"Oprah is coming, do you want me to save you a seat?" she asked recently.
I understand the need for church, I even like church - but all too often I view many churches as being more about appearance than content.
Mosques, temples and churches have always been grand in an effort to affect a sense of 'otherness'.
When one entered traditional places of worship he would put off his worldly persona in favor of his deeper and more true self.
These days one feels as though he is entering the lobby of a Las Vegas casino.
If a guy has a television show - chances are, I'm not going to be attending his services.
If the church has a book stores and gift shops selling their latest CD's and DVD's - I don't think I'll be going there either.
If there is an ATM in the lobby - the church is more concerned with it's profits than it is with The Prophets.
(Okay..., New IRS rules now require a paper trail of more than a diary entry to verify gifts under $250, so this may seem like more of a convenience to some. But I never fill out the paperwork when paying tithes or making offerings. "But we need you to fill this out so we know how much you gave us.", church members tell me. "I'm not giving you the money I'm giving it to God and He knows what I've given.", I say as I walk out the door. I don't believe in donating as a tax write off.)
If the Pastor, Bishop or church leader goes on a national tour in a private jet - his is not the church for me.
If the Christian Era began while most of the rest of the world failed to notice - maybe the Mayans are correct.
Maybe 2112 will be the end of our current era.
Maybe things have gotten so bad that we deserve to have our beliefs, governments and institutions destroyed.
It's CHURCH.Inc and not CHURCH.info so you and me both can spot the hustle. What happened to the church wanting to better it's people by giving things away for free?
ReplyDeleteEverything looks like the end of the world every year. I don't think the Mayans are correct but I do believe there will come a tipping point. And, on that day a snap back change will happen. But, I think we are far from that right now.