Wealth in the name of Christ...

[Rust]

Golden Crosses, statues, jewelry, extravagant attire; all of these accompany the Christian Church. Yet thousands of starving, ill, and destitute people strive to make ends meet.

How does the Christian Church justify their material wealth?

I once asked this question to a nun, and she told me “Those things don’t belong to anyone, they’ve been there for a long time”. How is that an excuse? If it doesn’t belong to anyone, then sell it. They’re more than enough religious followers, museums and institutions wanting to get a hold of those things. Why are their no auctions held?

Why? Because the Christian Church ignorantly believes that their “material wealth” brings them power and divine right. They prefer that thousands of people die and suffer instead of them looking “weak” and “powerless”.

This is one of the reasons not to believe in the Christian Church, and many other religious institutions.

Just My two cents

[ArmsMerchant]

Makes sense to me.

Then again, you may remember the story in the Bible, after Lazarus was raised from the dead, that his sister annointed the feet of Jesus with this amazingly costly stuff, the cost of which equalled the yearly earnings of a man.

Judas copped an attitude, said that Jesus should diss her for such waste, that the stuff should have been sold to feed the poor.

He pointed out that there will always be poor folks to minister unto, but that she had been saving the stuff for his death, which was imminant. I can see his point, too.

Interestingly, the Urantia Book adds that this incident was the straw that broke the camel's back, so to speak, that this incident turned Judas totally against Jesus, and led to his decision to betray Jesus.

More recently, some fat guru was on Johnny Carson, and Carson asked him why he didn't seel his Rolls-Royce to get money to feed the poor. The kid replied "If I did that, they would just be hungry again tomorrow, and I wouldn't have a car."

And on the other hand, charity just tends to create and perpetuate a dependent under-class.

Maybe the moral of all this, is that there are no easy answers to complicated problems.

Still, I agree with the main thrust of your point.

[DarkFire47]

Don't forget that goofy televangelist that was recently released from jail for scamming people into donations on TV. Something on the lines of suicide if he did not get some amount of $$.

[whaziznaim]

You are pretty good at pointing out the areas of the catholic church that need a little work, but you forget about the work the church does to to bring a better life to those in need. I am sure you have seen Catholic Thrift Stores around town. Where do you think that money goes to?

How many athiestic societies go to visit assisted living centers, hospitals, and jails on a regular basis? I do not know of a single one. Let me assure you that every single week thousands of good catholic men and women volunteer their time to help people who have found themselves in those places. A great deal of homeless shelters and soup kitchens are fully sponsored by one church or another throughout the entire world.

How about hospitals that are established by the catholic church? Try counting those! As a matter of fact we have the catholic church to thank for hospitals as we know them.

Catholic monastaries and convents all over the world attend to people's need regardless of who they are or what they need. The men and women who staff these facitities have absolutly no profit motive, they are concerned only with the welfare of others.

As far as the elaborate habits worn during religous ceremonies - catholics are far from the first or only institution that has that going on. Besides, the habits worn by most catholics are nothing special, in fact, they were usually chosen because of the lack of value they carried.

[Lovley]

quote:Originally posted by whaziznaim:

You are pretty good at pointing out the areas of the catholic church that need a little work, but you forget about the work the church does to to bring a better life to those in need. I am sure you have seen Catholic Thrift Stores around town. Where do you think that money goes to?

How many athiestic societies go to visit assisted living centers, hospitals, and jails on a regular basis? I do not know of a single one. Let me assure you that every single week thousands of good catholic men and women volunteer their time to help people who have found themselves in those places. A great deal of homeless shelters and soup kitchens are fully sponsored by one church or another throughout the entire world.

How about hospitals that are established by the catholic church? Try counting those! As a matter of fact we have the catholic church to thank for hospitals as we know them.

Catholic monastaries and convents all over the world attend to people's need regardless of who they are or what they need. The men and women who staff these facitities have absolutly no profit motive, they are concerned only with the welfare of others.

As far as the elaborate habits worn during religous ceremonies - catholics are far from the first or only institution that has that going on. Besides, the habits worn by most catholics are nothing special, in fact, they were usually chosen because of the lack of value they carried.

It's no use trying to boost the Catholic church. I mean, several priests ruined many little boys' lives! (You cannot forget their tendency to fondle with little boys, can you?) Their reputation is shot.

[Rust]

whaziznaim,

Most, if not all, of your claims point to good Catholics or Christians, not the Christian Church.

I did not say, in anyway, that the Christian Church has not done good deeds. Yet I fail to see how "great" it is, when the Vatican is filled with Gold symbols, statues and material things, while thousands of people suffer day in and day out. This is contrary to Jesus’ very own teachings, teachings that the Christian Church says it's based upon.

Answer this: Why have those material things?

[crunked]

I don't think there is any way in the world to justify the wealth of churches, christian or otherwise. In poverty sticken areas, there are elaborate "houses of god" being erected all the time. Saying, "they would just be hungry again tomorrow", is a cop out.

No better place than church for hypocrites.

You are confusing cardinal law with Christian doctrine... Define Christian church, considering there is no "Christian church" there is Catholic which is the one I think you are lookig at, It is not fair to judge the other denominations of christianity. Now, The Catholic Church, in terms of Cardinal Law contradicts itself many a time, Especially when you say that The church is wealthy, and does not help the poor when actually they dragged people of the street and saved them in the middle ages. There is so much wrong in your statement, you realy are not worth my time.

[Rust]

quote: considering there is no "Christian church

Christian Church: group of Christians; any group professing Christian doctrine or belief; "church is a biblical term for assembly" [syn: church, Christian church, Christianity] 2: a Protestant church that accepts the Bible as the only source of true Christian faith and practices baptism by immersion [syn: Christian Church, Disciples of Christ]

quote: Especially when you say that The church is wealthy, and does not help the poor when actually they dragged people of the street and saved them in the middle ages

Did you not read What I said? Please go over it again. I NEVER said they have not done good deeds. Yet they have, keep and flaunt that material wealth, without any justifiable reason.

Answer this: Why keep that material wealth?

[Insanity540]

I agree with Rust's point.

Very well observed, and raises a good question.

There are numerous flaws with religion in my opinion, I won't mention my views....well maybe a few in my own posts,

but good one Rust.