Replies

  •      Juanita,

         I am an avid reader, so I have read some of Pat Robertson's literature.  It has been a few years though, but the last book I read by Pat was called The New World Order.  Pat is a post-millennialist, which is understandable, when you are living in luxury why would you want to leave this world?  There is a whole lot of facts that I could present about Pat Robertson and his class, without having to know every detail of his life.  James 5 vs 1-6 teaches us that wealthy oppressors will heap up treasures in the LAST DAYS.  In the 5th chapter of Acts, Ananias and Sapphira were killed by the Holy Spirit, because they lied and wanted to be part of a movement of God without paying their fair share.  Because of the days of apostasy that we are in, this probably won't happen to Pat Robertson, but if he doesn't want to have an appearance of evil, he does need to come clean with his financial dealings.

         When Jesus said that the "poor will always be with you", he was telling the Jews of his generation that they were not Torah observing Jews, for the book of the Law(Deuteronomy) says that if God's people obey his commands that there will be no poor amoung you.  God's law made provision for the poor and always protected their DIGNITY.  Wealthy oppressors of the American empire want to brainwash us to believe that the poor are being treated with dignity in our land, because food prices are kept artificially low and anyone can get a Bridge Card(food stamps), and anyone can get a crazy check to pay rent that is artificially high(usuary), and anyone can go to an emergency room(if they can get there before illegal immigrants).  This is not treating the poor amoung us with dignity, but I will stop there, I might be rambling.  

    Juanita said:

         Regarding Pat Robertson...  I don't really know about Pat's personal finances now.  I do know that he started several business ventures and has published many books.   People normally assume if someone has a big ministry, the leader(s) of the ministry 'harvest' the offerings of people to live in luxury.  Sometimes that happens, unfortunately.   I think that God's plan is that we work for a living.   There are times when people need to be supported by other believers, that is ok. 

        I am part of a fellowship that does this...  we live by standards of conduct.  One standard is that we refrain from questioning the motives and intent of other people; we try to deal with issues of 'fact'.   So, this really saves a lot of energy on evaluting other Christians and trying to peg them -- are they doing the right thing, or not?   We have enough to take care of by learning how to live connecting to one another, without having to worry about things with which we have no authority/responsibility.  ;-)  ;-)

     

        

     
    James said:

      I'd be surprised if Juanita does respond to this. IMO see already has by moving these post to this new thread (Ramblings of a few).

     


     Really you want to care for the grounds around Pat's 11,000+ square feet home, not including the kidney-shaped pool, the separate changing house,garage itself is 1,100 square feet and the 2,000-square-foot guard shack. It is sitting on 25 acres?

     I bet you could make minimum wage.

     




    Lisa said:

    Hmm... I think Juanita's response to this could be interesting. While we're waiting I'll say that I wouldn't mind being hired to maintain a landscape like that, though it's a bit formal for my taste. Maybe he has an empty room a staff could stay in.
  • That is exactly why the name of the thread.  I couldn't think of anything else to fit what we had already been doing.

    Lisa

  • Hello Lisa,

     Thanks for sharing this with me.

     I hope they give the tree a chance by planting it. They grow to be so pretty.I have on in my front yard that is 30 foot taller then my two story house.The trunk is at least 3 foot across. The branches go clear to the ground. In the spring when the new growth comes on the new pine needles have got to be some of the softest things around.Even the color of the new growth looks O so soft. 

     

    PS. I hope it is Okay with you and Juanita to keep just rambling  alone on this thread. IMO the name of the thread has it covered. It is nice to just chat, get to know each other. Find some common ground outside of faith.

     


    Lisa said:

    I've lived across the road from a Christmas tree farm.  They get the trees, many of them blue spruce, when they have just a couple of side branches.  They're not much more than pencils.  Sometimes they nurse them for a year in an old flower bed before they plan them in the field.  Takes about ten years to get harvestable trees.  I dug a small one up for a live christmas tree.  Kept it for 3-4 years in a large pot thats just a bit bigger than a 5 gal bucket.  I sold it because it was needing to be planted.  The person who bought it hadn't planted it yet the last time I was by.  It's been over a year.  The tree didn't get much attention through the summer, will be interesting to see if it made it or if they just dumped it.
  • Steve - this is a little funny.  You should read Pats book, Shout it from the Housetop - how the 700 Club was founded.  God asked him to sell all he had and give it away.  He did.  He started it on faith, not by his inherited money.   ;-)   My husband trained Pat's horse, Aristocrat.  During that time we visited him and he visited us.  I have a lot of respect for Pat.  But, when it comes down to it:  not one of us is a 'good person'.   We are all the same, flawed human beings that are made right, not because we have lifted ourselves out of the mud, but because Jesus has saved us - saved us starting with saving us from ourselves.    At times Pat makes poor choices/so do I/so do you.   :-)

    Steve Belttari said:
         Pat Robertson's father was a wealthy U.S. senator, so Pat inherited seed money to start the 700 Club.  In and of itself, there is nothing wrong with that.  I occasionally watch the 700 Club, it presents the news from more of a Christian worldview and I have always liked the Christian testimonies of common people.  The problem I see is with Pat's Christian discipleship.  Pat kind of reminds me of the rich young ruler that Jesus encountered.  The rich young ruler claimed to be right with God, because he obeyed the Law, but Jesus said to him to sell all that he had, give to the poor and come follow Him.  The rich young ruler went away sad, because he had many possessions.  Would Pat Robertson be willing to sell everything he has, give it all away to the poor(without a tax write off) and live a simple life as a disciple of Jesus Christ?  I doubt it.  
  •      Regarding Pat Robertson...  I don't really know about Pat's personal finances now.  I do know that he started several business ventures and has published many books.   People normally assume if someone has a big ministry, the leader(s) of the ministry 'harvest' the offerings of people to live in luxury.  Sometimes that happens, unfortunately.   I think that God's plan is that we work for a living.   There are times when people need to be supported by other believers, that is ok. 

        I am part of a fellowship that does this...  we live by standards of conduct.  One standard is that we refrain from questioning the motives and intent of other people; we try to deal with issues of 'fact'.   So, this really saves a lot of energy on evaluting other Christians and trying to peg them -- are they doing the right thing, or not?   We have enough to take care of by learning how to live connecting to one another, without having to worry about things with which we have no authority/responsibility.  ;-)  ;-)

     

        

     
    James said:

      I'd be surprised if Juanita does respond to this. IMO see already has by moving these post to this new thread (Ramblings of a few).

     


     Really you want to care for the grounds around Pat's 11,000+ square feet home, not including the kidney-shaped pool, the separate changing house,garage itself is 1,100 square feet and the 2,000-square-foot guard shack. It is sitting on 25 acres?

     I bet you could make minimum wage.

     




    Lisa said:

    Hmm... I think Juanita's response to this could be interesting. While we're waiting I'll say that I wouldn't mind being hired to maintain a landscape like that, though it's a bit formal for my taste. Maybe he has an empty room a staff could stay in.
  • Steve, Those folks wouldn't be the first to fit the Bible to what they want it to say. 

    Be blessed. 

    Lisa

     

  • Hi Steve,

    Thanks... I so agree, money can be a very tempting vice and cause us to lose focus as to our purpose.

    Love and prayers,

    Mark

  •      I am under the impression that the Lord is really going to shake things up in the USA in the not to distant future.  So much of the just critisism of unbelievers is centered on the love of money.  A couple of years ago I watched a movie(can't remember the name of it) by Politically Incorrects Bill Maher, like many atheists in our nation Maher is familiar with many teachings in the Bible and in the film he shows the mammon serving lifestyle of American Christians and compares it with the non-money life that Jesus taught.  I have had some of the weirdist conversations with Christians who are happy with the status quo.  I have had Christians insist that Jesus Christ was not homeless, when the Scriptures plainly teach that He was.  I have had corporate Christians tell me that Jesus had short hair and was clean shaven, just so He would fit in with their version of Christianity.  James 2 vs 9-10 condemns the majority of Christians in the USA as lawbreakers.  

    Lisa said:

    I get where you are coming from Steve.  A Bible study group I recently participated in was talking about how many of the ministers on TBN are dressing and acting rich.  Sometimes it's hard to tell if they are plugging God or just pompus fools, sounding big, and grubbing money...then every once in a while one of them will say something that is clearly of the Lord.  For this group these ministers are a turn off.   One of the guys finally pondered if a group of wealthy individuals in a similar Bible study were sitting around a table saying the same thing about the humble poor guys just starting out...these are the fellow we like.    It shed a different light on things.  Could these wealthy ministers be reaching a group people that most other ministers cannot even touch?

    I have heard some decent news and even a couple of other programs on the  700 club too.

  • I've lived across the road from a Christmas tree farm.  They get the trees, many of them blue spruce, when they have just a couple of side branches.  They're not much more than pencils.  Sometimes they nurse them for a year in an old flower bed before they plan them in the field.  Takes about ten years to get harvestable trees.  I dug a small one up for a live christmas tree.  Kept it for 3-4 years in a large pot thats just a bit bigger than a 5 gal bucket.  I sold it because it was needing to be planted.  The person who bought it hadn't planted it yet the last time I was by.  It's been over a year.  The tree didn't get much attention through the summer, will be interesting to see if it made it or if they just dumped it.


  • Lisa said:


    A slight correction here.  Juanita did not move the posts.  I did after her ok to do so.  She gave the ok on her Am I Right post after I obseved that we had hijacked it.  I suspect she knows what a pain it is to copy paste a post and let me have the plaesure...   I'm sure has Kindom headship she has learned to delegate many things.

    James Said:

     Okay,

    Oops, we did hijack it 

     

     

    I have learned to be very content on low wages.   Most of the stuff that comes with more money and high position just isn't worth the hassel.  Mr. Robertson's need for bodyguard is an example.    ...and yes I enjoy grounds keeping.   Being outside all day getting sprayed by grass clippings or the sprigs of pruned shrubs, and ending up with all manner of dirt under the nails has it drawbacks, especially when it rains.  It is still better than being stuck in a wee little cubicle tied to a phone, unable to move around while dealing with fussy people. 

    I also enjoy working in the yard.

     I must admit I don't mind putting the lawn mower away for the winter.LOL... Unlike my mother in extreme south Texas where winter has her still cutting the grass only once a week instead of twice a week like in summer.   

     

    I have a green thumb,love planting things and watching them grow over the years.

     Like the baby aspens I planted years ago only about 6 inches tall and are now well over twenty feet tall and 9 inches across.I also raise Blue Spruce from seed.When they get to be around two feet tall I give them away. I gave away at least ten last year. Be years before I have more.They grow so slow  at first only  inches the first few years. The north side of my house is perfect for growing them. All I do is plant the seed and let mother nature take over. At two foot tall there roots are closing in on my houses foundation and need to be moved. I move them to 5 gallon buckets for a couple months then in the fall give them away.

     

     

     

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