2 Samuel 16:9,11 - "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head...let him alone, and let him curse; for the Lord hath bidden him."

Matthew 7:15 - “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.

Matthew 24:11 - “…and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.”

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Pat Robertson to Mom Who Asks for Advice Because She Can't Pay Her Mortgage: Don't Rob God, You Still are Obligated to Tithe 10% to Your Church



"They [the Pharisees] tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger." (Mat 23:4)
--------------------------
Those are the words of Jesus, warning people about the religious, pious men of His day, the Pharisees.

We still have these pious men today, only they aren't a Jewish religious sect. They are within modern evangelical Christendom. They have turned Christianity from the release of sinful men and women from the burden of having to try to please God with their works and their alms through simple faith in Christ - into a strict religious system that demands conformity to religious practices, tells people how they must think and what rules they must obey to earn the blessings of God. They use tactics of guilt and shame in the process - and, oh by the way, they get filthy rich while doing it.

A perfect example of a Pharisee in action is the video above of the Reverend Pat Robertson answering a mom's question about the conflict between paying her bills and paying her tithe. Instead of offering grace and freedom and truth about caring for her family first - he sticks to the "thou shalt not rob God" line, that to receive God's blessing she must continue to tithe 10%. He piously tells her that God is her "financial partner".

Robertson then tells her the ailment:

"I don't think you're managing your money properly, that's the thing."

Of course Pat doesn't know this woman or her circumstances. All he knows is she doesn't tithe, and thus she must not be managing her finances properly. Perhaps the problem is she is giving to much money to her church, and needs to care for her family, and maybe even her church needs to begin helping her. You see, that is the perversion of the storehouse tithing doctrine. Ten percent is the manufactured standard used by preachers to set up a chasm between blessings and curses, financial obedience and financial mismanagement.

God save us from these self-serving windbag preachers who continue to lead Christians astray in real life matters such as finances.

I ask: what is more perverted than a "holy man of God" who tells people his holy book contains the very words of God, and then purposely misinterprets his own holy book to mislead people regarding finances for their own selfish gain?

40 comments:

Karen said...

This man is so out of touch with reality. He's also mean and arrogant.

If one is expecting sound advice along with compassion, I can't imagine a worse person to go to than Pat Robertson.

I wish he'd just disappear from the air waves.

KarenM in Charlotte, NC

Anonymous said...

We need to "Occupy the Pews", eh?

FBC Jax Watchdog said...

Oh contrare...."vacate the pews"...of the churches with pastors who misues the scripture, and occupy the pews of the churches with faithful, humble servants.

WishIhadknown said...

Pat to a drowning man, “You should have had enough faith to walk on water.”

Bojac said...

Paul said if a man didn't care for his family he was worse than an infidel. Paul nowhere is his letters and epistles mentions tithes, but of course advocated that we should give to help others. When we give it is to help others who are in need. Our giving is to be done without the fanfare that sems so prevalent today. Churches and rheir gifts are mentioned by name if the amount given is abundant. Jesus said to not let the right hand know what the left is doing. I don't know what any member of my church gives. That is between them and their conviction.

Anonymous said...

What saddens me is the faith this woman has that Robertson is some kind of authority in telling her what God wants her to do.

What if she goes to a friend or financial counselor and tells them that a leader of her religion says, no matter the circumstance, she must keep giving 10%. Wouldn't the friend or counselor say, "Wait a minute-shouldn't your religion be helping you out??"

This woman needs to ask her church to help her and use her own common sense.

John Wylie said...

Sharon,

You're right, her church should be helping her. Giving to the poor pleases God. Hebs. 13:16

Bro./Pastor Rod H. said...

John Wylie said...
Sharon,

You're right, her church should be helping her. Giving to the poor pleases God. Hebs. 13:16

October 20, 2011 7:47 AM

Sharon I second John's statement!

Anonymous said...

The word tithe is not for Gentiles anywhere in the Bible. It is a plain Hoax. Its the enabler of those who lifestyles depend on. Also, she is a woman. No where in the Bible does it mention a woman stealing from God.

Anonymous said...

How do they continue to get away with it...simple...the deacons know less about the Bible than a six grader. Abe was and is correct you can fool some of the people most of the time especially Baptist preachers. They rob from the people so they can have the rich and famous experieces that most middle class members never can. They also get very hefty retirement incomes long after they have left their former pastorate particularly the megas. Shameful.

Anonymous said...

I think a better way for income redistribution would be for the megas to live off the $38,000 average of the normal wage earner. That way they would have to live in a house under $100,000, drive an older automobile, dress in suits that are less expensive and forget the gated community and forget ever taking a trip out of the country. Thats the pastor I could respect and one that preached the whole Bible and not three points and a poem or the latest book he just read.

Anonymous said...

I have a word of knowledge...tithing is not in the New Testament!!!!

Anonymous said...

Oh yes, you must pay your tithe or Mr. Robertson can't make his mortgage payments . . .the fat cat's are getting stressed now that the money's is going, down, down, down.

The Lord says owe no man - once when we were in a tight spot my husband took on a 2nd job because he wanted to keep tithing - people like Robertson, Brunson are the worst at giving financial advice because they are wealthy & never experienced what the general population has. Robertson is a nut case, per my opinion - any SS class could have taken upon a love gift & helped this woman out with mortgate payments. But the church says, give us the money & we will decide how to use it. Right, like advertising a Cruise trip!

People supporting these Mega's are ignorant!

FBC Choir Member said...

Pat Robertson has gone off the deep end a long time ago. Remember what he said about the Haiti earthquake a while back and what he said about spouses with Alzheimer's?

Anonymous said...

Didn't one of the three tithes in the OT go toward helping the poor?

Seems like Storehouse Tithing advocates have reversed the teachings in Deut. 14:28.

Anonymous said...

This is really sad!

What is sad too are the perks that these "Pastors" have...

James McDonald-
A $1.9 million house puts him in some very interesting company!

TD Jakes-
2.6 million luxurious pink brick, seven-bedroom home with swimming pool in the affluent White Rock Lake area of Dallas...next door to the former mansion of oil tycoon H.L. Hunt

Joel Osteen-
The Osteens' new home is situated on 1.86 acres and surrounded by an ornamental fence. It has six bedrooms, six bathrooms, three elevators and five wood-burning fireplaces, with a one-bedroom guest house and pool house. The Harris County Appraisal District valued it at $10.5 million.

Kenneth Copeland-
A review of the Tarrant County Appraisal District records indicates the following. An 18,280 square foot residence owned by his ministry was built in 1999. The house is situated on a lake on approximately 25 acres and receives tax-exempt status. As of tax year 2008, the property was valued at $6,249,000.

Creflo Dollar-

Owns several Rolls-Royces, private jets, million-dollar Atlanta home and a $2.5 million Manhattan apartment.

Joyce Meyers-
Since 1999, the ministry has spent at least $4 million on five homes for Meyer and her four children near Interstate 270 and Gravois Road, St. Louis County records show.

Meyer's house, the largest of the five, is a 10,000-square-foot Cape Cod style estate home with a guest house and a garage that can be independently heated and cooled and can hold up to eight cars. The three-acre property has a large fountain, a gazebo, a private putting green, a pool and a poolhouse where the ministry recently added a $10,000 bathroom

John Hagee-
his payment package, $842,005 in compensation and $414,485 in benefits, was the highest pay package for a nonprofit director in the San Antonio area.”

Billy Graham [Director and Chairman of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA)] … $406,830.

William Franklin Graham III [as President and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA)] ... $94,998.
William Franklin Graham III [as President and CEO of Samaritan's Purse] …$304,308
Total Package… $399,306.

Richard E. Stearns [President of World Vision] … $366,892 in 2004.

Jack Van Impe, President of Jack Van Impe Ministries International … $153,143
His wife Rexella Van Impe [secretary] .. $85,971.
Total Package … $239,114

Hank Hanegraaff [President of The Christian Research Institute (CRI)] … $210,192,
His wife Kathy Hanegraaff [Director of Planning The Christian Research Institute (CRI)] … $127,431
Total Package … $337,623.

Ravi Zacharias, President of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries... $191,498.

It pays to serve JESUS!

(from www.inplainsight.org)

WishIhadknown said...

Uh, wow, that just kind of speaks for itself, doesn't it?

Anonymous said...

I don't remember any of the disciples getting any form of income payment for serving the Lord. Their income was derived from either tent mending or fishing. As a matter of fact they all were persecuted and paid with their lives.

oldBaptist said...

If anyone else besides me wants to see the source for those housing stats, the correct URL is www.inplainsite.org

Took me a while, but there it is....very interesting, and thanks to anon for posting the data.

Anonymous said...

Pat isn't a Southern Baptist mega-church pastor so I'm glad you've branched your criticisms out into another realm.

If people would just quit going to these churches and giving their money then all these perks would dry up. But then they aren't all as wise and discerning as the posters on this blog. I just wonder if most of the posters on here even go to church.

For those who want all pastors to make tents and fish, they need to remember that the average person in Jesus' day made their living the same way. If you want a pastor to make tents, then you need to be doing the same before you so openly criticize everything they do.

FBC Jax Watchdog said...

Nice try Anon.

Pat is not an SBC pastor, but his tithing message is the very same as Brunson, Gaines, Morris, Noble, and other: there are no allowances, all must tithe to get God on your side financially.

FBC Choir member - it would be nice to just write off Robertson as crazy and fringe...but his recommendation to this woman is the very same advice that comes from the pulpits of SBC mega pastors, including your own pastor if you are an FBCJ member: you are obligated to tithe no matter the circumstance, unless you don't mind having your finances being cursed and God bringing misfortune your way for disobedience.

More to come, readers.

I just found out yesterday that here in my own home town of Jacksonville, Florida, our largest church, Celebration Church, has gone "all in" with Robert Morris.

They had him in to preach Sunday, to kick off their new sermon series called, yes, "Blessed Life", after Robert's book. They have started "Blessed Life Groups" all over Jax where they will in small groups study the wisdom of Robert Morris's book. They even are using the same logo from the book.

So watch out, Jacksonville, if you're invited to a "Blessed Life Group" by Celebration Church members, you will be told that your finances are under a curse unless you get saved and fork over 10% to the church.

Anonymous said...

It amazes me how much time these SBC mega-church pastors spend preaching the tithe when it is barely mentioned in the NT.

Anonymous said...

I think the ladies main problem is that she watches the crackpots "show"and expects somehow that she will learn anything from mr. word of knowledge.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
"I don't remember any of the disciples getting any form of income payment for serving the Lord. Their income was derived from either tent mending or fishing. As a matter of fact they all were persecuted and paid with their lives."

Depends which bible you are reading....

Native Houstonian said...

"Joel Osteen-
The Osteens' new home is situated on 1.86 acres and surrounded by an ornamental fence. It has six bedrooms, six bathrooms, three elevators and five wood-burning fireplaces, with a one-bedroom guest house and pool house. The Harris County Appraisal District valued it at $10.5 million."

I don't think that you can lump him in the other folks you,listed. He does not receive one dime from the church. All his income is outside of the local fellowship in Houston. Not in total agreement with his theology though. Just saying.

Anonymous said...

Not that it was ever any of our business, but if that is true about Joel Osteen then what he has and owns is none of our concern--unless you want to praise God for blessing him.

Sure is a lot of Christian jealousy on this blog.

Ed Franklin said...

This subject is one of those which really separates the inmates...

How dark is the darkness within those who claim the God who time and again warns against worldliness, riches, wealth, goods and the desire for and accumulation thereof.....yet the blind still love the things of this world and proclaim that the same God who condemns that stuff pours it out on folks as a "blessing"

Check back with me in a hundred years or so and tell me again what a blessing your worldly wealth was and how it was God who laid it on you....

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
"Sure is a lot of Christian jealousy on this blog."

Just another Sin to hang on someone

not the Greed

but Jealousy

Anonymous said...

So, pointing out someone is a crook because they evaded taxes would mean we are jealous of the tax evader. I get it now.

Sunday night when Rev Crosby said it was no one 's business what the pastor is paid someone said it is our business, we pay him .

Anonymous said...

Osteen makes most of his money selling books that he probably did not write himself.

James said...

Has anyone seen this - investigation into New Birth and Bishop Eddie Long

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/10/21/secret-service-irs-investigate-atlanta-megachurch/?test=latestnews

Anonymous said...

WD - this guy Signoretto is a longtime member of FBC Dallas. He has always been close to the pastors and has contributed generously, to the church and pastors personally. Rumor is that he asked Mac and OS Hawkins to be character witnesses at trial. OS refused, but Mac flew to Dallas for the trial yesterday but was never put on the stand. Not sure of how to verify but just thought I'd pass along a couple of articles in case you are interested. Pretty significant operation going on here.

http://blogs.star-telegram.com/crime_time/2011/10/73-year-old-dallas-man-convicted-in-60-million-international-fraud.html

http://blogs.star-telegram.com/investigations/2011/10/quick-to-the-bat-phone-grandpa.html

Anonymous said...

WD - more on Signoretto:

http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2011/10/73-year-old_dallas_man_convict.php

Anonymous said...

LITHONIA, Ga. -- Federal officials say they're investigating issues surrounding investment seminars hosted by a metro Atlanta megachurch after some former members say they lost their retirement savings.

U.S. Secret Service spokesman Mark Ritchie said agents have seized laptops from employees at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia.

WSB-TV first reported details of the federal probe.

Ritchie says the IRS is the primary federal agency involved, and the Secret Service is assisting the IRS and DeKalb County police.

DeKalb police Lt. Pam Kuntz said the department forwarded its information to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Ten former church members are suing New Birth and Bishop Eddie Long, saying they conspired with others to defraud them through "wealth-building" seminars and sermons.

New Birth spokesman Art Franklin declined to comment on the lawsuit.


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/10/21/secret-service-irs-investigate-atlanta-megachurch/?test=latestnews#ixzz1bS9Is46k

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
WD - more on Signoretto:

"Here's how the scheme worked, according to evidence at trial. Signoretto and his co-defendants bought a London business, London Digital Limited, and used it to buy increasing amounts of air time from telecom companies. They sold that time at a loss to other wholesale companies, then put their London company into bankruptcy and walked away with three months' of revenue. Shell companies in Dallas and Spain were used to move the money to a bank in London. Then the funds were sent on to banks in Kenya, Ireland, Poland and Dubai. "

Anonymous said...

anononymous said...
"Rumor is that he asked Mac and OS Hawkins to be character witnesses at trial. OS refused, but Mac flew to Dallas for the trial yesterday but was never put on the stand. "

Very tight schedule as Mac Brunson preached at:

http://blackcreekbaptistassociation.net/

"Our 99th Annual Meeting of The Black Creek Baptist Association will be held at Fleming Island Baptist Church on Thursday, October 20, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. Our featured preacher for the event will be Dr. Mac Brunson, pastor of First Baptist Church of Jacksonville. "

Anonymous said...

Way to go, Pat. Maybe check the verse at the top of this blog.

Any-who, Gateway Church in Southlake, TX helps people who are in foreclosure, the aftermath of a major surgery or some other life-altering event by giving them a food basket or a couple hundred dollars. Then they are put into a tithing class, where a brainwashing "curriculum" is used to browbeat the H.E. double hockey sticks out of them. They are told that had they been tithing they wouldn't have lost that job or had any health issues. And yes, the only way out is to start giving that money.

If indoctrinated, you get rewarded with maybe a deacon position or a spot on the prayer team which pretty much follows the same script.

If you refuse to return to the church, people who still go will come at you with how sad they are that you're not "part of the family," and then sprinkle in some word curses about all of the calamity that will befall you for leaving the church.

As a final move, they'll invite you out for coffee or something after announcing to you that they, too, aren't going anymore. But they really are still going. At that time, they will re-take up the church's cause and attempt to browbeat the (BLEEP!) out of you.

You do know their slogan is "We're all About Money" - er, I mean, "We're all about People."

Anonymous said...

Anon may have his/her rumor info wrong, but...

Article says it was a two week trial.

Mac's twitter indicates he was in Dallas from October 10-13.

Mac at least knew the family, as he thanks Signoretto's wife Deede in the acknowledgements section of his book "The God You've Been Searching For."

Just sayin'

Anonymous said...

God specifically told me a long time ago NEVER JOIN A CHURCH who abuses Malachi 3. They are Twisted Scipturers and indict the wrong men of greed and thievery. The more I undestand about the Old Testament system of tithing....money was never tithed. I wish a prophet would arise and confront these paycheck tithing abusers of Scriptures and put them in their place. Look at Wall Street Jax...it will be another Fr. Rev. it a prophet does not arrive soon.

Unknown said...

First these liars for god should be labelled for what they really are not what they pretend to be, they are not "holy men" but corrupt cult leaders. Goverment could and should end tax exceptions for all of them, the funds brought in by which could go towards real education, health care, other social programs to benefit the poorest on this planet.

the best thing humanity could do to improve life for all on this planet would be eliminate all religion on this planet. Religion is of no benefit to the life of any outside the few, the greedy, the hatefilled cult leadership. those who are willing to share, help others as they're able and avoid the unholy religious trinity of Greed, Lost for Fame, Lust for Power don't need religion telling them what to do. They can tell right from wrong without it.