Excerpts From Chapters 25 & 26

In order to completely understand the parallels and similarities between prosperity ministries and Predatory Capitalism, a brief review is necessary. Western capitalism has nothing to do with business, the means of production, the private ownership or collective ownership of industries, banking, trade, commerce, investment banking, economics or politics.

Western styled capitalism can best be described as a collection of principles that will allow any individual or group of individuals to thrive in any environment from which; and/or in which, profit or gain can be realized. Capitalism is simply a means and/or method and not a governing philosophy. We can add to this, not an acceptable religious philosophy either.

Predatory Capitalism is the ruthless exploitation of people and resources without pity, mercy or compassion so that a select few and only a select few will benefit from it. Therefore a prosperity ministry can best be described as a branch of Christianity that exploits people without pity or compassion for profit or gain. Who really benefits financially from prosperity ministries? A select few and only a select few, with the minister and his family being the primary beneficiaries.

New Age Capitalism™ exposes the immorality and corruption of others that prey on people’s weaknesses, ignorance and self-destructive habits; i.e., addictions, self pity, low self esteem, feelings of inferiority, consumption habits relative to products, positions or services and exploits these people for profit or gain. Exploiting people is not an objective of New Age Capitalism™.

A prosperity ministry has nothing to exploit..other than.. the members of the congregation. Prosperity ministries prey on the congregation’s fears, loneliness, isolation, personal miseries, anxieties, lack of financial resources, indebtedness, poverty, goodness, generosity, religious beliefs, value systems and most importantly, the congregation’s need, want, desire, aspiration and ambition to get to heaven the right way. Getting to heaven includes being a true servant of the Most High.

The greatest fear a Christian has is a pink slip to the basement where the fires of hell are waiting...for him or her. Every Christian prays and hopes for a ticket on the heavenly express that will take them nonstop to the pearly gates. Believe it or not...there are few... if any...Christians that want to be nailed to a CROSS like Christ of the New Testament or burned at the stake. They want salvation and Christ’s powers, miracle working abilities, prophetic capabilities and wisdom, but the CROSS... the real CROSS... the nails, the agony, the suffering and rejection..THAT’S OUT OF THE QUESTION!! Now...a symbolic CROSS.. well...that’s much more like it.

In fact, the overwhelming majority of professing Christians are not Christians at all...they are really Paulians. However, to discuss this aspect of Christianity is beyond the scope of this publication. For over 2,000 years, the only real hope for a Christian..was life after death in heaven. In fact, millions of early Christians committed suicide in order to enjoy the glorious life in heaven.

It is estimated during the early days of Christianity, over 4 million Christians committed suicide. Some early Christian writers maintained that a self-chosen death was a goal for the genuinely pious to aspire. The number of Christian martyrs and mass suicides rose so quickly that the ruling Jewish faction decided to forbid eulogies and public mourning for those who died by their own hand. This action began the stigmatization of suicide in Judeo-Christian culture. The first church-led condemnation of suicide occurred when Jewish leaders refused to allow the bodies of Christian suicide victims to be buried in hallowed ground.

In addition to being described as a branch of Christianity that exploits their congregations for profit without pity or mercy, prosperity ministries can also be described as a nonprofit version of Predatory Capitalism. As you have seen and read, the Bible has everything a prosperity minister needs to get rich.

The Bible is replete with verses that relate to prosperity. The Bible has mandated tithes and offerings that can be used for a variety of purposes. The Bible even mandates congregational financial support for preaching the Gospel. There are enough verses in this publication to verify the stated facts. Preaching the Gospel and the real Bible with all its animal sacrifices in the Old and human sacrifice in the New can be a hard pill to swallow for a seminary graduate. It’s much easier and far more profitable to talk about prosperity; especially, to poor people or people losing homes and jobs.

When it comes to the middle class, hell fire, brimstone and suffering like Christ, Paul, Peter or James is a sure way to empty the church. Remember: Predatory Capitalism is a means or method that exploits people for profit or gain that benefits the few. There is nothing in Predatory Capitalism for the vast majority. Therefore, America’s genuine pastors are being replaced with a nonprofit version of a Predatory Capitalist. Preaching prosperity is an opportunity for profit or gain for the minister, not the congregation. Unfortunately, for the supporters of prosperity ministries, there is nothing in the Bible about preaching prosperity. Ministers are paid for preaching the Gospel.

Therefore, prosperity ministers have no genuine pity or compassion for their congregations. If the Gospel is not being preached, the congregation is certainly not going to heaven because the Gospel is the road map to heaven. Getting to heaven or to an afterlife is the only real reason to participate in organized religion.

A prosperity minister can live lavishly, while rank and file church members can barely pay their bills, tithes and/or offerings. This is especially distressing in Black America, when you consider the mean net worth of single Black women is only $5.00. In Black America, there is virtually a church on every corner.