IBelieveInHymn

Sadly No.

WilliamFearless

At last, something we agree on!

Sheshbazzar

Certainly most of here can agree with that assessment.
Nevertheless, from the perspective of Biblical Theology, ALL Christian Churches, irregardless of whatever faults or errors might be present, are yet collectively the same BODY, and all together -faults and all- comprise THE -one and only- CHURCH (singular) of YHWH (<'gawd'>)
Read Revelations addresses to The Seven Churches, in spite of all the faults found, they are still accepted as all being members within ONE and the same 'body' and 'organization'-THE CHURCH.

You will never in this world find a perfect Church, as because of the weaknesses of fallible men, such a thing has never yet existed.
So other than your own satisfaction, other than clear evidences of an unfeigned love for God and for fellow man, there is nothing other that sets one church or denomination above another. All are accounted as the servants of ONE and the same Master, all are justified and pardoned in and by Him.

You were 'called', if indeed 'called' you were, not to become a 'judge' of The Churches of Christ, but to join, and to become ONE with The Churches of Christ.
They stand ready to receive you, with all of your weaknesses, faults and failings, but you yet stand aloof and without, judging, and thinking yourself as better than they.
Who are you that judges another man's servant?
The Son of Man it is that judges His own servants, and only in judgment by Him do they stand or do they fall, it is ever in HIS hand alone to show mercy on to whom He will show mercy, and pardon whose trespasses and sins HE will pardon.
All are guilty in His sight, none are righteous.
No, not even you.

Think, and consider it well then, before you come before this Judge and dare to point your finger at other of His servants. You have no right to -judge-
nor to -condemn- any of Christ's Churches (His they are) It will not ever justify you, neither speak well of you.

IBelieveInHymn

I gotta admit, this post was very helpful, and you explained alot. I appreciate this. However, like I said, I despise the tv evangelists that flash an 800 number so they can get your credit card information. I just wish people like that would fall of the face of the earth. They act all loving and kind, singing songs...etc,etc.. but meanwhile they are stealing the money from more than likely older senior citizens that place their trust into people like this. I condemn these churches, and I feel God will make these people suffer.

Who knows, maybe I'm wrong.. maybe we are supposed to give our life savings to the Church of God.

It's a bitter pill to swallow when I see a TV preacher constantly flashing a Visa or Master Card Logo on the screen... That makes me want to call them and tell them a thing or two.

Dark Virtue

Why sadly no?

Is this something you cannot do or something you aren't willing to?

If you're not willing to, isn't that going against God's command to follow all of his commandments?

Dark Virtue

So why, exactly, do other Christians allow these kind of churches to flourish? More importantly, why does God?

Mat 19:21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go [and] sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come [and] follow me.

So what's stopping you?

So why don't you? Some one, some where, some how has to take a stand against them.

Who are they going to listen to more, a Christian or a non-Christian?

Christianity fails to impress me for one major reason...they aren't unified. There's only one God, only one Bible, but thousands of different denominations. Why? Because men like to pick and choose what rules they want to follow. History is full of examples of this.

Unify under one banner, believe in the same ideals, follow the same commandments and then I will sit up and take notice.

Failte

As you can see, quite a few people agree with you on this one.

But, setting aside the oily televangelist trying to route that money to themselves, isn't this was christians are supposed to do? Give up their worldly possessions and follow Christ? They're supposed to give to the poor (which many churches facilitate with donations) -- right?\

It's the picking and choosing among the "rules" that really turns me off about christians, though. Oh, I like that rule, so I'll follow it; that rule is difficult or obnoxious or too limiting, so I won't. Over the years, I've come to realize that the billion people calling themselves "christian' reallly have very little in common when it comes to actual belief. Which makes their whole religion suspect.

Sheshbazzar

The practice of The Christian religion, living daily in earnest hope and expectation of that Day when all that is good is finally triumphant over evil, and all strife and wars will forever cease, and life without end overcomes the sorrows and the disappointments of corruption and death, and a daily striving to the practice of unfeigned and selfless love towards others, has never been dependent upon televisions commercialised religious circus side-shows.

Many, many, sincere CHURCH attending believers are as put off by these as you are, and would never contribute a penny towards such thinly veiled avarice. Nothing requires any sincere believer to either watch or to be a participant in such questionable shenanigans.

If you would be a real Christian, and live the life of Christian love, fellowship and service, there are millions of modest congregations available whose time, money, and love is invested first within the needs of their own communities, with the remainder in helping others, and nothing to line the pockets of thieves. (In my previous small congregation, no one, not even the Pastor, recieved pay, all who were able worked, and all service was voluntary, monies collected were administered by the elders for charitable works, [other than a minimal set-aside to maintain the House Of Prayer], with a open accounting of where every dollar went)
Certainly, if you are sincere in your beliefs, you can find, (or build up) such a congregation within your own immediate community.
But do not withhold, looking for that one that is perfect in every way, its not there, all one can do is join and try to make what is, better, by your presence and your personal contributions, or failing in that to move on.

Many Christians feel the same way, yet it is YHWH that "added to THE Church daily such as should be saved." who can rightly exclude a fellow believer and brother in Christ Jesus simply on the basis of not liking those who persuaded and converted him?
As for 'these people' -"Christians'- whom you find to be contemptible (and you ar not alone) remember; The judgment must begin at The House of YHWH: He will judge His flock separating His sheep from the goats.

Acts 4:32-35
No one says you need to be a sucker, or give any TV preacher a penny.
Doing so does not make one a Christian.

Sai

Id say they are all scam artists, some just make more money and are more dishonest than others.

Failte

It does make me wonder what believers are thinking when they see some televangelist with fourteen fancy cars and gold-plated faucets in the bathroom. How do they reconcile a life of service to christ with someone making millions off the gullible? It's repulsive.

But it looks to me as if IBIH is making a (somewhat ill-expressed) distinction between belief/faith and 'church'. (or between faith and religion). He doesn't like individual congregations, and has rejected attendance in 'a church' for his own interpretation of faith. I don't agree one whit with him, and find his reasoning specious, but I do understand the distinction.

I know a lot of 'christians' who have broken with 'the church' to create their own little splinter groups. Usually the reason is ego, or a vague dissatisfaction with some tiny aspect of belief that they don't agree with, so they reject "the church" and claim that it is wrong and misguided and that THEY have the only true answer. It's incredibly arrogant.