BellaOnline Forums Religion and Spirituality Spirituality Enlightenment for Sale?

I think this is true of all religions and spiritual guidance.

And unfortunately, the bigger the religion - the more chance there is for fraud, for the simple fact you are dealing with more people.

Each person needs to decide if what they are paying for is worth it.

Part of what my tithes and donations go to are my church building upkeep and salaries of my clergy - but a VERY large portion goes to overseas missions, much of it language and medical based. These are very important to me- and I support my church's decision to support these causes.

And looking at it from the other side, if I am willing to shell out $20 to go see a movie then how can I squawk about the same price for a book that will help me gain greater understanding of my religion.

Quite often we take for granted that which is free, but we value that which we pay for. We pay more attention to things that we have had to make a sacrifice to learn, even if it is only a monetary sacrifice. This may make the sale of enlightenment worth it for that reason alone.

freespirit:"I would not trust ANY spiritual advicer that I have to pay."
Well, they have to pay the bills as well. The answer can not be given just by dumping all advisors who ask for money in the same bracket.
Sure the TV evangelist scam artists are outragous and by my opinion should be in jail as they are worse than couterfeiters. They are "printing" fake spiritual "currency" without even having to make the effort to invest in costly printing machinery.
On the other hand I have just come across a Reiki website (www.atmahome.com) operated by a lady who charges $75 (!!!) for a session, but offers the first seesion free because if either her or her client feels that she is not the one to help her/him, it would not be decent to ask for money.
Now I can respect that a lot and I say this a fair exchange. You personally get what you have paid for right at the spot. If you don't like it you don't buy any more of it.
And for those who think they can buy their way to heaven: they need a reality check.

I think paying for services rendered is fine. If a priest does a marriage or a funeral, etc. And in the pagan faith, for tarot readings etc.
But if someone is wanting you to pay them for spiritual advice or teaching... well, you can get that for free.. just look inside. They are asking for money for something you already have. I don't think you should ever pay for a mediator between you and the divine, because each of us have a direct path to that.

Bylen

You are right Bylen, it is all within!!! Even though there are many paths to get to our destination we many times do not know the power that we have inside.

I once heard a joke that ended with the following statement:

"I will take all my money and toss it straight up towards Heaven. What God wants, He will keep."

Sure, you can get it for free, and yes theoretically everybody should be able to find their own spirituality by themselves.
The keyword is SHOULD.
Look at it this way:
You want to find a road that leads to your destination. You can just search yourself and if you're good (know how to navigate, etc) then you'll find your way fairly quickly without help (still at one point someone taught you how to navigate, right?). If not you can pick up a free map at a tourist information center. If you're lucky, the creators of the free map did a good job and you'll find your destination.
If not, you'll have to buy one.
Following this analogy the thing that you have to beware from is to pay a general fee (call it tithe or tax???) to an entity who promises you highways, roadsigns, maps and a guaranteed arrivel to your destination and what you get is a dirt road at best.
One may say, the pioneers found their way without roads and maps. They sure did, but at what cost, and are we all pioneers?
I think most of us need guidance. Just pick your guide carefully.

I think there is a big differene between paying for material things like a church building, the power to run that church building and the materials needed to run it and in paying someone to speak to God for you.
If you are a member of a church than it is only fair to contribute to these things.
What you are "buying" is not salvation, it is material things.
A preacher should be paid a salary by the church for services rendered to that church.

I know there are differing opinions on this. There is a catholic shrine not far from me. It attracts tourist and i went there with my mother and step father. The shrine is a very large church, and one whole wall of the church is solid gold. The floors are marble. My mother and her husband got in a debate on the way home about if the money was poorly spent. One of them said the money could have fed the poor. The other said, the gold was well used in that it brings people to the church and exposes them to the teachings of Christ.
I don't even have a problem with the money being used for a gold wall in a church. The money coming into a church should be for the good of all members. It should be used for the church. When it all goes into the pocket of one person, I have a problem with that.
The people who give money to a church expect it to be used for the church. If your pocketing that money, that's a scam. Whether it be a preacher, an elder, or a member of the church.

I just have a problem with people getting rich off of non-profit organizations of any kind. Seems to defeat the purpose to me.
Bylen

I agree with you Bylen. A non-profit organization should stay "non-profit". I see plenty of people taking advantage of members of religious organizations. It's a abuse of power. Why would God love you more simply because you can donate more? I think material wealth is a very human thing. God is definitely NOT judgmental or greedy... at least in my understanding.

Very well said Bylen.
My only disagrement is that those who are attracted to a church because the wall is made of gold are not likely to seek spirituality.
No doubt though that they serve the interests of the churches well (i.e. they are likely to be willing to pay for salvation)
Cara FYI the Catholic Church has not been non profit for more than one and a half millennia. It is practically the largest corporation on Earth (tax free too!) next to which Exxon Mobile is a sandbox on a playground.

Hi all:

Windryer, Oh I wouldn't say you disagree with me. My view really is that I think the money should go to the poor and less fortunate. I just said I didn't have a problem with the money being put back in the church. I also think golden idols would be defeating the purpose.
Cara I understand what you are saying. I see alot of religious organizations calling the elderly and sending pamphlets to the elderly asking them to donate money. Some of them actually target the elderly. I know of several families who have taken over their elderly parents finances because their parents were sending so much money to these organizations.
Since these groups are untaxed and unregulated they can do anything they want with the money, and you don't have much legal ground to stand on.

Bylen