I think that I can't stand them because they don't live up to my expectations for missionaries. Which is basically what they are. Or at least what they want people to think that they are. I have the utmost respect for people who go out and preach the word of God. Those who go into other nations and those who preach in their own country. But those people are sacrificing for God, usually. They save up money, get donations, whatever they have to do to enable them to spend time where they're needed. It's hard and they have to work at it constantly.
Televangelists want the credit for being missionaries but they don't live the life. They have million dollar mansions and basically just way more than they need. They've turned God into their business. Bilking people out of money so that they can put in a third jacuzzi. In my mind if they were really sincere then they wouldn't be drawing such huge salaries from their companies. They would take what they need to live and be comfortable (I'm not saying they need to live in a mud hut to make me happy) and make sure that the rest goes out to charity and to people who need help.
Do their companies support charities? Sure, I believe that most of them do. But you can't tell me that there's a charity on earth that couldn't use the money these people spend on their mansions.
I can relate very much to what you wrote here. I don't like watching them either and I agree that the money could be spent on much more worthy causes than their opulent lifestyles.
ReplyDeleteEven though he never claimed to be a man of God (which I would hold to a higher standard), I felt the same way about our former NC Senator who ran as "the people's" representative as if he was in touch with all of us ordinary folks at the same time he had a HUUUUUUUUUUUUGE mansion with accessories. At least he mostly worked for his, I suppose. Suing people.
I always think of what else this money could have been used for besides one family's lifestyle. Maybe I'm too judgmental.
Susanne,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, unsurprisingly. I get that many of the people who have a lot worked hard for it. And I've got no problem with them buying the things that they want because they can afford it. Don't get me going on the people who want to live like they've got a metric ton of money but don't. Anyway.
I just think that...*hand waves* that much of their money could be better spent. Better for the rest of the people around them and better for their souls, truth be told.
But it just *really* grates when it's people who are supposedly men of God. I expect that if you are representing God that you should be *better* in your behavior than other people. Not perfect, no, but *better*.