Response to the August 6th article in NY Metro -- Greedy Black Preachers (157 hits)
Commentary on the Opinion Column in Thursday, August 6, 2009 NY Metro newspaper Reverend Ike’s loss is great by Marc Lamont Hill
Has the Black Church Abdicated Their Responsibility to Black People? DeBorah Ann Palmer
All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. Acts 4:32 The time has come for Christians to have “All things in common”. No, not a total form of communism but some socialism; government control and regulation has to come into play because obviously the greed of capitalism has run amok and nearly destroyed our country. Perhaps it would be helpful to establish communes and sharing of resources that were briefly popular during the 1960s and in Biblical days as outlined in the book of Acts. Somehow if we could get the body of Christ to affect such a system the mega greed preachers would be the first to be struck down, as was the case with Ananias and Saphira outlined in Acts chapter. They told a lie which was the primary sin but that sin was motivated by greed, their underlying sin. There is no “name it and claim it”. Faith healing as espoused by the preachers on the Word Network and in various Mega Churches does not exist. God is not Santa Claus. He does not drop money out of the sky onto his people. The Lord expects you to take advantage of the resources available to you through primarily our churches, which have fallen down on the job, and our government, which is responsible for our health and welfare. I know personally what it is like to be unemployed. I was out of work for the entire year of 2007 neither did I have health benefits. Thank God for my severance package and unemployment. God did bless me with a job in January 2008 but it is half the salary I once made. Many pastors of these mega churches neither sympathize nor empathize with common working class/middle class Black men and women. They don’t know what it is like to worry about how to pay one’s rent, buy food or afford transportation to your job. Getting food from the local food pantry or eating in a soup kitchen! Ha! Why to them that would be a lack of faith. The health problems myself and many of my friends have experienced with the last year, why that also is the result of either sin or again a lack of faith. As a struggling working class woman I refuse to listen to or support these preachers who flaunt their money, wear flashy clothes, drive fancy cars, live in luxurious homes and actually have their own private jets. They are no different than the pimps, gangsters and drug dealers who populate our neighborhoods. Pastors should live a modest lifestyle like Jesus and the disciples. Stop trying to emulate Wall Street greed and “lifestyles of the rich and famous”. No wonder many Black people have issues with organized religion. We know they serve a purpose but they are not living up to that purpose which is to serve the people who come into the church. If it was not for working overtime, generous friends and social service organizations I would be homeless and hungry. Not one church that I related my problems to offered to help me. All they said is that they would pray for me. The following paragraph which I sent out to friends and on some blogs describes my own personal coping strategies in dealing with this economic depression. Thank God for the Salvation Army. S.A. paid my August Rent. Also Praise the Lord for Catholic Charities. The lovely caseworker there listened to my problems, was very sympathetic and mapped out a plan to help me. She said if I got behind in my rent again, Catholic Charities could offer Rent assistance. She also loaded me down with so much food that I had to call my girlfriend's mother to come get me and drive me home. That woman is a Blessing. She is such a kind, considerate, compassionate young woman who reached out to me and gave me hope. She is wonderful. Right now in my opinion the Salvation Army and Catholic Charities are the two best organizations in New York City.
JESUS CHRIST IS MY LORD, SAVIOUR, REDEEMER AND DELIVERER!!!
