Junk Mail

[RedOctober]

So yesterday we get back from our trip in Sedona...had a great time.

Today I get some junk mail that I'm practically at a loss of words as to how much it disgusts me.

It came from the "St. Matthew's Churches". I open it up and the first thing I see before even beginning to read it, it bold letters, all caps and underlined "GOD BLESSED ME WITH OVER $5,000.00".....

.....and thats when my stomach turned. And of course when I did start reading it, there were allusions to healings and such but far more references to money and wealth. I'm offended....deeply!

Oh....and it gets better. Along with this rubbish, there is a (paper) "prayer rug" with the Hellenistic image of world acknowledged Christ. So basically they sent me an icon thats a play on a tradition of worship. I really need to get the barf emotes back in soon, because this obviously fits the bill.

By the way, this is the second time I've received this trash. I'm sending this false Christianity (and yes by virtue I mean the sender of this is a false Christian) straight to the fire place.

The fact that someone can state they believe in Christ and promote this junk is baffling. Then again, hypocrisy knows no bounds. And to think, some apostates have the nerve to call Molokans a cult....they really need to look in the mirror....

[fourvetta]

(01-06-2010 09:04 PM)RedOctober Wrote:  So yesterday we get back from our trip in Sedona...had a great time.

Today I get some junk mail that I'm practically at a loss of words as to how much it disgusts me.

It came from the "St. Matthew's Churches". I open it up and the first thing I see before even beginning to read it, it bold letters, all caps and underlined "GOD BLESSED ME WITH OVER $5,000.00".....

.....and thats when my stomach turned. And of course when I did start reading it, there were allusions to healings and such but far more references to money and wealth. I'm offended....deeply!

Oh....and it gets better. Along with this rubbish, there is a (paper) "prayer rug" with the Hellenistic image of world acknowledged Christ. So basically they sent me an icon thats a play on a tradition of worship. I really need to get the barf emotes back in soon, because this obviously fits the bill.

By the way, this is the second time I've received this trash. I'm sending this false Christianity (and yes by virtue I mean the sender of this is a false Christian) straight to the fire place.

The fact that someone can state they believe in Christ and promote this junk is baffling. Then again, hypocrisy knows no bounds. And to think, some apostates have the nerve to call Molokans a cult....they really need to look in the mirror....

False christianity is an abomination to me.

As a cruel joke, someone put me on Greg Laury's Harvest crusade list.

About once a month I get mail asking for monetary donations.

I would rather burn my money.

[RedOctober]

(01-06-2010 09:11 PM)fourvetta Wrote:  False christianity is an abomination to me.

As a cruel joke, someone put me on Greg Laury's Harvest crusade list.

About once a month I get mail asking for monetary donations.

I would rather burn my money.

Did a quick Google, apparently this Church is known to have a bit of a reputation problem amongst the main stream, but at the same time the guy who runs it was also a fundraiser for the infamous Oral Roberts....funny, but you sure don't see them doing much about it.

Maybe because they would also be implicating themselves? As an Athiest once told me....Modern Christianity is a racket.

Oh and yeah, that was cruel....but look at it this way, now you have kindle for your fireplace.

[wall]

(01-06-2010 09:04 PM)RedOctober Wrote:  So yesterday we get back from our trip in Sedona...had a great time.

Today I get some junk mail that I'm practically at a loss of words as to how much it disgusts me.

It came from the "St. Matthew's Churches". I open it up and the first thing I see before even beginning to read it, it bold letters, all caps and underlined "GOD BLESSED ME WITH OVER $5,000.00".....

.....and thats when my stomach turned. And of course when I did start reading it, there were allusions to healings and such but far more references to money and wealth. I'm offended....deeply!

Oh....and it gets better. Along with this rubbish, there is a (paper) "prayer rug" with the Hellenistic image of world acknowledged Christ. So basically they sent me an icon thats a play on a tradition of worship. I really need to get the barf emotes back in soon, because this obviously fits the bill.

By the way, this is the second time I've received this trash. I'm sending this false Christianity (and yes by virtue I mean the sender of this is a false Christian) straight to the fire place.

The fact that someone can state they believe in Christ and promote this junk is baffling. Then again, hypocrisy knows no bounds. And to think, some apostates have the nerve to call Molokans a cult....they really need to look in the mirror....

This type of false hope really does more damage then good. Can you imagine how many people form a foundation in following God based upon the promise of wealth and health? Only to be let down when these false promises don't come through shaking up their false faith. Scripture says we will suffer more for following Him:

Romans 8:35-36
35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written:
"For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."


Philippians 1:27-29
27Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel 28without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. 29For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, 30since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.


An interesting realization my wife and I came up with recently is how Job was put through trials because of his strength not is weakness. Maybe this is why we are to rejoice in our sufferings.

[stevepiv]

Red,

Of course they probably said God Blessed them after donating to their cause. BARF BARF BARF

[RedOctober]

Spurious and false promises of wealth and "everything will suddenly become magically better" is essentially the 800 pound gorilla in the room for what seems to be a majority of the Protestant Religions.

Many of their recruitment tactics often play on that weakness of people and of course, people who may be desperate for hope (physical hope to be exact), fall for it. The economic incentives for Protestant Religions to go this route are huge. Just to give a few examples:

1. There is a a huge Baptist "Complex" just outside of Lancaster that looks like a small university.

2. One of the largest auditoriums I've been inside of was a Calvary auditorium in Thousand Oaks. Company I work for used it a couple of times to fit the whole division in there a couple of times for an annual meeting....the city auditorium wasn't large enough. They eventually dropped the Calvary one due to...ahem, people accosting them to convert and and donate.

Those fancy things don't get built with donations from them passing a plate around alone.

I know of one individual that was more or less given the boot from there new-found church that was vastly different from those awful Molokans. The new church gave them a lot of "leads" for sales...only this individual did not give out a cut for their new-found church. As one Econ professor I had was so fondly of stating "There is no such thing as a free lunch".

[wall]

Don't toot our horn to loud. I know one Molokan church has around a $7,000 dollar joining fee. And it almost got up to $12,000.

I wouldn't say a majority of other churches preach this false message. I have many relatives and friends who belong to a number of different churches, and this message isn't preached. Maybe the attendence are just very willing to share their money. Some churches practice tithing according to the old law, which would allow such extravagant buildings. Reading the Old Testament one of my favorite parts was when building things such as the Ark of the Covenent or the Temple how free and opened peoples hearts were at donating to such projects. Tithing, unless done personally is not something us Molokans practice or understand. I've mentioned it to a few Molokans when we needed money for church projects, I got looks like I'm crazy.

Once in a while I watch Creflo Dollar on TV. He's one of the worse 'donate your money and God will bless you tenfold' type. I had to stop, the wife didn't want to hear me yelling at the TV anymore. Now I call him Creflo MillionDollar.

[RedOctober]

(01-07-2010 12:53 PM)wall Wrote:  Don't toot our horn to loud. I know one Molokan church has around a $7,000 dollar joining fee. And it almost got up to $12,000.

I wouldn't say a majority of other churches preach this false message. I have many relatives and friends who belong to a number of different churches, and this message isn't preached. Maybe the attendence are just very willing to share their money. Some churches practice tithing according to the old law, which would allow such extravagant buildings. Reading the Old Testament one of my favorite parts was when building things such as the Ark of the Covenent or the Temple how free and opened peoples hearts were at donating to such projects. Tithing, unless done personally is not something us Molokans practice or understand. I've mentioned it to a few Molokans when we needed money for church projects, I got looks like I'm crazy.

Once in a while I watch Creflo Dollar on TV. He's one of the worse 'donate your money and God will bless you tenfold' type. I had to stop, the wife didn't want to hear me yelling at the TV anymore. Now I call him Creflo MillionDollar.

I have to giggle a bit at that wall. How many lavish ornate churches do you see amongst the Molokans? When was the last time a church was shut down due to not pulling in enough "income"? How often do you hear a funding drive? Does donating in a Molokan Church get you a better seat? How much do our ministers....virtually a full time job, get paid?

If the church recently moved I can see the reason for a high cost to join. If nothing else, to cover the costs of building, remodeling, insurance, permits, etc.

Oh I agree many don't "preach" this message, quite frankly, most do there best to avoid this stigma. However, the economic pressures are there and "push" is much more relevant.

And on point with the Ark of the Covenant...lets remember, they used a tent. An extravagant temple didn't get started until much later...also thats when the Israelites seemed to be more prone to idolatry. Coincidence?

[Guest]

Let me see you guys are talking down these mega churches and yet every Molokan church out there could barely fill a sunday service.
It is always the same ten people there.....so what is the problem?

[RedOctober]

(01-07-2010 02:41 PM)Guest Wrote:  Let me see you guys are talking down these mega churches and yet every Molokan church out there could barely fill a sunday service.
It is always the same ten people there.....so what is the problem?

No one says Molokans are not without there problems....but I'll take the attendance issue any day over the ONE and ONLY time Christ got violent and very angry....

Matthew 21

[12] And Jesus entered the temple of God and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons.

[13] He said to them, "It is written, `My house shall be called a house of prayer'; but you make it a den of robbers."

Oh and if I were you I wouldn't knock small churches or attendance....some of the best fellowship and things I've learned are from small gatherings....

Matthew 18

[20] For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

In otherwords, worship and fellowship isn't a popularity contest.

But of course, quite a few apologist like to ride their high horse and proclaim that there are Nnnooooooo problems with their new Protestant church and the "Theology" is:

1. Always correct.
2. If wrong, see number 1.

...meanwhile they tell you to look away as they sweep things under the rug.