PROSPERITY PREACHERS to PRAY at the INAUGURATION

[2Dbunk]

PROSPERITY PREACHERS to PRAY at the INAUGURATION -Assoc. Press, 12-30-16

The morphing of Christianity knows no bounds. Christ’s teachings of charity and vows of poverty have taken a further hit, being relegated to the rear pews. "So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last." ... So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen. Math. 20:16, is no longer on the Christian banner (well, surprise, it hasn’t been for centuries).

Led by Pastor Paula White, two of six preachers will participate in praying for the president elect rationalizing that his monetary wealth is a sign of God’s blessing. This is anathema to many Christians’ belief that Heaven would be denied to the rich: “ It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of the needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." Mark 10:25.

Question for debate: Is Donald Trump sincere in his efforts at being a Christian, or is he trumpeting his rhetoric to satisfy his evangelical base? If he is sincere, then, is he off base concerning the dictates of Christianity?

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to post 1 by 2Dbunk]

I think this is a natural response to a capitalist society that seems to equate material success with happiness. Sadly putting the kingdom first is low on the list of some Christians.

JEHOVAHS WITNESS

[Overcomer]

2DBunk wrote:

The morphing of Christianity knows no bounds. Christ’s teachings of charity and vows of poverty have taken a further hit, being relegated to the rear pews.

Christ taught charity, yes, but poverty, no. He never taught that his followers should be poor, only that they use whatever they had to help others. Some religious orders made vows of poverty mandatory at some point, but the Bible does not command that.

2DBunk wrote:

"So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last." ... So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen. Math. 20:16, is no longer on the Christian banner (well, surprise, it hasn’t been for centuries).

Read in context, that passage doesn't trumpet poverty. It outlines the necessity for followers of Christ to serve others just as he has served all. It's all about humility, but the passage has nothing to do with money.

2DBunk wrote:

Led by Pastor Paula White, two of six preachers will participate in praying for the president elect rationalizing that his monetary wealth is a sign of God’s blessing. This is anathema to many Christians’ belief that Heaven would be denied to the rich: “ It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of the needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." Mark 10:25.

I know nothing about Paula White. I do know that the idea that wealth is a sign of God's blessing was something that the Jews in Christ's time believed. It wasn't true then. It isn't true now.

Again we see the necessity of reading these verses in context. When we do that, we see that Jesus isn't saying that the rich won't inherit the kingdom of God. He is saying that anybody who thinks they can enter heaven on the basis of their own merits is sadly mistaken.

2DBunk wrote:

Question for debate: Is Donald Trump sincere in his efforts at being a Christian, or is he trumpeting his rhetoric to satisfy his evangelical base? If he is sincere, then, is he off base concerning the dictates of Christianity?

The Bible says that we will know the followers of Jesus by their fruit. These are the fruit of the Spirit:

Gal. 5:22,23: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."

I don't see Trump manifesting any of these qualities. I'm not an American, but if I were, I sure wouldn't have voted for him. Of course, I wouldn't have voted for Hillary Clinton either. I would have had to sit that election out!

[Aetixintro]

[Replying to post 1 by 2Dbunk]

It seems that wealth to a person is blessed by God afterall given Book of Job, 42:12-16.

[12] The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. [13] And he also had seven sons and three daughters. [14] The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. [15] Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.

[16] After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. [17] And so Job died, an old man and full of years.

- https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?s ... ersion=NIV

[Tcg]

It seems that wealth to a person is blessed by God afterall given Book of Job, 42:12-16.

It depends on which persons you are talking about and whether or not God and Satan are playing a game of chicken with their lives:

Job 1:18-19

"18 While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, 19 when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!�

Dying for no reason isn't much of a blessing. As always, at least according to the Bible, god randomly picks those he blesses based on his own vanity and curses or kills all the others.