Danny Shelton Marries....again, 3abn Options

[Panama_Pete]

But then again, as has been previously pointed out, it is expected of televangelists and other religious characters of that caliber to operate on the model of using Christian ministry to generate significant personal (and family) wealth. So, IF that is happening in this 10C event, Danny would be operating well within the bounds established by his numerous colleagues in the other relgious television networks, and in many of the megachurches.

Yes, it is important to stress the word IF, as in "If that is what is happening."

Many ministries are prosperity based. They see wealth as a sign of God's blessing. They might see nothing ethically wrong with selling a book at a substantial markup to their own ministries for a profit.

Without any financial transparency, however, there's no way to know where a donation is going.

[beartrap]

Personally I am utterly repulsed by the use of the name of Christianity for the purpose of establishing wealth. In looking at the life of Jesus, I recall him saying that the birds have their nests and the foxes their dens, but that he had no place to lay his head. I also recall that when he needed a ride, he had to borrow a donkey. He could have said that his time was valuable and he needed a charriot and team of horses, but he walked in his journeys. If being a Christian means being like Christ, where does that leave many "Christian ministries"? I don't recall even one example of Jesus becoming wealty, or allowing anyone else to become wealty off of ministry. Are any of us better than him? Do we deserve more than Jesus?

Perhaps I am way off and totally wrong, but thats just a personal opinion.

[Panama_Pete]

Personally I am utterly repulsed by the use of the name of Christianity for the purpose of establishing wealth. In looking at the life of Jesus, I recall him saying that the birds have their nests and the foxes their dens, but that he had no place to lay his head. I also recall that when he needed a ride, he had to borrow a donkey. He could have said that his time was valuable and he needed a charriot and team of horses, but he walked in his journeys. If being a Christian means being like Christ, where does that leave many "Christian ministries"? I don't recall even one example of Jesus becoming wealty, or allowing anyone else to become wealty off of ministry. Are any of us better than him? Do we deserve more than Jesus?

Perhaps I am way off and totally wrong, but thats just a personal opinion.

No, you're not way off. I feel the same way.

[HUGGINS130]

No, you're not way off. I feel the same way.

What I am not understanding is the fact that Danny Shelton is being called out for all of his "so called wrong doings" but the main body of Adventism is no different, in that yeah they are paying salaries for ministers to preach the gospel full time, but the structure is just flat out wrong. There is no biblical injunction for the tithe to be used as it is...and once again the church body as a whole not just Adventism, is collecting at about or over 26 billion dollars yearly...why are not all members complaining that the poor are still poor, that the sick isn't getting the medical attention that they need, nor the food that they need, or the clothes or shelter that they deserve...it's because of this word here, Self absorbed! folks in the church getting that loot are selfish creatures, and don't give a hoot about their fellow men!

This post has been edited by HUGGINS130: Apr 21 2006, 02:35 AM

[Prisca]

These last few threads sounded to me a bit like support for taking the 'vow of poverty' that we hear so much about in the Catholic church. It would save a lot of money and rechannel a great deal, if the people who 'serve' took such a vow. Although I must agree that the 'servants' in many cases live larger than those who pay the servants' salary', I wonder just how much poverty do we really feel they should practice. Whenever a pastor gets a new car,buys a home, takes a vacation, purchases a new suit,etc. ...we note that Sister so and so is still trying to raise her rent after putting in her tithe and offerings and noone is there is help her. She is told that the Lord will bless her for her 'mite'. This is hypocrisy that I detest. There are no real vehicles for caring for our members' earthly needs.
Speaking of the horses, remember that we are promised to ride...upon the high places and have the heritage of Jacob, who was a rancher...

Priscilla

[Zephyr]

Here's how the system supposedly works:

You publish something using your own private company, set up for that purpose. Next, you sell the book or pamphlet (at a nice profit) to the nonprofit ministry. This transfers a nice, big chunk of ministry funds from the ministry to your own, personal bank account. What the nonprofit ministry does with the books or pamphets it bought no longer matters. The ministry can sell the books or give them away as free offers. It no longer matters because the author (you) has been paid. I understand that John Hagee, the preacher, earns substantial royalties. Personally, before you get all giddy over those free 3ABN Ten Commandment pamphlets, take a look at John Hagee's operation and learn something. The article mentions that Hagee's 2001 total compensation package amounted to more than $1.25 million.

Jackpot! That's how it is done. Those free offers aint so free after all...It is just a clever scheme to transfer the money from the ministry to the "author."

[beartrap]

I doubt many people would be very interested in seeing all the pastors and church leaders take vows of poverty, but making a living, and becoming vastly wealthy off of "ministry" are two different things. An Adventist pastor driving a Toyota Corolla that offerings paid for, and an Adventist televangelist flying in a multi-million dollar private jet paid for by the sisters who are still trying to raise the rent money after tithes and offerings can hardly be compared.

[Guest_statrei_*]

The sooner we get rid of the myth of religion the quicker we will experience the new life we all long for. It is illogical to embrace the myth and refuse to accept its consequences. Read your worlds history and consider the perpetual inordinate power, wealth and influence of the priestly class.

[Clay]

The sooner we get rid of the myth of religion the quicker we will experience the new life we all long for. It is illogical to embrace the myth and refuse to accept its consequences. Read your worlds history and consider the perpetual inordinate power, wealth and influence of the priestly class.

interesting... even more so given the fact that most of us lower our guard and skepticism when people start talking "religion."

[beartrap]

How true. Sadly, it is we the people who create the monster. We percieve something as a miracle, a great spiritual revelation, or a powerful exposition of a core doctrine, and we quickly elevate the expositor to the position of one who acts on behalf of God. We fall at their feet singing "How Great Thou Art" and they get a big head and start thinking that their voice is the voice of God. After all, everyone tells them it is, in so many words, or through implication. Doesn't being the voice of God make one more important, better, and entitled to more than the regular folk? The persons and religions "through whom God speaks" to us peons wouldn't be anything more than yapping Chihuahuas if it wasn't for us setting them on the pedestals that we have built for them.

Another mistake we seem to embrace is counting a measure of success as an indication of God's blessing. We see what we want to see, hear what we want to hear, and nothing else matters. A gentleman on another forum said that Adventist TV being on the air 24/7 is a miracle, and he indicated that as long as he gets its and sees the programs he wants to see, what happens behind the scenes doesn't matter.

[denisebyers]

Another mistake we seem to embrace is counting a measure of success as an indication of God's blessing. We see what we want to see, hear what we want to hear, and nothing else matters. A gentleman on another forum said that Adventist TV being on the air 24/7 is a miracle, and he indicated that as long as he gets its and sees the programs he wants to see, what happens behind the scenes doesn't matter.

It matters to God. Why shouldn't it matter to us?

[Clay]

It matters to God. Why shouldn't it matter to us?

how do we know that it matters to God?

[denisebyers]

Good question, Clay. What do you think?

how do we know that it matters to God?

[Clay]

Good question, Clay. What do you think?

I think we believe it matters to God, and it probably doesn't...

[denisebyers]

I think we believe it matters to God, and it probably doesn't...

Yes....like just maybe....He can still use it no matter what goes on behind the scenes....