If Jesus Christ Had a Website
Would Jesus have a button for donations, $cash partners, financial support, contributions, asset donations upon death, info for willing your home, property or business to Jesus? No of course not, but many preachers do.
Begging for $cash is the primary reason for most "ministry" and church websites. In fact begging for $cash or in many cases demanding false tithes, is the primary reason, for the existence of many churches, large and small. All such sources deny that $money is their reason for preaching, while
they smile all the way to the bank with your $cash donations.
Preachers and website ministries will weep and wail, when they are accused of being $money motivated and that their real reason for existence is your bank account. The pretense is always "great concern" for the salvation of lost souls and that it would be impossible to minister without your
pocketbook.
Preachers like to say, that you have a problem with Jesus Christ if you think that tithing is not a New Testament doctrine, because it is the means by which Jesus preaches the Gospel to the world. NOT SO! Jesus is blamed by $money hungry preachers for advancing the fake doctrine of tithing,
when in realty Jesus never had anything to do with ordaining "pastors", implementing organized churches or promoting Jesus Christ, Incorporated, which is a man-made institution (501C3 organizations are man-made, not God made).
If Jesus had a website, He would denounce man-made church organizations, such as splinter groups of the WCG and all other groups, spearheaded by self-"anointed" pastors, who pretend to speak for God/Jesus Christ. Jesus speaks for Himself and has no need of a fake "apostle" Paul, a fake "HWA" or a fake WCG splinter group overlord.
Van Robison
Fully concur, except for the 'Jesus' usage. This guy never existed, but was brought forth in the mind of King James.
ReplyDeleteYahshua who did and does exist, never established a top down religion. Even the very night before He died, the apostles/disciples were fighting over who was the greatest.
Yahshua came down on them hard by explaining that His assembly are not to act like gentles, that instead, the greatest is the one that serves.
Later on in Eph.4 He established jobs that would be down. These gifts for service were not RANKS, they were just duties that had to be done.
Yahshua established assemblies, and not churches. Churches come from pagan roots and are not referenced in the bible. The word translated 'church' is incorrect. It should have been translated as 'assembly.'
These man-made organizations are just that. Man-made money guzzling organizations made in the tradition of ancient Babylon, which was a mixture of state and religion.
"Churches come from pagan roots and are not referenced in the bible. The word translated 'church' is incorrect. It should have been translated as 'assembly.'"
ReplyDeleteThe difference being...?
Jesus said, "give as you are able"
ReplyDeleteHe never taught that we should tithe. In fact this statement was deliberately vague and broad to include all types of giving most importantly giving in the most important ways. When we spend our time encouraging and comforting others aren't we practicing the most important kind of giving. Is our time the most valuable asset we possess considering our time on this earth is so short.
Yes giving many times includes giving money or something of value paid for by money, but many times it involves just spending your time to show love towards others.
Tithing completely misses the point. Calculating ten percent of your income, writing out a check, and putting it in an envelope seems to me to fall short of what Jesus taught us. It is a cold impersonal way that is devoid of love.
If you tithe you our giving money to men not God. You are giving money to finance institutions created by men not God.
This is indeed an interesting path for some positive speculation. Probably not a lot of readers here are familiar with the two Jefferson Moore films, and the dozen half hour episodes called "The Perfect Stranger". Personally, I've enjoyed them, and have found them to be very uplifting. The basic premise for all of them is what would it be like if a person of today were fortunate enough to have a personal encounter with Jesus. What questions would one ask? How would Jesus answer them? What kind of impact would be manifested in the person's life as a result of a pure experience, directly with the Source, totally uncorrupted by other humans claiming to be working for Him
ReplyDeleteIf Jesus had a website, basically we would have as a tool an electronic opportunity to visit with and develop a relationship with Him. You wouldn't need to worry if he had the truth, or had the witness of God behind Him. That would be self-obvious. It would be a teaching site, a place where one could learn truth, discover the Father's intent and will behind some of the difficult scenarios in the Bible and the difficult patches in our lives, where one could obtain encouragement, and compassion, and get a clearer picture of our purpose in this life and what the Kingdom will be like from someone who not only knows both from direct experience, but also paid the price of our admission.
There would be no manipulative scare tactics used, no angry, growling gospel message. Absent would be bragadocio and hyperbole, conspiracy theories, and speculative false prophecy. There would be no counsel advising the brutalization or abandonment of children. Even the hint of racism would be missing in action. Various types of healing would be readily available.
People would be mentored by Jesus in such a way as to get to know themselves so that weaknesses could be overcome even as natural gifts and talents could be identified and developed in order to better serve God and man. Voluntary giving would be extolled, not just involving worthy groups, but to any one with needs. Good stewardship of the planet and of all of our other blessings and resources would be taught.
Unfortunately, I fear that Jesus would receive a lot of hate mail, some of it as in times of old coming from members of the clergy who are on an embedded power trip, and resent being corrected, disqualified, or displaced. It is virtually certain that some would treat the site like the moon walk, and speculate that the site was simply a clever act of theater, based on composites of myths.
Some would make that site the basis for their entire existence, benefitting themselves and all around them enormously. When everyone has access to 100% truth, restoring relationships becomes a snap. It is difficult to imagine this, and what a horrible shame, but even with complete verification of the Source there might be some recalcitrant ones who would mock, sabotage, attempt to make www.Jesus.com go away, or ignore it completely, deliberately separating themselves from Him.
If Jesus had a website, this would be the Kingdom. And, that's a nice dream, but we know it's not that easy. There are going to be some birth pains. Now, let the games begin!
BB
HWA who added a 'W' to his name, would have the initials HA, which is a response to a joke. It is also the initials of Adolf Hitler who was a tyrant just as HA.
ReplyDeleteHWA is also found in Hebrew 0183
1) desire, incline, covet, wait longingly, wish, sigh, want, be greedy, prefer
1a) (Piel) to desire, crave (food and drink)
1b) (Hithpael) to desire, long for, lust after (of bodily appetites)
His whole life was dedicated to the pursuit of money and fame. There was not a converted bone in his body. He coveted other peoples money, time, and devotion. His family was a mess. All this, and he still thought that he was an apostle.
To any cogers reading this, tithing was a covenant between Yahweh and the tribe of Levi. It was given to them forever. If anyone questions this, ask them what part of 'forever' do they not understand.
Yahweh and Yahshua are not gangsters. You cannot buy protection from them. The sinisters out there will one day face their maker and His rebuke would cut to the bone. Depart from them, for if you stay, you are guilty of association with evil. As a judge would say today, you are an accomplice.
Don't just walk out of their organizations, RUN as fast as you can.
You mean Jesus' website is not The Philadelphia Church Of god?
ReplyDeleteBut certainly there is an communal and institutional aspect to Christianity.
ReplyDeleteWhat? No Paypal?
ReplyDeleteWhat would his URL be? There are so many possibilities. I haven't checked. Maybe Jesus.community might be available.
Of course, since this is centuries after his death, maybe it would be Christ, the King website, in which there might not be much of toleration out there.
I would envision a blog where he announces the destruction of an Armstrongist cult once a week until they are all gone.
He wouldn't tolerate the kind of opposition he has now from the Cult of Herbert Armstrong Mafia.
He might use various methods: Tornadoes for PCG, sink hole swallowing up RCG, hurricane destroying LCG and maybe meteors for UCG and CoGWA.
He would be Lord of all.
Who could complain if he got rid of all the false prophets?
Maybe he would post HD videos of the destruction on You Tube.
Of course there would be the message of salvation, but that's hardly relevant to the ACoGs today, so why would they pay attention to that if he had his own website?
If Jesus had a website, it raises interesting questions!
ReplyDeleteWould there be videos of Eric King playing the guitar?
Would there be a link to the old Ambassador Report?
Would Jesus be on Facebook too? and would he "Tweet"?
Also , would the domain name be a .org, .com, .info or a specialized one?
Byker Bob, I know the Moore films you mentioned. I like them too.
ReplyDeleteNo doubt the COGs would condemn Jesus for not adhering to the true teachings of HWA.
If Jesus didn't already exist, mankind would need to create a Jesus-like figure, based on sheer need.
ReplyDeleteSweetblood, just assume that the "W" in Herbert W. Armstrong stands for "Wolf", so it would be Herbert Wolf Armstrong.
ReplyDeleteIt is befitting since false prophets are ravening wolves in sheep's clothing and with his expensive wool suits, he certainly qualified.
"...even with complete verification of the Source there might be some recalcitrant ones who would mock, sabotage..."
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like how "estholes" defended their guru, Werner "The Source" Erhard.
No wonder our True God is dripping with bloody jealousy!
At least, He'll have a nifty loving process involving mass slaughter with 7-foot deep rivers of human blood to straighten things out to get us to Lollipop Kingdom where everyone will know better and be eternally grateful for it.
If true to history, several "apostles" would post on the site, inspired by his "spirit".
ReplyDelete