Would You Be Alarmed If Someone Ordered A Hundred Dollar Bible?

[JesusIsMySuperHero]

[quote name='mortify' post='1517914' date='May 3 2008, 10:57 PM']With all due respect, I have yet to see a Protestant adopt a life of poverty as our Lord did, and as many religious monks and nuns do in order to live a life closer to the Gospel. Since you reserve the cheapest for God, I wonder what you reserve for yourself?

As for the Scripture, it stands clear. Many people, not just Protestants but even Catholics, behave like Judas Iscariot. They criticize spending for the Lord's sake and they say its better to spend for the poor. The reality is, if we love God and revere Him, we will be *compelled* to make the most beautiful things for Him. It's only natural that the Monks spent decades making one beautiful manuscript that contained the inspired word of God. And as I said, God Himself commanded only the most precious materials to be used for the Tabernacle, the Temple, Priestly vestments, and all other things associated to worshiping Him.[/quote]

Oh my goodness.

So if you live a life of poverty, you live closer to God!

Let me throw this out there, I have thousands of dollars in the bank, more than enough to pay for the first year of college for the course I want to take. Now, by your measure, I must be wordly, unmoved by God, and just plain sinful that I would save money to enjoy myself. . .

The idea you must live in poverty to live for God is just plain wrong. I'm not saying that gain is godliness as well. But it has to be taken in context. If God has given you the ability to save for the things you want, and you don't that is a greater sin!

Edited May 5, 2008 by JesusIsMySuperHero

[Alycin]

[quote name='JesusIsMySuperHero' post='1518994' date='May 4 2008, 11:50 PM']Oh my goodness.

So if you live a life of poverty, you live closer to God!

Let me throw this out there, I have thousands of dollars in the bank, more than enough to pay for the first year of college for the course I want to take. Now, by your measure, I must be wordly, unmoved by God, and just plain sinful that I would save money to enjoy myself. . .

The idea you must live in poverty to live for God is just plain wrong. I'm not saying that gain is godliness as well. But it has to be taken in context. If God has given you the ability to save for the things you want, and you don't that is a greater sin![/quote]


Dude, did you even read what I was replying to?

[JesusIsMySuperHero]

[quote name='Alycin' post='1519002' date='May 4 2008, 10:56 PM']Dude, did you even read what I was replying to?[/quote]
Opps, wrong person. . .

Sorry about that.

[Alycin]

[quote name='JesusIsMySuperHero' post='1519007' date='May 4 2008, 11:58 PM']Opps, wrong person. . .

Sorry about that.[/quote]

It's okay!

[Altari]

[quote name='cmotherofpirl' post='1518221' date='May 4 2008, 12:13 PM']How much is much much or too little?[/quote]
It is subjective, of course, and up to the church community to decide. Having had someone clarify the Catholic perspective (which I don't agree with, but won't argue), I will just explain the problem I have, as a Protestant. There are many "preachers" who make their wealth off the offerings of their congregations. It is irresponsible, in that it is both sinful and a cause of sin, for a pastor to use tithes as a means to his own end.

While it was argued that "all sin is equal" to Protestants, not all sin is equally harmful to the community. The sin of greed is the same as the sin of bearing false witness - but a pastor lying about putting the milk jug back empty is not as communally harmful as displaying the sacrificed wealth of the congregation.