I wish that many people I know could see this! I know people who pray and send money of their own will and some know where some of there money is going. Personally, Ive donated $5 here, $5 there when I was going through a really bad time in my life to Joel Osteens ministry, bc I had hit an extremely personal low about 12 years ago, and Mema was in the hospital for like Gall Bladder Surgery or something. Anyway, she had him on the tv in her room, and I admit that I believe he saved my life, no exaggeration. Look! Everybody, no matter WHO you are, thinks about it. Anyway, after his ONE sermon, I found God, again, started praying, and thats when I started searching for things to do to be more involved in my community, and I found St. Ritas Young Singles Church Group, in my own FAITH! Its amazing, bc I had never heard of them, Im catholic, and they were there all along, since 1977! My life began all over again, I felt alive (not to mention...when I first joined, I had a cast on one leg from a 3rd knee surgery), I was active on my community, going to so many affordable events as simple as Red River, a country dance hall, going out for dinner...sometimes Tex-Mex, sometimes Chilis, but also, it brought me back to mass. I was attending mass and found myself offering to be an officer in the singles group, recruiting other catholic singles, and just having fun, I started taking pictures and uploading after events, and their webmaster would select ones for the little website, I even found myself HOSTING events, starting with either a simple Happy Hour to hosting a rodeo event that involved, organizing getting RSVPs, ordering tickets, making sure I got reimbursed for tickets, knowing how many admission tickets to get and how many dinner tickets to buy for those eating dinner when arriving there as opposed to some who would eat before joining us. It was scary, but I had so much fun, and I felt like had met a wonderful, honest, life giving group of people that showed me how to live again, bc I didnt know how, anymore! However, no one was getting money out of it. We paid a small annual due (like $35) that would go toward expenses for our newsletter, our annual dance decorations, reserving places for a ski trip, or anything involving the activities themselves. That money did not go in our pockets or toward any one person .The church had an account set up for our group, exclusively, and a deacon presided over it. It was an amazing time. I guess my point might be, and I could be WAY OFF, that if these televangelists are doing missionary work, traveling to places to help feed and clothe children, EARNING by not just praying, but GETTING THEIR HANDS DIRTY, like their supporters have no choice but to do, ANYWAY, its still worth debate. Im not the authority. I do personally think, Copleand, Dollar, Paula White, although they sound like they know bible verses & which ones to say to people coming to them in need of guidance, etc. Look at MOTHER TERESA (not a televangelist, obviously, but...) and the message she literally DISPLAYED and work SHE DID, rather than rhetoric! Im Catholic, and although the POPE (also NOT a televangelist) is worthy of protection provided, along with privacy, I still think that televangelists, even with the more techy times or less safe times, do go too extreme. Theyre testing the boundaries, even if theyre are doing what they call Gods Work, they dont need that. Mormons have 19 year olds on bicycles that go away from home for two years as their mission, as something as routine as going to college right after high school, its simply part of life. We, as Catholics, have lots of classes, seminary, seminars, priests and nuns who devote their entire lives and self identity to the church, living with basics. Any money they have in their own pockets is either from their own family or their own financial endeavors, not related to donations or tithings. As a matter of fact, I like to promote the idea of tithing as not only being monetary, but it can be TIME, TALENT or TREASURE! So, I think these investigations are definitely worthy, bc you dont have to have a private jet a mansion, the best of the best to spread Gods Word, Pray for your brethren, etc. in fact, having such a lavish life-style almost sets you that much further away from worshipers, almost making you a celebrity a.k.a. unattainable. If these televangelists have birthday parties for their kids or give gifts to their spouses and have dinner parties in their homes, even though thats private and their personal lives, who do you think they invite. Who comes to their childrens birthday parties? What gifts do they bring? Im not trying to stir the pot, bc Im not the expert, and I have no authority to presume what they buy in their personal lives, and Ive not done research to see if theyre also doing hands-on missionary work (Princess Diana), but its worth finding out at least if you are donating to something that youre being told what is going on with that money, you have the right to know where your money goes. Are they reading your letters? Even if there are so many letters that they have to have a team of people reading them, they still should answer those questions, bc if youre are Ill or are needing a job or need food, I say, lets just send letters with NO money, see how many prayers or responses we get. It just occurred to me; I wonder how many folks send stuff like this, or post prayer requests or post a nice little prayer or reminder of Gods love, felling better just by doing that than by sending prayer requests and/or money to televangelists, just out of curiosity?
Posted on: Tue, 21 Jan 2014 19:28:08 +0000
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