Here’s the lead into the piece:
“America’s mainstream religious denominations used to teach the faithful that they would be rewarded in the afterlife. But over the past generation, a different strain of Christian faith has proliferated—one that promises to make believers rich in the here and now. Known as the prosperity gospel, and claiming tens of millions of adherents, it fosters risk-taking and intense material optimism. It pumped air into the housing bubble. And one year into the worst downturn since the Depression, it’s still going strong.”
This article caught my attention because I frequently work with patients who have been influenced by the prosperity gospel. And it can be challenging at times to help them see the primary need, or supply, is not money, but spiritual understanding.
The prosperity gospel promises increased material wealth and gain if you follow the tenets and practices of those who preach it.
Millions of people already want the material riches before they ever step foot in a church, so to hear a preacher from the pulpit, supposedly anointed “from above,” tell them they can have their consumeristic heart’s desires fulfilled if they believe in God and have strong faith, is like a dream come true. Pray yourself to earthly riches, fame and success, the message comes across.
Rosin argues in her piece that Christians steeped in prosperity gospel teaching, acted on trumped up hopes and dreams that exceeded reasonable financial expectations. They bought homes they could not afford, believing that God would give them the money they needed to make future mortgage payments. The increased income did not come. Payments were missed, foreclosure took the homes, and millions of dreams were crushed, all contributing to the crash we're all familiar with now.
It can be a stretch to follow all of Rosin’s logic, but her reporting does provoke some serious thought about the theological errors and misrepresentation of true Christianity the prosperity gospel advocates.
Jesus Christ did not teach his followers to pursue or yearn for great worldly wealth and success. He taught them to seek the riches of Spirit and rest assured that their human needs would be met.
To the young man who wanted Jesus to tell his brother to divide his father’s inheritance with him, Jesus replied, “Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” It seems that Jesus did not care about the extra money and didn’t believe the boy needed to be concerned about it either.
Jesus did not hold out in front of public thought images or promises of worldly gain as a reward for following him. He promised eternal life for faithful followership, and the route to that goal may or may not be attended by much money. But every need will be met along the way.
There is a big difference between seeking spiritual gain first with human needs met as a consequence, and pursuing dreams of material gain through prayer to God. The first puts God first. The second puts mammon first.
It seems that prosperity preaching feeds on humanity’s lust and want of material comfort and gain. If followers put the pursuit of monetary gain first, above listening to the voice of Wisdom, poor financial decisions can result. The voice of Wisdom does not lead one down a path of financial ruin. It leads one down a path of discipline, balance, patience, contentment, and to choices that endure hardship.
The prosperity gospel has led many people astray. Whether Rosin is right or not, in her conclusions, each reader can decide. But reading the article is a wake-up call to anyone caught up into the "Pursue your dreams," type of wishful thinking the prosperity gospel engenders.
The more mental weight we throw into the scale of Spirit, the less we think about worldly gain, money, getting monetarily rich and pursuing earthly dreams. These all fall to the wayside for the greater riches and wealth of spiritual understanding and demonstration.
Prosperity, in Spirit, is not measured in material quantities or by things owned, but by spiritual understanding gained and love lived. There is a big difference!
“Christianity causes men to turn naturally from matter to Spirit, as the flower turns from darkness to light. Man then appropriates those things which "eye hath not seen nor ear heard." Paul and John had a clear
apprehension that, as mortal man achieves no worldly honors except by sacrifice, so he must gain heavenly riches by forsaking all worldliness. Then he will have nothing in common with the worldling's affections, motives, and aims.” Mary Baker Eddy
