I recently was in a very large church facility. My visit had nothing to do with the church. The event managers had simply secured this facility for the event. I was sickened by what I saw.
The people of this church have built a mega-multi-million dollar facility. It was beyond enormous. The power bill alone would be beyond the entire budgets of the churches I attended as a child. The facility was so large, I felt as though I were in one of the super malls: one section had a two story (at least) plexiglass enclosed children's play area with the largest set of the tubes kids can crawl around in I've ever seen in my life, one section was bigger than several Starbucks combined and had that wonderful freshly ground coffee bean smell, large living trees were all about, the "sanctuary" could easily stage any contemporary rock concert, broadway show, or symphony, the gym facilities and enclosed olympic pool were stunning. And I only walked in and later walked out. I didn't go exploring the vast hallways to see where they led.
As I walked in, along the right side of a large corridor was at least 12 wireless credit card-based cash registers on rolling carts. They could be wheeled anywhere in the enormous facility to take your payments. Who knows what the church sells on Sundays besides their mocha lattes.
I was devastated. This "place of worship" is a testimony to greed and selfishness, part of the "it's all about me" philosophy that has brought our nation's economy to brink of bankruptcy.
I found this organization to be revolting. I felt tainted for having been in it.
This is not a church. It's an enormous business enterprise. It was built from the ground up with tax-except dollars that gave each contributor a tax benefit. It can therefore offer its "services" at below market value.
I can't imagine the people of this organization (I can’t bear to call it a church.) living the beatitudes that the savior they claim to follow taught from his own lips. Instead, I see their Jesus, the Christ, coming into that place and, in a complete rage, ripping out the wireless cash registers and money-making ventures.
How have they so lost touch with the teachings they claim to follow?! This isn't just hypocrisy or big tax-free business. This is evil!
And, tragically, I am confident that the vast majority of the people who attend and support this mega-enterprise are good people. But their organization has lost touch with what the church is all about.
Related articles:
- Anne Rice discusses her decision to quit Christianity (knoxnews.com)
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