Sadly Protestants are not innocent. We got Van Impe raking it in around here. There is Benny Hinn with his arenas full of thousands of people and his fake faith healing hauling in buckets of money. Word of Faith teaches people that salvation is proven by having lots of money and "prosperity. The Total Blasphemy Network promoting it all. And I just found out from another website that showed Joyce Meyers 5 house compound with million dollar+ homes (at least she shares with her family but stilll!) Benny Hinn has got his 8 million dollar home.

But youre right Shain there have been those who have been greedy in Catholicism. I worry about all the Marian theme parks and how much tourism plays into it all at Lourdes, Mexico--Guadalupe, Fatima etc. America has smaller shrines and money making deals ranging from Conyers Georgia to acouple in New York.

The idea of paying for Masses and indulgences is not fair. It gives the rich a one up. It teaches the poor the doors will most likely be shut. Here is an example, at my past RCC< there was this very kind woman, she did a lot of service for people, that I do not condemn, I am glad she does these sort of things. But because she was wealthy she was far able to do FAR more then many of us.

I have been able to give and I did there--but it was in time and service...and she gave that as well...but they nicknamed her Saint _____.

I thought to myself what kind of message does this send? She would buy presents for everyone all the time. She would do things the rest of us could never afford and those things were good. She doesnt need to stop. But the attitude was that she was far closer to heaven then the rest of us. (Im not judging her she very well could be--she was a nice person) but these degrees of wealth and what one could do, play a part. One got the message that having more money made you a better person, you were able to do more works. I remember my frustration thinking that I was failing in the eyes of God thinking I was not wealthy enough to help many poor people though I gave food and medicine help to acouple friends on occasion.....Catholic theology did nothing to counteract this but reinforced these feelings.

Too much money and the seeking of wealth corrupts churches. It has happened to Protestant churches. I would be uncomfortable even in some megalithic Protestant churches with huge AV screens and Starbucks in the lobby. This corruption has been historical in Catholicism. I will probably seek membership only in small rural simple Bible-believing churches for the rest of my life for this reason. My present church I would stay there forever but we may have to leave due to economic pressures and husbands job problems.

I dont want to be a church where people show off their wealth or where money or commericalization is first and foremost. Even the commercial aspects of Evangelicalism bother me--trendy books and more.

Indulgences--Ive seen the list, while they give some weak alternatives to the poor and disabled--"prayer and this will give you an indulgence", MOST ENTAIL MONEY. MOST ENTAIL FINANCES even a working class person would find hard to come up with. Pilgramages overseas and more.

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They sell slivers of wood in which they claim to have came from the ORIGIANL Cross of Christ.


On the rules books Catholics will come here and tell you that selling of relics is against the rules, but that doesnt change the fact it was done. My family owned a relic. I know it cost money when they bought it to help my sister through a severe illness when she was a baby.


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They sell Wine, Whiskey, and Bingo Cards.


I posted about that one RCC with the pub and priest running a nightclub. This will vary with areas. Some areas more dry then others and it filters down to Catholics even. But the approval of gambling bothers me.

They should pray for free or do their Masses for free, there should not be financial requirements, pretty scary.

If you truly want to see the wealth of the Vatican upfront Shain, check out this art show....

It toured America this summer, could still be here but I dont know.

St. Peter and the Vatican: The Legacy of the Popes

Check out the picture of the golden tiara on this website:

www.museumofart.org/MuseumOfArtInternet/Exhibitions/Vatican/ -


from other website:


www.sdmart.org/exhibition-vatican.html
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The exhibition also features the Tiara of Pope Pius IX, the symbol of the papacy, made of silver, gold, pearls, diamonds, emeralds, and other precious stones; a Buddhist Thangka of embroidered cloth and pearls, created by the Dalai Lama as a gift to John Paul II; and the Pastoral Staff of Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II.


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My Lord was the poorest of the poor and the body of Christ is rich in His Blessings. Our Lord didnt even have a pillow to rest His head on.


Ive posted this one website where they compare the life of the Pope to the life of Christ and they had nothing in common. One living in lavish wealth. This Pope may be more outwardly austere--but before they spent milllions, for hundreds of years Popes outdid emperors and kings in terms of luxurious living.

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Conversely, the Roman Catholic Church, which by the way claims to be the Church Jesus Christ founded, is the wealthiest institution on the face of this earth. Is there something queer here? How can a Church claim to be founded on Jesus Christ and his apostle Peter, and yet have Gold and Silver in vaults worth billions buried beneath the earth? I smell a Cat-o-lic !!!


Their stock holdings are supposed to be very very great. Ever read about the Vatican bank and those scandals? Ive also posted this one page before off the Vatican website---which lists all the Globalist groups they are involved with from UNESCO to WTO, but there are others and where the moneyed and the billionaires hang out. I wonder too how the True Church of Christ would be the one of collusion with the UN and the Globalists and Club of Rome?

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They are the Bill Clintons of Churches when dealing with honesty. They claim not to be rich, and say that with a straight face, when in fact the very life styles their abbots, bishops, cardinals, and popes live would make our own president look like a pauper at times.


Remember the wealth is on top. So there are some poor priests and especially nuns...but those on the top live well. The nuns and priests who work hard especially ones in self-sustaining monastries would be devestated to know the abuses of money and power at the top. The RCC has always been about those who seek power especially at the top. Even the criminal Law was rewarded with a plum job in Rome.

Here is an article about a bishop abusing church funds. They are as bad as the TV preachers but remember in this case, we are taught these guys are successors to the Apostles and their word on faith and morals infallible....

www.cmonitor.com/stories/...2003.shtml


(this one is on Episcopalians--millions dollar homes for bishops)-- www.telegraph.co.uk/news/...bish15.xml

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Roman Catholicism at its very core rejects the Fundamental command of Christ concerning the riches of this world. They have their fingers in just about every money pie this world has cooked up.


If they break the command about not being of this world in regards to government and everything else, money will be part of it.

Overall I believe money corrupts, churches that exsist to make money and who seek the riches of this world instead of treasures in heaven have lost the plot. Jesus warns about this. When he talks about how hard it is for a rich man to get into heaven, it makes even more sense.