One of my favorite comedians is Jeff Foxworthy. His "You may be a redneck", gave me the idea for this. This is not meant to be funny, but something to "think" about.
If your preacher has a higher rated TV show than you do, you may need a new preacher. If his "Sunday Clothes are worth more than your entire family's wardrobe, You may need a new minister. If he threatens hell more than heaven, you may need a new clergy. If his car(s) are worth more than your house, time to find a new minister. If his house has more security than your job, you need a new preacher. If his children go to private schools, while yours go to the public, time to find a new pastor. If his personal wealth is bigger than some third world countries entire economy, you should probably find a new church. If his wife and himself are members of the local Country Clubs, time to find a new priest.
If his personal gym rivals basketball players, find a new church. If his house is larger than some churches, find a new pastor. If he has more servants than you do children, get a new preacher. If he preaches poverty for you while living large himself, you need a new church. If he "tells" you how or who to vote for, find a new clergy. If he tells you who or what to believe, run; you need a new preacher. If he "makes you feel good, then demands you give all, while he gives nothing, time for a new church. If he wants "one on one" time with your wife or daughters or children, with no chaperones, get a new church. If he gets caught with his pants down and asks for forgiveness, get a new faith. If he seems to twist the bible to justify his own needs or a way to obtain heaven through personal hardship, find a new church.
God never said for pastors to become wealthy off their churches. He never promised them big cars, expensive clothes, and jewelry, houses with servants and 20 bathrooms. He never said to cater to the wealthiest to get the most. If his TV Ministry is larger than his congregation, get a new church. The apostles were poor, Jesus was Poor. Most Prophets were poor; yet they healed the sick, fed the hungriest and clothed the naked and there ONLY reward was "making God Happy" and spreading the "True word and faith" Jesus led his life by this belief. David was a King, as was Solomen. But they still gave their fair share to help all his people, not just the rich and powerful.
If you are led to believe you can buy or earn your way to heaven with cash, find a new church or faith. If people are eating in soup kitchens and sleeping on the streets while your pastor sleeps on silk sheets and eats steak and prime rib, get a new church. A "true" man of God would NOT want to live larger than the poorest among us, wouldn't eat better than the starving, and sleep better than the most dissolute veteran on the street.
Jesus led a meager life, even while the spotlight was on him. He didn't have press agents and lawyers. He didn't have manservants or trainers or landscapers or cooks he employed. He paid his taxes too. Yet in America, they live large, on our dime, and pay NO taxes! Jesus said, "give unto Ceasar what is Ceasars." If your church has a coffee shop and gift and book center in the church, find a new one. Jesus overturned the money changers and sellers in the church, saying they had corrupted his Father's House.
When Moses broke the tablets that God had written the "Ten commandments" on, God forgave him; BUT he never allowed him to enter The Israels homeland, only view it from a hill. Yet ministers commit larger sins and expect us to just forgive them with no repercussions. So they keep their ministries, their cars and houses, and congregations. Why? If your preacher can take vacations and you can't afford even a small one, get another church. If his trips are paid for by the "church" and include the Bahamas, the "Holy Land" or Vegas, get a new clergy.
A church should make all welcome, not just "paying" members. Jesus said How you treat the least of us, is how ye shall be treated in his Father's house. Jesus hung out with the poor, sick, shunned, prostitutes and thieves. Does your Minister? Or does he preach "staying away from them"? Jesus gave his words to the Jewish outcast. How is your church with outcasts? He lived just like he taught. Does your minister? He refused to get involved in any politics of the time. Does yours? Are you made to think "all" the sins you commit during the week can be forgiven weekly, you need a new parish. Most preachers forget what Jesus said when helping someone find forgiveness. Go forth "and sin no more" Not "See ya next week".
Organized Religion in America is helping atheism grow in leaps and bounds. The fight over the so-called "absolute Word of God" forgetting it was put together in the 4th century by a Pagan Emporer who made himself Emporer of the faith. Many books were omitted. Many were second or third writings of the original. Many were agnostic. Many were written centuries AFTER Christ's death. Some were included to scare the literal Hell out of you and make you fall in line. They chose the order, the Books, and how they were worded and translated.
That is NOT the "Absolute Word of God". It's the words of man, written by man as told by men to each other and eventually put in words. Those that this group "picked" made up the Christain version of the Bible. Those that didn't get picked were deemed "heretic" and banned so no one would ever read them. The new book, Promised heaven through the "church" and Hell for those who didn't fall in line. Sadly there really isn't that much difference in all faiths and sects.
Muslims believe in Jesus, but the Koran offers so-called "Heretic" versions of Jesus' life those bishops chose not include in ours. The Jewish faith adheres to more of a "reincarnation" theory than an actual "Hell" Yet many of the Books of the Old Testament were deemed "okay" for the "Bible" in an effort to Justify Jesus' life through Old Testament prophecy. Absolute? No. Word of God? Some of it, maybe. Lesson on how we should be and act? For sure. Perfect? No way. I believe Revalations and Acts and many of the "books" of the "New Testament" should have been left out And the life of Jesus explored and taught more.
The Letters and visions of a starving exiled man never should have been included. They are the very books preachers use to justify their greed and envy and lust for money. If the Christ, up to his death, were all that was preached, we would be better, safer and more equal. We would be taught to give our belongings to others and do good for the poorest and sickest of us. We wouldn't have "grand" cathedrals, but rather, small, humble churches designed for worship, not to profit from. All assets would help those in our communities, not the pastor's car or tennis court or swimming pool. He, like Gandhi, taught passivism, not bigotry, hate, and fear. Christianity would blossom, rather than wither and die a thousand cuts.
Well, I figure I ticked off a lot of the so-called “faithful” and many probably believe I'm going to “end up burning in Hell” for my Heretic beliefs. If I am or do, at least most of them will be with me. See ya there!