Connie Palmer here, and this week I have a rant that I can’t hold back. It’s about church ministers and how some of them have gone too far.
I read last week about one so-called minister—and yes I question his claim to that title—was crowned a “king”. Nobody seems to know what kingdom he is ruling as “king”. It seems to me that the only thing that he has control of are the minds of the members of his mega church, which reportedly number over 20,000 people. So I guess he was crowned king of his church. All I can say about that is the minds that he holds control over in his church need intensive therapy, because the people must be crazy.
I won’t even dignify this stupidity by providing the name of this so-called minister. Those of you who follow the news might know about it already. To those who aren’t familiar with the story it’s not worth going into detail, but I’ve just got to have my say about this.
I go to church most Sundays and I would call myself a woman of faith. I believe in a Higher Power, but I do not believe that power is given exclusively to any one individual here on earth. Having read and seen stories about the influence of religious institutions on all societies over time, it’s not hard to understand how we as Christians have come to the point where we adore ministers (and I include the pope, priests, bishops, cardinals and anyone else in this category). The result of putting these religious leaders on pedestals has caused some foolishness that is hard to understand.
This particular so-called minister is not only a hypocrite, but it’s obvious that he’s stupid as well. In making an apology to the Jewish community because the “king” had been wrapped in a Torah scroll while he was lifted up in a chair, he stated that “The ceremony was not my suggestion, nor was it my intent, to participate in any ritual that is offensive in any manner to the Jewish community or any group… Furthermore, I sincerely denounce any action that depicts me as a King, for I am merely just a servant of the Lord."
Oh really? He figured that one out after the ceremony huh? If I’m not mistaken, it was his butt that sat down in the chair, let the scroll be wrapped around him and offered no resistance as four men lifted him up on their shoulders.
I can’t help but wonder why people follow idiots like these? Remember the good Reverend Jim Jones and how more than 900 of his followers swallowed poison and gave it to their children because he told them to do so?
What is it, some sort of undiagnosed insanity in this nation that makes some people tolerate the excesses of some of these men of the cloth? I guess any one of them would feel like a king flying from place to place in a private airplane, living in palatial mansions and driving around in expensive automobiles, especially if these necessities are paid for by their churches. Mind you, I don’t have any objection to any minister owning these extravagances if they pay for them with funds they have earned from their salaries, royalties from book sales, speaking engagements, etc. My problem is when the church pays for these things. This sort of idiocy really angers me when these same religious leaders and their congregations have not been about the business of feeding the hungry, clothing the naked and taking care of the real necessities in the community that too many religious institutions ignore.
I’m disgusted by what has happened among too many so called religious leaders, and even more so regarding their followers. I refuse to support any of these charlatans, and if that means that I’m headed to hell for taking such a stance, then so be it. I have no doubt that I’ll have plenty of clerical company among those flames. So muse on that!
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