Church, religion and purpose always seemed shady

Mr. Ed

Mr. Ed

Be what you is not what you what you ain’t
Location
Central NY
Watched a movie entitled "Selling God" that illustrated 4 principles of marketing used by evangelist for recruitment.
Create a need. If you are generally a good person you don't need the services offered by church evangelist. However, the Bible says everyone has sinned and come short of the glory. What does that even mean? It's a clause in the Bible that states no one is exempt from sin, this translates to the second part of the business model, offer a product or service to fill the need. Everyone is a sinner, just so happens by joining organized religion we can provide you with the perfection solution to cleanse away your sins. All you have to do is confess yourself before Jesus and believe in him and your sins are forgiven. Simple, but now you must lean and practice faith by attending worship services and studying the Bible.

3rd point of business model is by investing one's self into religion you will be rewarded. For those who do not join the club consequences include death.hell fire and damnation.

4th point create urgency with deadline so people will make hasty decision for fear of consequences.

The Great Commission charges believers with the responsibility of going forth and saving souls as is your responsibility for joining.

Religion comes across as a holy institution for the good of humanity. However, from a business point of view, religion, church, and denominations depend upon creating a need, offering a product solution, reward
 

Mr. Ed said:
Religion comes across as a holy institution for the good of humanity. However, from a business point of view, religion, church, and denominations depend upon creating a need, offering a product solution, reward
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As a business model the concept works otherwise there wouldn't be 4,000 recognized religions . But like most businesses profit is necessary to continue to provide the service offered.

Like other businesses there are large & small outlets for the services offered. Every year on the third Sunday in January, people from all cultures and backgrounds come together World Religion Day. The day celebrates the commonality of the major faiths of the world. It may surprise you to know that there are over 4,000 recognized religions in the world.Nov 8, 2022
https://nationaldaycalendar.com/world-religion-day-third-sunday-in-january/#:~:text=Every year on the third,recognized religions in the world.

Quality of service, unknown if it works but it's offered never the less.

Some of the businesses are to big to fail. Scandals sway attendees for awhile but promises of doing better are made.
An example
Pope ends 'secrecy' rule on child sexual abuse in Catholic ...
The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com › world › dec › pope-fr...
Dec 17, 2019 — Pope Francis has announced sweeping changes to the way the Roman Catholic church deals with cases of sexual abuse of children,
 

Mr. Ed said:
Watched a movie entitled "Selling God" that illustrated 4 principles of marketing used by evangelist for recruitment.
Create a need. If you are generally a good person you don't need the services offered by church evangelist. However, the Bible says everyone has sinned and come short of the glory. What does that even mean? It's a clause in the Bible that states no one is exempt from sin, this translates to the second part of the business model, offer a product or service to fill the need. Everyone is a sinner, just so happens by joining organized religion we can provide you with the perfection solution to cleanse away your sins. All you have to do is confess yourself before Jesus and believe in him and your sins are forgiven. Simple, but now you must lean and practice faith by attending worship services and studying the Bible.

3rd point of business model is by investing one's self into religion you will be rewarded. For those who do not join the club consequences include death.hell fire and damnation.

4th point create urgency with deadline so people will make hasty decision for fear of consequences.

The Great Commission charges believers with the responsibility of going forth and saving souls as is your responsibility for joining.

Religion comes across as a holy institution for the good of humanity. However, from a business point of view, religion, church, and denominations depend upon creating a need, offering a product solution, reward
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You've convinced me.
 
Mitch86 said:
By the way, if you do need Christ, you can worship Him at home and never bother with any church or preachers.
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Everyone needs a moral philosophy to live by and I think the teachings of Christ (which are found in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John} offer the best philosophy for mankind. However, most churches don’t teach this philosophy. Pastors prefer to preach from the other books of the Bible instead. So if you want to follow the teachings of Christ, you almost have to do it at home.
 
The OP is reflecting on the type of minority religious groups he is familiar with. Many Christian denominations don't fit that mold, even evangelical communities. Generally Christian groups are well-meaning doing tremendous good helping people in this world especially the poor and needy. I won't abandon the vastly dominant numbers of good people for the sake of the few that are not.
 
Mr. Ed said:
Watched a movie entitled "Selling God" that illustrated 4 principles of marketing used by evangelist for recruitment.
Create a need. If you are generally a good person you don't need the services offered by church evangelist. However, the Bible says everyone has sinned and come short of the glory. What does that even mean? It's a clause in the Bible that states no one is exempt from sin, this translates to the second part of the business model, offer a product or service to fill the need. Everyone is a sinner, just so happens by joining organized religion we can provide you with the perfection solution to cleanse away your sins. All you have to do is confess yourself before Jesus and believe in him and your sins are forgiven. Simple, but now you must lean and practice faith by attending worship services and studying the Bible.

3rd point of business model is by investing one's self into religion you will be rewarded. For those who do not join the club consequences include death.hell fire and damnation.

4th point create urgency with deadline so people will make hasty decision for fear of consequences.

The Great Commission charges believers with the responsibility of going forth and saving souls as is your responsibility for joining.

Religion comes across as a holy institution for the good of humanity. However, from a business point of view, religion, church, and denominations depend upon creating a need, offering a product solution, reward
Click to expand...
seemed? understatement, eh?
 
The Jehovah's Witness' got my oldest brother. He was never the same. Still is though I haven't spoken with him in years.

Lots of fear if you have ever looked at their publications.

Good turn off right there. And yes, I'm sure he gives them money.
 
Remy said:
The Jehovah's Witness' got my oldest brother. He was never the same. Still is though I haven't spoken with him in years.

Lots of fear if you have ever looked at their publications.

Good turn off right there. And yes, I'm sure he gives them money.
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The Jehovah’s Witnesses have a fascinating business model. They distribute pamphlets printed by the Watchtower Corporation but have no say in Watchtower policy. The Watchtower Corporation directors built a big spread on Blue Lake in upstate New York where the directors have free lakeside apartments, maid service, food service, and corporate cars. The sign out front says “Jehovah’s Witnesses World Headquarters” but the deed says Watchtower Corporation. There is no legal entity called Jehovah’s Witnesses. The Watchtower tells their distributors they are Jehovah’s Witnesses and can avoid the horrors of Armegeddon by supporting the Watchtower, which the Watchtower equates with supporting Jehovah. Most Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t notice they all die before Armegeddon.
 
Mr. Ed said:
business model
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Yes religions are a business, they have expenses to pay. Before you contribute to one its a good idea to know what those expenses are.
Della said:
Jesus gave it all away for free.
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I doubt it, someone had to feed, clothe and house Jesus and his disciples. Not suggesting he was anything like some of our modern day televangelists, but any venture involving people has expenses to pay. Nothing inherently wrong with that, just how the world works.
oldaunt said:
Yet churches register as non-profit for the tax exemption.
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Yep, meaning everyone, not just the church members have to subside religions by paying for their roads and services. Non-profit status is a kind of government funding...
 
Well, you can't build a house without paying someone to build it. Same with televangelist, the air time, cameras, makeup and depending on the church, many are funded for outreach, addiction counseling, rehabilitation.

It's well known that the rehab places and orgs aren't for those who need them, they're for those who WANT them.

The government give tax breaks to companies who donate, the food banks get money (from government/state) for storage/distribution, the churches get free food (in like kind charity) for handing out the food. (Workers are not paid)

The church in turn, notes who is asking for food, how many they support and this goes back to state/fed for further tally of needed services.

If not for the desire of others to give freely of time, effort and money, charity would be quite rare.
 
Mr. Ed said:
Watched a movie entitled "Selling God" that illustrated 4 principles of marketing used by evangelist for recruitment.
Create a need. If you are generally a good person you don't need the services offered by church evangelist. However, the Bible says everyone has sinned and come short of the glory. What does that even mean? It's a clause in the Bible that states no one is exempt from sin, this translates to the second part of the business model, offer a product or service to fill the need. Everyone is a sinner, just so happens by joining organized religion we can provide you with the perfection solution to cleanse away your sins. All you have to do is confess yourself before Jesus and believe in him and your sins are forgiven. Simple, but now you must lean and practice faith by attending worship services and studying the Bible.

3rd point of business model is by investing one's self into religion you will be rewarded. For those who do not join the club consequences include death.hell fire and damnation.

4th point create urgency with deadline so people will make hasty decision for fear of consequences.

The Great Commission charges believers with the responsibility of going forth and saving souls as is your responsibility for joining.

Religion comes across as a holy institution for the good of humanity. However, from a business point of view, religion, church, and denominations depend upon creating a need, offering a product solution, reward
Click to expand...
I have stopped church, I cannot stand the people.
I do my prayer and study privately.
Yes I believe I am a sinner. This is because not one of us can ever be perfect. Yet God sent his son to die for us. All we need do is believe this.
I pray to God to help me be a better person. I don't need to attend church to do that. The people there have lots of motives and cliques going on, which doesn't interest me one bit.
 
Mr. Ed said:
Watched a movie entitled "Selling God" that illustrated 4 principles of marketing used by evangelist for recruitment.
Click to expand...
Selling God has been a way for charlatans to make a living ever since the first concept of God. In the 1800s Charles Russell earned his living by selling pamphlets that predicted the wrong date for the end of the world. They sold like hotcakes and he incorporated his business into the Watchtower Corporation. Today the Watchtower Corporation is a billion dollar corporation whose directors get free lakefront condos, free maid service, free food service, and corporate cars. All supplied by their followers, the Jehovah's Witnesses.
 
I understand religion as a business model, but what they are selling is nothing more than an idea based on the belief of existence. I left Christianity due to lack of belief based on faith alone. There are times I imagined myself a believer however, the condition was nothing more than a face I pulled from my closet that seemed to satisfy my curiosity.

I remember crying as a child as my dad extended an invitation after each sermon and I would walk to the front of the church, hoping he would find favor in me but of course this didn't happen. I thought it was odd, my dad chose not to talk about god or Jesus at home, but we as a family were given the task to show our support to him in church and community.

I'm scheduled for a 30 minute counseling session next Wednesday and if we are compatible I will begin to unravel the mystery of me in an unbiased account of secular wisdom.
 
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