sees material possessions (and money) as tainted by evil, and thinks that the taint can only be cured by giving the money to the Church. I have met too many people who feel guilty for having even small luxuries.
The Church needs to recalibrate its viewpoint on money:
1. If you can get rich, do so.
2. If you can get rich, be careful.
3. If you can't get rich, be careful.
4. If you have more money than you need to support you and your dependents, think about giving some to the Church.
5. If you still have some extra money, and already gave some to the church, don't be embarrassed to buy yourself a treat, whether an ice cream cone or a sports car.
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