Quote:
Originally Posted by Grumpy
Your point is not even apples to pineapples. No I am not suggesting they not get paid, but having ones own country, bank and religion is ludicrous.
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My post was referring to Finn. When I said that what a pastor of a large church makes should compare to what a CEO should make, I was suggesting that, for the value many CEOs bring to the world, their salaries should shrink to something closer to what a minister makes.
I agree with you that churches should not be like businesses. I assume that you're referring in your post to the Vatican and it's various arms and branches. During the time of the Holy Roman Empire, the church had become a very political institution and political power. The institution was rife with corruption. I have observed that the more a church is run like a business (or a government), the more it moves away form its spiritual purpose. My wife worked in an administrative position in a church for awhile, but left very disappointed. Apparently you don't want to see the business operations of a church any more than you want to see sausage being made.
When a church is really fulfilling its purpose you see more stories like Kam's. My experience in the church I grew up in was that it was more like an extended family than a separate organization. People do watch out for each other and help each other. That is my experience in the church I attend now, as well, but it would more so if I stayed as involved as I would like to be.
To go back to the point of my earlier post, I have always appreciated having a church leader who has had doctoral level training. That allows him or her to bring a much deeper meaning to things we might have learned in church before. I have mentioned before how much I got out of attending a Sunday school class taught by a pastor who had previously been a Greek instructor in the seminary. IMHO, pastors' compensation should reflect the level of expertise they bring to the position. However, because I don't see a pastor's job as a salesman, like the others here, I consider most televangelists to be snake oil salesmen.
Regards,
D-ray