You might enjoy reading some of the works of Bart Ehrman. I’m an atheist who has been reading a lot about Jesus and the early church (first three centuries). I would recommend, How Jesus Became God.
Anyway, good for you for recognizing prosperity bs for what it is.
Ehrman is great, as are his books and his podcast (which is called “Misquoting Jesus”). He’s one of the most objective mainstream New Testament scholars (in the field of textual criticism), and he doesn’t try to advance any agenda. He states clearly whether his points are the consensus of non-evangelical scholars, or whether he’s in the minority (which is rarely); whether other scholars disagree with him (and why); what the evangelical scholars say, etc. He doesn’t encourage either atheism or religion; he’s simply a textual criticism scholar.
It’s literally a sin in many sects, not to say those sects aren’t entirely hypocritical on the matter, but trading priestly duties for money is explicitly a sin in a lot of Abrahamic religions.
I like Ehrman. I think Jesus had, before the Resurrection, no clear idea of who/what he was and that what Ehrman shows is how the early church not invented but discovered the divinity of Jesus.
You might enjoy reading some of the works of Bart Ehrman. I’m an atheist who has been reading a lot about Jesus and the early church (first three centuries). I would recommend, How Jesus Became God.
Anyway, good for you for recognizing prosperity bs for what it is.
Ehrman is great, as are his books and his podcast (which is called “Misquoting Jesus”). He’s one of the most objective mainstream New Testament scholars (in the field of textual criticism), and he doesn’t try to advance any agenda. He states clearly whether his points are the consensus of non-evangelical scholars, or whether he’s in the minority (which is rarely); whether other scholars disagree with him (and why); what the evangelical scholars say, etc. He doesn’t encourage either atheism or religion; he’s simply a textual criticism scholar.
It’s literally a sin in many sects, not to say those sects aren’t entirely hypocritical on the matter, but trading priestly duties for money is explicitly a sin in a lot of Abrahamic religions.
Gestures broadly at the pastors with their AMG Mercedes/M BMWs, mansions, private planes, helicopters, beach/mountain vacation houses, etc…"
I like Ehrman. I think Jesus had, before the Resurrection, no clear idea of who/what he was and that what Ehrman shows is how the early church not invented but discovered the divinity of Jesus.