Believers Invest in the Gospel of Getting Rich

[Anguille]

Kenneth and Gloria Copeland and their all-star lineup of "prosperity gospel" preachers delighted the crowd with anecdotes about the luxurious lives they had attained by following the Word of God.
Photo: Michael Stravato for The New York Times
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• Article: Believers Invest in the Gospel of Getting Rich

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But while a band primed the crowd, Professor Walton called the prosperity preachers “spiritual pickpockets.”
“To dismiss and ignore the harsh realities of this economic crisis,” he said. “is beyond irresponsible, to the point of reprehensible.”
The Copelands refused an interview request, but one of their daughters, Kellie Copeland Swisher, and her husband, Steve Swisher, who both work in the ministry, spoke for them.
Mrs. Swisher said the ministry gave away “a minimum of 10 percent of what comes in” to other charities. Her father’s current favorite, she said, is a Roman Catholic orphanage in Mexico.
The ministry has resisted providing the Senate investigation with all the documents requested, she said, because the Copelands did not want to publicly reveal the names of the “partners.” The investigation, which could result in new laws, is continuing, a committee spokeswoman said. Among those being investigated is Creflo Dollar, one of the ministers at the Copelands’ convention.
Mr. Swisher said that even in the economic downturn, the ministry’s income going into the convention was up 3 percent over last year. Asked if they had adjusted the message for the economy, Mrs. Swisher patted the worn Bible in her lap and said: “The message they preach is the Word of God. The Word doesn’t change.”

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http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/16/us/16gospel.html?scp=1&sq=copeland&st=cse


Are these people doing anything any different, really, than what is done in any other church?

 

[JenT]

I don't understand your problem with these people.

I'm not a Copeland fan, but there's nothing wrong with being rich. Solomon was rich, King David, etc.

There is definately something wrong if you get rich by ill-gotten means, and God warns us about coveteousness, greed, love of money, but there is no sin in being rich if you got there honestly.

It also looks like they've given away a lot to charity.

So what's your point?

 

[Luissa]

they are getting rich by telling people if they donate money to them their life will get better. I have no problem with churches but I have a problem with these people. They are preying on the weak and people who have little money are giving it to these people beliving they will do something for them but in reality the people are just loosing their money.

 

[Epsilon Delta]

"Donate to our Church and God will be good to you!" = D

The Copelands get an A for delivery; an F for originality. Popes have been doing the same thing for 2,000 years. Why do people keep buying this stupid shit?

“God knows where the money is, and he knows how to get the money to you,” preached Mrs. Copeland, dressed in a crisp pants ensemble like those worn by C.E.O.’s.

I guess the main difference is that not even the Roman Catholic Priest in his golden palace in Rome is this fucking blatant.

 

[Fatality]

they are getting rich by telling people if they donate money to them their life will get better. I have no problem with churches but I have a problem with these people. They are preying on the weak and people who have little money are giving it to these people beliving they will do something for them but in reality the people are just loosing their money.

do you have a donars list? then who the fuck told you that weak poor people are paying them? your dumb as dirt.

if youre going to say something back it the fuck up or stfu.

i can give you a run down on why i dont like em, but the fact is your not an honest person and you havnt earned it.

 

[Ravi]

Angie, I read an interesting article a couple of years back. There was so much criticism of televangelists and their ilk making a bundle off their followers that it was decided in evangelistic circles that money equated Godliness. Pretty good trick, huh? These people are always amusing if nothing else.

 

[Mad Scientist]

they are getting rich by telling people if they donate money to them their life will get better. I have no problem with churches but I have a problem with these people. They are preying on the weak and people who have little money are giving it to these people beliving they will do something for them but in reality the people are just loosing their money.

You've just described the Democrat Party!

 

[Luissa]

they are getting rich by telling people if they donate money to them their life will get better. I have no problem with churches but I have a problem with these people. They are preying on the weak and people who have little money are giving it to these people beliving they will do something for them but in reality the people are just loosing their money.

do you have a donars list? then who the fuck told you that weak poor people are paying them? your dumb as dirt.

if youre going to say something back it the fuck up or stfu.

i can give you a run down on why i dont like em, but the fact is your not an honest person and you havnt earned it.

watch THE 700 CLUB asshole. They always have people on there saying they had lost everything but decided to donate what they had left because they just knew it would make things better.

 

[Valerie]

I'm SHOCKED!

Nowadays the papers might call it ‘Indulgence-gate’, but at the time corruption was common in the church’s highest offices. Leo X was Pope in Rome, a member of the high-living de Medici family. He dished out bishoprics to his favorite relatives and tapped the Vatican treasury to support his extravagant lifestyle. When the money ran out, he made use of a fairly new fundraising scheme—selling forgiveness of sins. For a fee, bereaved relatives could get a deceased loved one out of Purgatory. At the right price, they could also save up for their own future sins—sort of a spiritual IRA. Indulgences, they called them.

Selling Forgiveness: How Money Sparked the Protestant Reformation | Christian History

 

[JakeStarkey]

Prosperity preaching focues on the material of the world. If the Copelands gave all to other ministries and charities, living within the limits of school teachers' salaries, then I wouldn't say 'boo'. They don't, and I will. My personal opinion is that almost all prosperity preaching is not to God's glory.

David got in trouble because of his power ~ he had a man virtually whacked because he could. Solomon did get in trouble with all of his women because he was rich; he could afford a sizeable harem.

 

[Smartt33]

they are getting rich by telling people if they donate money to them their life will get better. I have no problem with churches but I have a problem with these people. They are preying on the weak and people who have little money are giving it to these people beliving they will do something for them but in reality the people are just loosing their money.

do you have a donars list? then who the fuck told you that weak poor people are paying them? your dumb as dirt.

if youre going to say something back it the fuck up or stfu.

i can give you a run down on why i dont like em, but the fact is your not an honest person and you havnt earned it.

There are some people who have money who support those ministries. I suppose even some of them may be doing so because they belieeve it is a good ministry. There may even be some awesome ministry going on with them.

The main point is that it is a known fact that many who have nothing do give, believing they will get a blessing back. God is not in the business of selling blessings. I had a friend call one of those ministries one day. He asked them to send him $100, and told them that if they contribute to his need they would be blessed 100 fold. Guess what, they hung up on him.

It is "another gospel" that these people are preaching, and it is a lie according to the Bible. I don't choose to follow them in any way.

 

[Luissa]

they are getting rich by telling people if they donate money to them their life will get better. I have no problem with churches but I have a problem with these people. They are preying on the weak and people who have little money are giving it to these people beliving they will do something for them but in reality the people are just loosing their money.

do you have a donars list? then who the fuck told you that weak poor people are paying them? your dumb as dirt.

if youre going to say something back it the fuck up or stfu.

i can give you a run down on why i dont like em, but the fact is your not an honest person and you havnt earned it.

and further more you don't know me and you have no idea if I am an honest person and I could really give a shit why you don't like these people. Go sling your bullshit somewhere else.

 

[Anguille]

I don't understand your problem with these people.

I'm not a Copeland fan, but there's nothing wrong with being rich. Solomon was rich, King David, etc.

There is definately something wrong if you get rich by ill-gotten means, and God warns us about coveteousness, greed, love of money, but there is no sin in being rich if you got there honestly.

It also looks like they've given away a lot to charity.

So what's your point?

I think we now know how the Jent makes a living.

 

[Care4all]

they are getting rich by telling people if they donate money to them their life will get better. I have no problem with churches but I have a problem with these people. They are preying on the weak and people who have little money are giving it to these people beliving they will do something for them but in reality the people are just loosing their money.

do you have a donars list? then who the fuck told you that weak poor people are paying them? your dumb as dirt.

if youre going to say something back it the fuck up or stfu.

i can give you a run down on why i dont like em, but the fact is your not an honest person and you havnt earned it.

There are some people who have money who support those ministries. I suppose even some of them may be doing so because they belieeve it is a good ministry. There may even be some awesome ministry going on with them.

The main point is that it is a known fact that many who have nothing do give, believing they will get a blessing back. God is not in the business of selling blessings. I had a friend call one of those ministries one day. He asked them to send him $100, and told them that if they contribute to his need they would be blessed 100 fold. Guess what, they hung up on him.

It is "another gospel" that these people are preaching, and it is a lie according to the Bible. I don't choose to follow them in any way.

I agree....

 

[paperview]

Stupid & gullible people exist everywhere.

 

[paperview]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6Tx_EqVmzw]YouTube - Kenneth Copeland Reports lavish lifestyle Exposed[/ame]

 

[Anguille]

Stupid & gullible people exist everywhere.

paperview could start his own religion.

 

[Smartt33]

I don't understand your problem with these people.

I'm not a Copeland fan, but there's nothing wrong with being rich. Solomon was rich, King David, etc.

There is definately something wrong if you get rich by ill-gotten means, and God warns us about coveteousness, greed, love of money, but there is no sin in being rich if you got there honestly.

It also looks like they've given away a lot to charity.

So what's your point?

Just my personal opinion, I believe the "Prosperity Gospel" is what the NT calls "another gospel," and condemns.

I can understand why people see this TV money preaching as being wrong. I think I agree.

 

[Fatality]

they are getting rich by telling people if they donate money to them their life will get better. I have no problem with churches but I have a problem with these people. They are preying on the weak and people who have little money are giving it to these people beliving they will do something for them but in reality the people are just loosing their money.

gargling marbles again?

 

[Newby]

I don't understand your problem with these people.

I'm not a Copeland fan, but there's nothing wrong with being rich. Solomon was rich, King David, etc.

There is definately something wrong if you get rich by ill-gotten means, and God warns us about coveteousness, greed, love of money, but there is no sin in being rich if you got there honestly.

It also looks like they've given away a lot to charity.

So what's your point?

I think we now know how the Jent makes a living.

JenT made a good point. There are tons of other organizations in this country that do the same thing. Casinos are one of the biggest the prey on the poor and the elderly, giving false hope of getting rich. Why aren't people screaming about the poor people that are being taken advantage of in that situation?

You can find an example to put almost anything on this planet in a bad light, and these types of things are constantly used to bash Christians across the board on a continual basis.