Maybe We Should Blame God for the Subprime Mess - Dr. Paul J. Dean
From an article this week in Time:
Has the so-called Prosperity gospel turned its followers into some of the most willing participants — and hence, victims — of the current financial crisis? That's what a scholar of the fast-growing brand of Pentecostal Christianity believes. While researching a book on black televangelism, says Jonathan Walton, a religion professor at the University of California at Riverside, he realized that Prosperity's central promise — that God will "make a way" for poor people to enjoy the better things in life — had developed an additional, dangerous expression during the subprime-lending boom. Walton says that this encouraged congregants who got dicey mortgages to believe "God caused the bank to ignore my credit score and blessed me with my first house." The results, he says, "were disastrous, because they pretty much turned parishioners into prey for greedy brokers."
read entire article
We all know people of all kinds are greedy in one form or another. Bankers and brokers don’t have the corner on that market. While there is no excuse for anyone taking advantage of another, Christians must be aware of reality. They must be aware of greedy brokers, greedy preachers who give them a message that contradicts the Scriptures, and indeed they must be aware of the greed that lurks in their own hearts.
The root of the whole mess lies in an entitlement mentality that has crept into the American consciousness. It is that mentality that compels the government to force lenders to make high-risk loans to people who cannot afford homes but who are believed to be entitled to own a home. When things go well, greed takes root in the hearts of all involved: the government officials greedy for votes and the perpetuation of themselves in office; the greedy bankers who make loans they know they should not make; and individuals who know they cannot really afford what they want.
Christians especially should be responsible enough to say “no” to something beyond their means. Moreover, they must be satisfied with true treasure and not the fleeting and worthless treasure of this world. They must never blameshift when they are part of the problem.
With particular reference to the prosperity gospel and those who preach it, as one looks at what Christ has to say to those religious leaders who take advantage of ignorant people, it is safe to say they will incur a stricter judgment than any greedy banker. They’ve been warned.
In the end, it is not God who is to be blamed for the subprime mess. It is man. It is sinful man. The reality is that God is the only one who can fix the mess because He is the only one who can remove a heart of greed and replace it with a heart of giving.
From an article this week in Time:
Has the so-called Prosperity gospel turned its followers into some of the most willing participants — and hence, victims — of the current financial crisis? That's what a scholar of the fast-growing brand of Pentecostal Christianity believes. While researching a book on black televangelism, says Jonathan Walton, a religion professor at the University of California at Riverside, he realized that Prosperity's central promise — that God will "make a way" for poor people to enjoy the better things in life — had developed an additional, dangerous expression during the subprime-lending boom. Walton says that this encouraged congregants who got dicey mortgages to believe "God caused the bank to ignore my credit score and blessed me with my first house." The results, he says, "were disastrous, because they pretty much turned parishioners into prey for greedy brokers."
read entire article
We all know people of all kinds are greedy in one form or another. Bankers and brokers don’t have the corner on that market. While there is no excuse for anyone taking advantage of another, Christians must be aware of reality. They must be aware of greedy brokers, greedy preachers who give them a message that contradicts the Scriptures, and indeed they must be aware of the greed that lurks in their own hearts.
The root of the whole mess lies in an entitlement mentality that has crept into the American consciousness. It is that mentality that compels the government to force lenders to make high-risk loans to people who cannot afford homes but who are believed to be entitled to own a home. When things go well, greed takes root in the hearts of all involved: the government officials greedy for votes and the perpetuation of themselves in office; the greedy bankers who make loans they know they should not make; and individuals who know they cannot really afford what they want.
Christians especially should be responsible enough to say “no” to something beyond their means. Moreover, they must be satisfied with true treasure and not the fleeting and worthless treasure of this world. They must never blameshift when they are part of the problem.
With particular reference to the prosperity gospel and those who preach it, as one looks at what Christ has to say to those religious leaders who take advantage of ignorant people, it is safe to say they will incur a stricter judgment than any greedy banker. They’ve been warned.
In the end, it is not God who is to be blamed for the subprime mess. It is man. It is sinful man. The reality is that God is the only one who can fix the mess because He is the only one who can remove a heart of greed and replace it with a heart of giving.
posted by IABC | 2:28 PM
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