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Dwindling donations to the Living Word Christian Center in Brooklyn Park have prompted its high-profile pastor, Mac Hammond, to put his private business jet on the market.
Church spokesman the Rev. Brian Sullivan says Living Word has also cut its hourlong Sunday morning television broadcast to 30 minutes to save money.
He says the church has fallen $40,000 to $70,000 short of its weekly budget in recent weeks. Sullivan says the church is adjusting its budget accordingly.
Sullivan says the church’s problems could be a combination of the recession and the recent bad publicity about churches preaching the “Prosperity Gospel.”
The prosperity churches are based on the idea that success in business or personal life is evidence of God’s love.
Late last year, the U.S. Senate asked six churches to submit financial documents because of complaints about the lavish lifestyles of their ministers. Hammond was not among them.
Sullivan says the church is aggressively marketing the jet, and that the money raised from the sale would be reinvested in the ministry.
Times are tough all over, preacher man. See you in coach.
Now that the Republicans are out in Congress it’s tough getting those government grants.
Are people finally seeing through the scams these people put on them? Can only hope critical thinking is making inroads.
Can you picture if Huckleberry or Romney were in office and the amount of grants that would be doled out to their respective imaginary beings?
#1 & 2 – Churches don’t get grants from the government. That would violate the 1st amendment. You must must be testing us, since you’re so much smarter that those who believe in a god.
#3. Tax free status, is better than a grant, dontcha think? Donations down 40 to 70 thousand dollars short of their WEEKLY budget, hello? Would your God approve of this?
#3
You must have been living under a rock to not have heard of the millions that Bush etc. slathered on churches that supported them. Furthermore I don’t know why you would think that I don’t believe in God.
Americans are so stupid…is there any more proof needed?
Cheers
The details people are willing to put up on their site for everyone to see. I guess the more comfortable you are with Mac Hammond, the more like you are to donate… ah, buy his blessed products that will make you a “winner.”
http://www.mac-hammond.org/ABOUT/history.cfm
End tax exemption for religions now!
“Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3-10
“…I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” . Matthew 19:24 (The saying was a response to a young rich man who had asked Jesus what he needed to do in order to inherit eternal life. Jesus replied that he should keep the commandments, sell all his possessions, give the money to the poor, and then follow Jesus.)
American Christians… a religion of ignorance and hypocrisies.
A few years back the WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?) bracelets were in high demand. Considering that Jesus, routinely walked from Galilee to Jerusalem, a distance of over 60 miles, I recommend Mac, buy a pair of Nike’s.
Prosperity ministry not christian.
It’s the 21st century, when is the belief in magic/gods/goddesses/demigods/demons/witches going to end? Not one single deity of ANYONES religion has shown up since the invention of the video camera. When ‘proof’ was just stories told around a camp fire, everything was true, but now a days…I can’t find any NBC footage of Thor attacking giants, Zeus appearing in the sky, demigods running around doing supernatural acts, witches or magical battles in Chicago or New York. Nope, just stories and books about how this USED TO happen ALL THE TIME….but mysteriously NEVER happens now…from any religion. Grow up people.
God told me he wanted to take this dude’s (HIS word) plane so as to keep him on the ground and as far from him as possible.
# 8 Matt said, >>> End tax exemption for religions now!
Beware of what you wish for. Remember that ending the official separation of church and state means trouble for the state, too.
Rather than REMOVING the separation of church and state, as you want, I would strongly encourage America to FURTHER the separation.
I would also encourage the government to enforce the religious non profit status.
# 6 TIHZ_HO said, Americans are so stupid…is there any more proof needed? Cheers
You have no stupid people in whatever country you’re from? I’ve lived in several countries and — for sure — Americans aren’t the most stupid I’ve encountered.
It’s pathetic when a jerk like this strips gullible people of their money while hiding behind a bible. Of course, we all know where he’s going:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rC6UrMTC73A
#4 No. There’s only one GOD and they don’t approve.
#6 Someday, there will be no americans. They’ve all but stopped making them now..
#8 And what? Have them incorporate so they can really rape us?
#14 Greg Allen –
I’m American, and yes I completely agree that there are stupid people in all countries including China where I work and live. However the difference, Greg, is the American attitude that they, and the US, are the best at anything and everything. See the point?
Cheers
This quote sums it up nicely;
“if you want to know what God thinks about money, just look at the people he gives it to.”
This isn’t new (unfortunately).
“Lord won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz, my friends all have Porches I must make amens..!”
There was a preacher back in the 30’s who told his “flock” to place their hands on the top of the radio to “feel God’s love” (and then send money to his ministry).
Isn’t God supposed to be in the business of making people better? How many times has money made someone a better person? (not that I would mind some more if it, though).
#13, Greg Allen,
How does removing the tax exempt status of churches lessen the church/state separation?
It seems to me that it increases it. As it is now, churches (I should say large, organized religions) get the special favor of tax exempt status from the government. I’d say that is a very favorable treatment which makes church and state very buddy-buddy.
How about we tax churches just like anyone else in the entertainment business? I don’t know about the schools they run. It depends on whether non-religious affiliated private schools are taxed, but they should get the same treatment.
Better yet, get rid of all the current federal and state income, real estate, etc. taxes, cut the federal government back to its constitutional limits, and move to sales taxes.
But that’s another issue.
This guy is just a failure. He should have done like Billy Graham, and tell his sheeple that if they didn’t donate their hard earned cash to him NOW that he was going to die… Along with all of them!
It worked for Graham, it can work for another.
It’s amazing how people get over on the gullible when it comes to matters of mythology.
Remember, god ain’t nothing but dog spelled backwards!
My Dog is my co-pilot.
#21, Rabble,
Billy Graham has not been quoted as saying for his followers to send money NOW or he would die. That was Pat Robertson.
Graham takes a small salary and plows most of their gifts back into his work. I am not a Graham follower, but I don’t believe in maligning a man who tries to practice the poverty he preaches.
If you are going to malign someone, at least get your facts straight.
Words about “Prophets” from the Bible:
Jeremiah 14:14 (King James Version)
14Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets(Profits) prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.
Matthew 7:15 (King James Version)
15Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves(in loud jackets).
With parenthetical emendations …