Observations and inanities by a second-shift assistant supervisor in the Puppy-Grinding division of the Evil Atheist Conspiracy® (our motto: "Sure it's cruel, but think of the jobs!"), your host, Brent Rasmussen.
Well, I'm sure God really needs that $23,000 commode.
I'm not a huge fan of Chuck Grassley, the senior senator from Iowa, but he's certainly not the worst Republican in the lot. And I certainly have to applaud his willingness to jump into the shit of the financial abuses and excess of the so-called 'megachurches'. From an extensive NPR report this morning:
Grassley said there have been complaints about the pastors' extravagant lifestyles and questions about whether the churches' tax-exempt status is being abused. That includes the personal use of Rolls Royce cars, private jets and multimillion-dollar homes. Grassley is also looking into exorbitant salaries, so called "love offerings" or cash payments to ministers; a justification for layovers in Hawaii and the Fiji Islands; and in one case, the purchase of a $23,000 commode with a marble top.
"There's enough questions being raised that we felt it should be further investigated," Grassley told NPR.
Gee, ya think?
Now, under US law, churches are tax-exempt. That alone is offensive enough. But when these huge independent ministries are generating millions, and that money is spent almost entirely without any kind of reporting or tax oversight requirements, where it would be easy for abuse to occur, then something really needs to be done. And it seems that Grassley is actually doing it.
Of course, the preachers are crying "foul!" From an AP news item cited on the NPR page:
But traditional Christians aren't universally celebrating the inquiry. Some are wondering whether the investigation led by Republican Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa is the right way to end any wrongdoing, especially if the result is more government oversight of all ministries.
"We're not representing any of the parties involved, but when I see a senator charging into organizations, wielding this kind of budget ax and laying bare religious figures and expenditures, huge constitutional questions are being raised," said Gary McCaleb, senior counsel at the Alliance Defense Fund, a religious liberty legal group founded by James Dobson of Focus on the Family and other influential evangelicals.
Grassley is having none of it:
"This has nothing to do with church doctrine," said Grassley, who has been investigating nonprofit compliance with the tax code for years. "This has everything to do the with tax exemption of an organization."
Amen, senator.
Jim Downey
(Hat tip to ML, for reminding me of this story I heard before I had my coffee this morning.)
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I think it is High Time that
I think it is High Time that men of God STAND UP and speak the truth in love in response to what the Bible says about proper Christian conduct and how a Man of God should be an example to the Church and the unbeliever.First of all I believe the Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is the Son of God,That Jesus was born of a Virgin,That Jesus died on the cross of Calvary to provide redemption from sin,and that Jesus rose on the 3rd. day.And I also believe that Jesus Christ is THE ONLY WAY in which a man can find Salvation and eternal life and apart from faith in Jesus Christ men will be judged by God who is Holy to an eternity in Hell for their wickedness and sin.I also believe what the Lord said in
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Only those who are Born Again will be saved form God's wrath and eternal torment in hell.
Secondly the Bible clearly states that we are to consider all things by the Word of God so that we know how the Man of God should conduct himself.And the word of God says in 2 Timothy 2:15: Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
And the word of truth is what we are to use to conduct our lifes.And if one studies God word they will find In 2nd Timothy 3:16-17:
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
Gods word is profitable for many wonderful things and here in particular 4 Things. 1-For doctrine 2-For reproof 3-For correction 4-For instruction in righteousness
And these 4 Things are provided by God to us for a reason because without sound doctrine,without reproof,without correction and without instruction in rightousness
Then v:17 would not be correct which says:
17: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
So when some suggest that someone is judging by agreeing with what Senator Grassley is bringing out in the open about these Pastors lifestyles.It has been reported in the US press that some of these 6 ministries Pastors under public scrunity that they fly in Cessana Jets,drive Rolls Royces and Bentley Convertables,live in Mansions worth from 2 Million Dollars up to 10 Million Dollars,stay in Presidentalial Suites for a sum of one Thousand Dollars up to Ten Thousand Dollars a night.One of these 6 Pastors when asked on CNN IF THEY BELIEVED JESUS WOULD AGREE TO THEM HAVING A ROLLS ROYCE? HE SAID "YES Jesus would agree"
So when we look at what is taking place with Senator Grassley,s requested inquiry on ministries such as Benny Hinn,Keneth Copeland,Crefflo Dollar Joyce Myers and others and in light of the scandal at Oral Roberts University where as even the President Richard Roberts resigned on Friday after his accountant informed the world that he was instructed to "cook the books" by Richard Roberts himself and the accountant was Fired.
And when you take into account that these 6 ministries teach false teachings that I Quote.."We are all little gods" and that we have the power to create through our words,and the Properity Gospel.Perhaps one is being judgemental if you think that Doctrine Reproof,Correction and Instruction in Rightousness is not an appropiate measure to be guided by not only in these 6 Pastors ministries but in any Christian ministries.And let me ask have you really dug into what The Word of Faith Movement teaches?I suggest that any one reading this finds out and become aware of what these ministries teach.The choice is yours.
It's about time that MEN OF GOD STAND UP and speak the word of truth in love and through Gods Word find Doctrine and Reproof false teachers and bring Correction so that people are not mislead and bring Instruction in righteousness so that people wiil be aware of what is happening.
I am an ordained Pentecostal minister in Regent Park -St. Jamestown Toronto.And I have a duty as a watchman of the church God has called me to lead.Here are some scriptures to that warn us of the very things we are talking about.
2nd.Peter 2:1-3 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2: And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
3: And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
1 Timothy 4:1: Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
1rst Timothy 6:3-11 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
4: He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
5: Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
6: But godliness with contentment is great gain.
7: For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
8: And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
9: But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10: For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
11: But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
1rst Peter 5:2: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
3: Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
If anyone would like to discuss what My views are on any of the above statements or on the bible in general,please feel free to respond to this email... Pastor Mike Grady info@mgrady.net
Blah blah blah Ginger
God has called you to LEAD? Well, I can see you've got that "humility" thing down pat.
Here you are railing against these guys who believe pretty much the same things you believe, they just interpret them differently, and you're painting them basically as "These are not the REAL Christians. These are the BAD Christians. Only us REAL Christians really understand the Bible. Listen to us REAL Christians, and we'll lead you right."
Here's you: "Believe exactly what I believe. Otherwise, you're a Bad Person. See those Bad People? They’re hurting people because they don’t believe what I believe." Over and over and over, for at least the past 20,000 years, you and people like you have been selling this pitch to the rest of us, that only YOU know what's good and right. And worse, that the rest of us are subject to YOUR judgment about whether WE are good or not. That WE have to measure up to YOU.
And a lot of us have fallen for it, over and over, for that 20,000 years.
I hope that’s ending. Europeans have largely stopped listening to you and yours. Ever notice that the real superstar televangelists all seem to be Americans? And I think we’re seeing a sea-change here too. The heat and light coming from the evangelicals in America just might be the last sparks of a dying fire. (And won’t that be GREAT? Oh, wow, can’t tell you how great that would be.)
I’m an atheist. I mean, I’m so complete an atheist I probably couldn’t even get it across to you how little Christianity or Islam or any other religion/superstition means in my life.
How about this: I’m aware that somewhere out there, there are people who actually do eat raw monkey brains. I mean, I’ve seen them on film. But raw monkey brains are not food to me. Not a little bit, not a scrap. My whole reaction to the idea of eating raw monkey brains is a shouted YUCK!!
But raw monkey brains appeal to me as food more than Christianity appeals to me as a guiding light for my life. Because I recognize that raw monkey brains contain proteins and fats, and probably even vitamins. If I was starving, and that’s all we had, I’d probably take a bite. At least I could hope it would get me through to my next meal of REAL food.
Whereas religion, however much someone might try to convince me I was starving for it, contains actual poison. If I thought I was dying, if I was lying in a hospital bed somewhere desperate for a few minutes or hours more to live as my conscious individual self, religion would be the LAST thing I’d want. Because I know that would be the end of me. However much longer I might live physically, I’d be dead AS AN INDIVIDUAL the moment I gave up and swallowed the poison.
That’s how much an atheist I am.
And yet:
You know what I did yesterday? I went out and completely failed to commit rape. I robbed exactly zero grandmothers at ATMs. I killed and ate no Christian babies.
But I also diddled no altar boys, told no lies to trusting, needy people. I stood on no street corners forcing people to look at giant pictures of aborted fetuses.
And I did nothing at all to attempt to convince large numbers of people that I was right, that ONLY I was right, and that everybody else was wrong and evil and going to burn in eternal fire unless they came and sat down at my feet and listened to my wise and wonderful words about the true meaning of the one, true Holy Book.
Religion creates the monsters you rail against here. But it also creates you, who appear to me to be the exact same type of monster. (I’d place sizable bets on what you’re likely to think about gays, and contraceptives, and maybe even Harry Potter.)
Live your life and be whatever you want to be. Fine by me. I’d never even want to force you to stop, despite the fact that it seems to me you’re mistaken, you’re wrong, you’re moving bassackwards at a dead run away from all that’s good and true and American. Despite the fact that you and yours seem to be dangerous parasites on society, draggy lead anchors on the soaring possibilities of the human mind. Go on and be what you feel you have to be.
I’m just glad to say I don’t need you, or what you’re selling.
I’m glad to say it seems that increasing numbers of Americans, particularly young people, feel the same way.
Gary Larson Is God
Heheh... The "Blah Blah Ginger" one is one of my all-time favorites. I think about it every time I start talking to my dogs.
Pfftt! You big softie. I had leftover Christian baby for breakfast, and I plan to rape grandmothers at the ATM today after lunch.
Seriously though, Pastor Mike's comment is nothing more than a big-old "No True Scotsman" fallacy with a concern troll slant to it.
Must be nice.
Damn. Must be nice. We've got a couple of inches of fresh ice/snow - too damned cold to be doing the grandma thing at the ATMs hereabouts.
Jim Downey
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Like Science Fiction? Read my novel, Communion of Dreams, for free.
Gasp.
All the ATMs here are visible from the street. And I simply can't stomach Christian babies without chutney, but they just don't sell it around here.
From a friend.
Buddy of mine sent me the following comment about this post, said it was OK for me to share:
Jim Downey
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Like Science Fiction? Read my novel, Communion of Dreams, for free.
wtf?
$23,000? Some people just think their shit is precious, I guess.
True fact:
they used to collect the Papal excrement, dry it, powder it, and sell it as medicine.
Yum! Gimme another hit of Pope shit!
Jim Downey
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Like Science Fiction? Read my novel, Communion of Dreams, for free.
Awesome.
And I mean that I am truly awe-struck. I'm not as familiar with his record as I should be, but the lock-step voting that republicans have been doing for the last few years indicates I'd be no huge fan of his. Still, I have to say, Grassley's actions here have done more to restore my confidence in the possibility of honesty among politicians than anything I have seen recently.
It may not seem like much, because sadly, it really isn't all that much. Checking on such abuses should be a basic consideration of all congresspersons, particularly the supposedly anti-tax republicans; yet I can't remember ever before hearing of a republican who was willing to tackle this issue, for fear of alienating their theocratically-inclined voting base.
In short, I am simply overjoyed to see a republican do something classically Republican, as opposed to Fascist, and do the goddamn job he claimed. Go get those tax-cheating bastards, Chuck!
One thing that gets me-notice how McCaleb from the ADF tries to invoke the constitution without explaining how it applies? He's trying to imply that their freedom of religion is being compromised by a Senator just by his simple act of reviewing their figures after incredible abuses have occurred. Nothing in the constitution guarantees religious figures freedom from normal laws-if they are abusing the system, they are subject to review; and it is a weakness of our current laws, not the constitution, that exempts them from the regular oversight that the government has over all other tax-exempt organizations.
Regulating churches' tax status is a fine line, constitutionally, and one could make the argument that if a bunch of retards want to give their tithes to a rich fraud, so be it. But the argument can also be made that such amounts to little more than a personal corporation and should be treated as such.