I am so mad I can't see strait. You tell me if you think this is ethical.
My pastor wants to start an adult/elder day care so that we can become all the seniors best friend. The reason he wants to do this is so that they will put the church in their will. This is a reirment area with lots of seniors who are ignored by their children or who have no children.
He also feels that the youth don't need money spent on them because tha church will never get it back.
I loathe church gimmicks, but this is one of the more squalid of them. The pastor should read the four gospels.
I hope I would be out of there, but am aware I have stayed put in places longer than I should have.
I remember seeing "ads" in the Way Magazine saying, "Remember the Way in your will."
I thought it was fairly creepy, even through my WayBrained haze.
------------------------
To start and promote a "Christian" service like elder care with the ulterior motive of reaping financial rewards instead of providing a blessing to their congregation is beyond unethical. I would suspect the level of service given would be in mind to keeping as much of the money given as possible, instead of taking excellent care of their elders in their declining years.
Sounds like it's time to start looking for a new church. :blink:
If someone wants to help the elderly-- thats really great-- im sure there is more than enough need everywhere for that--IMO churches should do that type of thing BUT with no strings attached or its just another BS lowlife scam to me...doing it in order to get something out of it, especially from the elderly, in my book is pretty low.
I have to wonder with his attitude--Why bother helping them at all? Why doesnt the guy just steal their savings? Its the same thing -just simpler -and he'd save himself a step
I am so mad I can't see strait. You tell me if you think this is ethical.
My pastor wants to start an adult/elder day care so that we can become all the seniors best friend. The reason he wants to do this is so that they will put the church in their will. This is a reirment area with lots of seniors who are ignored by their children or who have no children.
He also feels that the youth don't need money spent on them because tha church will never get it back.
Has the pastor actually SAID that his reason for starting the adult care center is to inherit from the old folks, or is that just your assumption?
Why not go out with a bang? Expose him for what he is - a parasite. Write a letter to the local papers about him or tip off a report to tell the story - take your name out of it - and let the paper do an expose on elder abuse. Contact your state's omsbudmen program (usually a division of the department of health & human services for your state) and warn them about this. I wouldn't walk out without saying anything. No one should be duped and the elderly are especially venerable. Don't let this guy get away with it!!!!
Why not go out with a bang? Expose him for what he is - a parasite. Write a letter to the local papers about him or tip off a report to tell the story - take your name out of it - and let the paper do an expose on elder abuse. Contact your state's omsbudmen program (usually a division of the department of health & human services for your state) and warn them about this. I wouldn't walk out without saying anything. No one should be duped and the elderly are especially venerable. Don't let this guy get away with it!!!!
The church, which I love is falling apart because of him. He once was great. He once was the president of the southern baptist convention. He is now a senile old man. Since there are still those who love him I don't want to cause any more a split than has already happenned.
Went to visit another church and it was old home week. Everybody eccept one man was from my old sunday school class at the old church. You have to remember that there is only so much choice in a small rural town.
Since there are still those who love him I don't want to cause any more a split than has already happenned.
Okay, I'm going to throw down some thoughts and see what you think. At first these might offend you, but look past it and see if there is some truth here.
1. You wouldn't be causing the split, his wrongdoings are causing the problems. You are just telling the truth and exposing the truth. If you do not share what you know, you are trying to "protect" others. That is not your job. That is called "co-dependent". People are adults, they can take care of themselves and certainly God can take care of them. How many atrocities are hidden and therefore allowed to perpetuate in the name of not wanting to hurt others? How about the people that have yet to be hurt? People are putting their trust in this guy to be pastored spiritually and you have knowledge of that trust being betrayed. Painful? Yes. Your fault, absolutely not! Be forewarned, however, you will be marked as a troublemaker. But you're still right.
2. Is your not wanting to hurt others really about the others, or is about you being afraid to stick your neck out and taking the risk of being rejected? I know that sounds cruel, but it isn't. Frankly, I wouldn't blame you, standing against this will take a lot of bravery. But God will stand with you. We at GSC will stand with you.
You might be tempted to fire a reply right back to me. I would suggest you resist that urge and just let this sit with you for a day or so and see what your heart thinks. If you don't think this stuff fits, drop it. You know what's best for you.
We've all seen enough of wolves disguised as sheep, and this man sounds like another wolf trying out the disguise. What's more, he wants the deacons to be wannabe wolves as well.
Erkjohn makes good points.
If you're going to call this man on this, make sure you have a good scriptural basis - be able to point to enough examples, scriptures, etc, to convince those who have ears to hear. (Like, "love of money" being a root of evil - maybe even the compassionate response of the Samaritan who, out of his own pocket, tended a needy and injured person! With no thought of reward!)
The crazy thing is that when I talk with other deacons who were their. Their take is that don't worry its not going to happen, he was just thinking out loud.
Thinking out loud is saying what the heart is thinking in my book.
Maybe my thinking is a little twisted and thoughts changed because of my 4 year visit with TWI. I know that I now think about what is being said and rarly believe at face value. I always question the speaker. I don't trust people/pastors the same way I once did.
I do know he is after the money. He has talked so many times from the pulpit about putting the church in your will.
I've started visiting around. I will not be part of that problem any more.
I'd think about Chas suggestion but there is no way that I can really know the inner dynamics of everything that is going on in the church and your town --so thats really your decision.
I do know that if your "small rural town" is anything like my small rural town chances are pretty much everyone already knows about the guy being a leech and have set their guards up anyway without the aid of a news expose. or lets hope so
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Watered Garden
You need a different church, or this church needs a different pastor, or both!
And NO it's not ethical.
WG
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JavaJane
It reminds me of Jim Jones and the People's Temple and their homes they set up for the elderly, who in turn willed their money to the church...
Might want to think on that for a minute, and then get the heck out of that church, or confront them with the similarity.
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Cynic
I loathe church gimmicks, but this is one of the more squalid of them. The pastor should read the four gospels.
I hope I would be out of there, but am aware I have stayed put in places longer than I should have.
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waysider
Wierwille tried variations of this same thing. It never worked for him either.
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Kevlar2000
I remember seeing "ads" in the Way Magazine saying, "Remember the Way in your will."
I thought it was fairly creepy, even through my WayBrained haze.
------------------------
To start and promote a "Christian" service like elder care with the ulterior motive of reaping financial rewards instead of providing a blessing to their congregation is beyond unethical. I would suspect the level of service given would be in mind to keeping as much of the money given as possible, instead of taking excellent care of their elders in their declining years.
Sounds like it's time to start looking for a new church.
:blink:
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mstar1
To me that's disgusting.
If someone wants to help the elderly-- thats really great-- im sure there is more than enough need everywhere for that--IMO churches should do that type of thing BUT with no strings attached or its just another BS lowlife scam to me...doing it in order to get something out of it, especially from the elderly, in my book is pretty low.
I have to wonder with his attitude--Why bother helping them at all? Why doesnt the guy just steal their savings? Its the same thing -just simpler -and he'd save himself a step
IMO It may be time for you to move on---
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dmiller
Is he unethical? Yes. Very much so. what he proposes sux. Big time.
Should you move on? Yes. Everything he does now is suspect.
Find a church that will serve while "truly caring for the flock",
rather than being so self-serving and self-centered with only their interests at heart.
Should you confront him about this? I dunno. Perhaps.
However it sounds like he might be ill disposed to listen even if you did.
Do you have a local "talk radio station"?
Or a local newspaper that has an opinion page?
We have both here, and both are accessible to locals who have a gripe.
A letter to the editor of the paper exposing this guy would be in order.
If there's a local talk show, get an interview with one of the hosts there.
This transcends being just "a lousy church". It's a matter for public concern.
Folks in your area should know what he's up to, but I have a question?
Does the rest of the church support this decision, or is he on his own here?
If the entire church supports this, go at em with both barrels blazing.
(wasn't that a Way Prod song way back when?)
If the pastor is on his own in thinking like this,
he should be confronted and held accountable by the congregation.
Good luck (can I say that here?) ;) in whatever happens.
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GeorgeStGeorge
Has the pastor actually SAID that his reason for starting the adult care center is to inherit from the old folks, or is that just your assumption?
George
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ex70sHouston
He said it deacons meeting tuesday night.
I have since told my close friends I'm leaving and why.
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GeorgeStGeorge
Fair enough.
George
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ChasUFarley
Why not go out with a bang? Expose him for what he is - a parasite. Write a letter to the local papers about him or tip off a report to tell the story - take your name out of it - and let the paper do an expose on elder abuse. Contact your state's omsbudmen program (usually a division of the department of health & human services for your state) and warn them about this. I wouldn't walk out without saying anything. No one should be duped and the elderly are especially venerable. Don't let this guy get away with it!!!!
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ex70sHouston
The church, which I love is falling apart because of him. He once was great. He once was the president of the southern baptist convention. He is now a senile old man. Since there are still those who love him I don't want to cause any more a split than has already happenned.
Went to visit another church and it was old home week. Everybody eccept one man was from my old sunday school class at the old church. You have to remember that there is only so much choice in a small rural town.
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Broken Arrow
Okay, I'm going to throw down some thoughts and see what you think. At first these might offend you, but look past it and see if there is some truth here.
1. You wouldn't be causing the split, his wrongdoings are causing the problems. You are just telling the truth and exposing the truth. If you do not share what you know, you are trying to "protect" others. That is not your job. That is called "co-dependent". People are adults, they can take care of themselves and certainly God can take care of them. How many atrocities are hidden and therefore allowed to perpetuate in the name of not wanting to hurt others? How about the people that have yet to be hurt? People are putting their trust in this guy to be pastored spiritually and you have knowledge of that trust being betrayed. Painful? Yes. Your fault, absolutely not! Be forewarned, however, you will be marked as a troublemaker. But you're still right.
2. Is your not wanting to hurt others really about the others, or is about you being afraid to stick your neck out and taking the risk of being rejected? I know that sounds cruel, but it isn't. Frankly, I wouldn't blame you, standing against this will take a lot of bravery. But God will stand with you. We at GSC will stand with you.
You might be tempted to fire a reply right back to me. I would suggest you resist that urge and just let this sit with you for a day or so and see what your heart thinks. If you don't think this stuff fits, drop it. You know what's best for you.
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Twinky
We've all seen enough of wolves disguised as sheep, and this man sounds like another wolf trying out the disguise. What's more, he wants the deacons to be wannabe wolves as well.
Erkjohn makes good points.
If you're going to call this man on this, make sure you have a good scriptural basis - be able to point to enough examples, scriptures, etc, to convince those who have ears to hear. (Like, "love of money" being a root of evil - maybe even the compassionate response of the Samaritan who, out of his own pocket, tended a needy and injured person! With no thought of reward!)
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ex70sHouston
The crazy thing is that when I talk with other deacons who were their. Their take is that don't worry its not going to happen, he was just thinking out loud.
Thinking out loud is saying what the heart is thinking in my book.
Maybe my thinking is a little twisted and thoughts changed because of my 4 year visit with TWI. I know that I now think about what is being said and rarly believe at face value. I always question the speaker. I don't trust people/pastors the same way I once did.
I do know he is after the money. He has talked so many times from the pulpit about putting the church in your will.
I've started visiting around. I will not be part of that problem any more.
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mstar1
That's a good move.
I'd think about Chas suggestion but there is no way that I can really know the inner dynamics of everything that is going on in the church and your town --so thats really your decision.
I do know that if your "small rural town" is anything like my small rural town chances are pretty much everyone already knows about the guy being a leech and have set their guards up anyway without the aid of a news expose. or lets hope so
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