Do you, or would you, join a megachurch preaching prosperity theology?

[Reptillian]

Prosperity theology - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Poorly written question, I meant to ask: Do you go to a megachurch? Do you go to a church preaching the gospel of prosperity? Would you go to a church preaching prosperity theology?

 

[StarryNightshade]

I was raised in a conservative Christian denomination (Southern Baptist) and I've never even heard of this until now. Is it a fairly recent point of view or have I just been living under a rock?

 

[Reptillian]

I was raised in a conservative Christian denomination (Southern Baptist) and I've never even heard of this until now. Is it a fairly recent point of view or have I just been living under a rock?

I was raised as a regular ol' Baptist and I saw preachers with this viewpoint on television every Sunday morning.

 

[Shiranui117]

No, I wouldn't. We can be blessed in more ways than getting our wallets loaded full of cash. A poor, wandering holy fool who has nothing more than the clothes on his back and sometimes not even that, much less a wallet, can be more blessed than the richest people in society. I'd rather be blessed with humility, repentance from my sins, love towards my neighbor and God, self-control and peace of soul than with material wealth.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Nup.

It wouldn't let me just enter Nup. Said it was too short. So I have added this extra paragraph. Answer is still the same. Nup.

 

[InChrist]

Prosperity theology - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Poorly written question, I meant to ask: Do you go to a megachurch? Do you go to a church preaching the gospel of prosperity? Would you go to a church preaching prosperity theology?

No, to each question above. I believe prosperity theology is a false gospel.

 

[Breathe]

I'd go to one, sure. Once.

 

[collectivedementia]

No. The Church of the Gilded Wallet is a false church led by greedy leeches.Some even hold telethons to fleece thier flocks.

 

[Straw Dog]

A group of Christians should go around to megachurches and start smashing the cash registers and flippin' tables like Jesus would have done. It's like they're not even trying to understand. What a hollow spirituality!

 

[SageTree]

Money doesn't make a man Rich.

 

[Windwalker]

I might if I didn't care about knowing God, and was looking for some material object to fill my soul. Plus, if I viewed God as a magic performing deity to manipulate for self-gain.

 

[YmirGF]

I might if I didn't care about knowing God, and was looking for some material object to fill my soul.

Got change for a $100?

 

[Sand Dancer]

NO! This is so totally opposite of what Jesus taught.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I used to be a member of The Word of Faith for a couple of years so i understand the attraction, but honestly it felt a bit off in that the focus was misdirected towards self fulfillment and emotional needs of those who went there. The clergy seemd pleasent enough but there was an underlying predatory methodology whenever money issues arose using greed to aquire gain. Didn't sit well after awhile with me.

 

[uu_sage]

Jesus makes it very clear that he is opposed to the prosperity movement and all other theological traditions that are influenced by it. One of his most bold and prophetic moves was to overturn the tables of the temple with the moneychangers quoting scripture by saying, "My house shall be a house for all people and yet you have turned it into a den of thieves". Another teaching of Jesus says, "What does it profit a person if they gain the world and yet lose their soul?" I cannot in good conscience join a congregation or support a ministry that supports this un-Christ like and theologically amoral doctrine. This amoral doctrine says that a person is blessed if they are wealthy and cursed if they are not. In Jesus' first sermon he quotes from the Prophet Isaiah saying, "The Spirit of the Lord is on me,because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor". The God I see revealed in Jesus stands with and for the oppressed and actively seeks their liberation from injustice, oppression and cruelty. I believe with all my being that the desires the happiness of all God's children but financial blessings are not the only blessings- there is blessings in health, education, and others. The poor, the working poor, the middle and upper classes are all beloved in God's eyes and in Jesus' sermon the mount he says, "Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" and "Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth".

 

[Ashoka]

I've never understood "prosperity gospel" when the earliest Christians pretty much lived as beggers and poppers in the wilderness.

 

[ZooGirl02]

I definitely wouldn't. In the Bible Jesus describes the poor as being blessed and there is nothing in the Bible saying that if you believe you'll get rich and have good health and everything. Rather, the Bible says that believers will have a lot of suffering:

Now you have observed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions, my sufferings, what befell me at Antioch, at Ico'nium, and at Lystra, what persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceivers and deceived.
(2 Timothy 3:10-13 RSV-CE)

For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict which you saw and now hear to be mine.
(Philippians 1:29-30 RSV-CE)

"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you.
(Matthew 5:10-12 RSV-CE)

But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. This will be a time for you to bear testimony. Settle it therefore in your minds, not to meditate beforehand how to answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and kinsmen and friends, and some of you they will put to death; you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives.
(Luke 21:12-19 RSV-CE)

Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also.
(John 15:20 RSV-CE)

God bless,
Holly

 

[HankHill]

If someone invited me to go, I would just to check it out although I belief prosperity theology to be a false gospel. Then again, I've gone to the places of worship of plenty of different groups to see what they're like.

 

[ZooGirl02]

If someone invited me to go, I would just to check it out although I belief prosperity theology to be a false gospel. Then again, I've gone to the places of worship of plenty of different groups to see what they're like.

I have as well. The only one that I have ever found completely acceptable is the Catholic Church. I believe that the Catholic Church has 100% of the Truth and Catholics do not believe in prosperity theology.