Prosperity Gospel

Time's cover story, "Does God Want You to Be Rich?" makes no reference to the National Baptist Convention, but it's worth noting that the black denomination spent much of its annual convention last week attacking the prosperity gospel.

 "Black communities are suffering, while this prosperity-pimping gospel is emotionally charging people who are watching their communities just literally dissolve," Friendship West Baptist Church pastor Frederick Haynes told Dallas's WFAA.

That the prosperity gospel has a hold on a segment of American culture is not disputable. Time quotes its own poll numbers:

17 percent of Christians surveyed said they considered themselves part of such a movement, while a full 61 percent believed that God wants people to be prosperous. 


And 31 percent—a far higher percentage than there are Pentecostals in America—agreed that if you give your money to God, God will bless you with more money. …

Of the four biggest megachurches in the country, three—Joel Osteen's Lakewood in Houston; T.D. Jakes' Potter's House in south Dallas; and Creflo Dollar's World Changers near Atlanta—are Prosperity or Prosperity Lite pulpits.

For Osteen, Prosperity Gospel isn't a pejorative term:


"Does God want us to be rich?" he asks. "When I hear that word rich, I think people say, 'Well, he's preaching that everybody's going to be a millionaire.' I don't think that's it." Rather, he explains, "I preach that anybody can improve their lives. I think God wants us to be prosperous. I think he wants us to be happy. To me, you need to have money to pay your bills. I think God wants us to send our kids to college. I think he wants us to be a blessing to other people. But I don't think I'd say God wants us to be rich. It's all relative, isn't it?"


On the other side is the guy whose church rounds out the "largest four" list:

"This idea that God wants everybody to be wealthy?", [Rick] Warren snorts. "There is a word for that: baloney. It's creating a false idol. You don't measure your self-worth by your net worth. I can show you millions of faithful followers of Christ who live in poverty. Why isn't everyone in the church a millionaire?"

I have to agree with Mr. Warren. Baloney!

Jesus gave us a model when he provided us with His Prayer. “Give us this day our daily bread.” In other words, provide us with the necessities of life. Give us food, clothing, shelter, money to pay our bills and provide for our families.

Furthermore, Satan tempted Jesus with all the riches and power of the world. All that God asks of us is to seek His Will. Everything else will fall in line.

Turn off the TV and read The Book!

Chichester Psalms - Finale

The finale comes in from the third movement without interruption. The principal motives from the introduction return here to unify the work and create a sense of returning to the beginning, but here the motives are sung pianissimo and greatly extended in length.

Particularly luminous harmonies eventually give way to a unison note on the last syllable of the text, a note on which the choir then sings the amen, while the trumpet plays the opening motive one last time and the orchestra, too, ends on a unison G, with a tiny hint of Picardy third.

Again, here is the Anglicized Hebrew text which is based on Psalm 133:1:

Hineh mah tov,

Umah nayim,

Shevet ahim

Gam yahad.

English translation:

Behold how good,

And how pleasant it is,

For brethren to dwell

Together in unity.

Chichester Psalms - Part Three

The third movement begins with a conflicted and busy instrumental prelude which recapitulates the chords and melody from the introduction; then suddenly it breaks into the gentle chorale set in a rolling 10/4 (3+2+3+2) meter which recalls desert palms swaying in the breeze.

The text is based on Psalm 133.


The Anglicized Hebrew lyrics:

Adonai, Adonai,

Lo gavah libi,

V'lo ramu einai,

V'lo hilachti

Big'dolot uv'niflaot

Mimeni.

Im lo shiviti

V'domam'ti,

Naf'shi k'gamul alei imo,

Kagamul alai naf'shi.

Yahel Yis'rael el Adonai

Me'atah v'ad olam.

English translation

Lord, Lord,

My heart is not haughty,

Nor mine eyes lofty,

Neither do I exercise myself

In great matters or in things

Too wonderful for me to understand.

Surely I have calmed

And quieted myself,

As a child that is weaned of his mother,

My soul is even as a weaned child.

Let Israel hope in the Lord

From henceforth and forever.

The Chichester Psalms - Part Two

The second movement begins with the psalm of David set in a conventional meter (4/4) with a tranquil melody, sung by the boy soprano (or countertenor), and repeated by the women's voices in the chorus.

This is abruptly interrupted by the orchestra and the low, rumbling sounds (again word painting) of the men's voices singing psalm 2 (also notably featured in Handel's Messiah). This is gradually overpowered by the women's voices (and then, David) serenely reaffirming the second portion of psalm 23.

However, the last measures of the movement contain notes which recall the interrupting section, symbolizing mankind's unending struggle with conflict and faith.

Interestingly, the boy's theme was adapted from a musical that Bernstein never completed, The Skin of Our Teeth (based on the play by Thornton Wilder). The men's theme was adapted from material that was cut out of West Side Story.

The lyrics, in Anglicized Hebrew:

"David" and Women

Adonai roi, lo ehsar.

Bin'ot deshe yarbitseini,

Al mei m'nuhot y'nahaleini,

Naf'shi y'shovev,

Yan'heini b'ma'aglei tsedek,

L'ma'an sh'mo.

(Men)

Lamah rag'shu goyim

Ul'umim yeh'gu rik?

Yit'yats'vu malchei erets,

V'roznim nos'du yahad

Al Adonai v'al m'shiho.

N'natkah et mos'roteimo,

Yoshev bashamayim

Yis'hak, Adonai

Yil'ag lamo!

(women)

Gam ki eilech

B'gei tsalmavet,

Lo ira ra,

Ki Atah imadi.

Shiv't'cha umishan'techa

Hemah y'nahamuni.

"David"

Ta'aroch l'fanai shulchan

Neged tsor'rai

Dishanta vashemen roshi

Cosi r'vayah.

Ach tov vahesed

Yird'funi kol y'mei hayai

V'shav'ti b'veit Adonai

L'orech yamim.

English translation:

David and Women:

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures,

He leadeth me beside the still waters,

He restoreth my soul,

He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness,

For His name's sake.

Men:

Why do the nations rage,

And the people imagine a vain thing

The kings of the earth set themselves,

And the rulers take counsel together

Against the Lord and against His anointed.

Saying, let us break their bonds asunder,

He that sitteth in the heavens

Shall laugh, and the Lord

Shall have them in derision!

Women:

Yea, though I walk

Through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,

For Thou art with me.

Thy rod and Thy staff

They comfort me.

David:

Thou preparest a table before me

In the presence of mine enemies,

Thou annointest my head with oil,

My cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy

Shall follow me all the days of my life,

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.

The Chichester Psalms - Part One

Last night PBS ran a wonderful program on the life of Leonard Bernstein.

Bernstein was one of the most notable men of music of the 20th Century. He was a conducter, composer, performer and teacher. He lived and breathed music.

In high school our choral group was fortunate to perform on several occasions with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Our teacher, Bob Knauf, drilled the songs and lyrics into our psyche. Last night I heard some snippets of a Bernstein composition, The Chichester Psalms. It brought back the floodgates of my memory.

The lyrics were in Hebrew. Mr. Knauf had no idea of their meaning, as he poked fun at some of the words. For instance V'roznim sounded a lot like Roast Beef and half of us were singing Roast Beef. (That word will be in the next blog segment)

Chichester Cathedral

The Chichester (pronounced Ch'ster)Psalms are so named as they were commissioned in 1965 for the Southern Cathedrals Festival held at Chichester Cathedral in West Sussex in the UK.

Bernstein states in the performance notes that the singer should be a countertenor or a boy soprano, but never a woman. He wanted the main singer to be a representation of King David as a boy. Bernstein was very much a Jew. And though he was non-practicing, his father was a Rabbi, he was fluent in Hebrew, Yiddish and German and wanted his work to be true to his beliefs and culture.

Chichester Cathedral Organ, on which the performance was first played

The Work is divided into 3 parts and a finale and is based on The Psalms of King David. Part One uses Psalms 100 and 108.

Here are the Anglicized Hebrew lyrics to Part One:

Urah hanevel v'chinor

Airah shachar

Hariu l'Adonai kol ha'aretz

Iv du et Adonai b'simcha

Bou l'fanav bir'nanah

D'u ki Adonai hu elohim

Hu asanu v'lo anahnu

Amo v'tson mar'ito

Bou sh'arav b'todah

Hatseirotav bit'hilah

Hodu lo baruch schmo

Kitov Adonai, l'olam hasdo

V'ador vador emunato

Translation:

Awake, Psaltery and Harp!

I will rouse the dawn!

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord all ye lands

Serve the Lord with gladness

Come before his presence with singing

Know that the Lord is God.

It is he that has made us

We are his people.

Come unto his gates with thanksgiving

and into his court with praise

be thankful for him and bless him

the lord is good, his mercy everlasting

and his truth endures forever.

Jews For Jesus - Ambush Evangelism

When I was a young Christian, I wanted to share my new found joy and experience with anyone who would listen. I was told of the need to evangelize. I learned all sorts of Christian lingo.

Since I still had inadequacies in my own life, I despaired over sharing my faith. I did not want to be one of the “hypocritical Christians” that you hear so much about. As I grew older I saw the importance of showing my faith by living my faith. Instead of clobbering folks over the head with my 20 pound King James I merely walked the talk.

Over on the Virtual Talmud blog there is a lot of discussion concerning ambush evangelistic attacks from Jews for Jesus. I’ve never had any connection or contact with this group. I am only familiar with their name. I have to agree with most points that the Jewish bloggers are making.

There are a couple of issues that most Christians are not aware of concerning Jews.

Jesus was a Jew. The paintings that show a European Jesus do not do justice and show us an incorrect image. Jesus, or Ye'shua was a middle eastern man.

One of the central tenants of Judaism is preserving their heritage. That is their belief in One True G-d. There have been various Diasporas that have scattered them abroad. Yet they have maintained their identity and heritage by holding fast to their beliefs.


I for one respect this. Though I want them to know Jesus/Jeshua as the Messiah that has already come, because of the unfathomable struggle they have faced to preserve their own faith and heritage, I am not going to force this upon any Jew.

I will never know what it means to be a Jew, but I have made many inroads in studying the Bible and the Torah from a Jewish perspective and this has shed much light on what it means to me to be a Christian.

Hear O’ Israel. The Lord Our God is one! Sh'ma Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai eh-chad!

With God On Our Side?

On last nights newscast I watched a video tape of this young wet-behind-the ears blowhard kid that goes by the nomicker Adam Yehiye Gadahn.

Formerly of Los Angeles Herr Gadahn spouted off some contemptible words for the American public about the truths of the Moslem faith and demanding that we repent and become loyal Muslims or face the consequences.

He denounced Christianity as a "hollow shell of a religion, whose followers cling to an empty faith and a false conviction in their own salvation. It is time for the unbelievers to discard these incoherent and illogical beliefs," he said. "We invite all Americans and other unbelievers to Islam, wherever they are." Tough words coming from a guy that was formerly Adam Pearlman.

What's up with Al Qaida? Do they think that by putting some air head American expatriate that couldn't cut the mustard in his own country or with his own family that his credibility will put their message "God Is On Our Side" over the top and make us quake, shiver and start wearing bath-towels on our noggins?

This made me think back to Abraham Lincoln. My Grandmother loved reading about Lincoln and instilled that quality in me. Lincoln was not only our greatest president, but one of the truly great men of all time. His words still ring true today.

During the Civil War when he was confronted by a pastor that he should be praying that God be on our side, Lincoln responded, "Sir my concern is not whether God is on our side. My great concern is to be on God's side."

I am told that Jews, Muslims and Christians spring from a central root which is Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Our own United States of America became divided in our beliefs and underwent a terrible Civil War as a result. Perhaps this is a historical parallel to today's turbulence that is pitting fanatical Muslims against each other and against the Western world.

During his Second inaugural Address he said the following: "Both (sides) read the same Bible, and pray to the same God; and each invokes His aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God's assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men's faces; but let us judge not that we be not judged. The prayers of both could not be answered; that of neither has been answered fully."

He further went on to say, "With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan - to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations"

Truth stands out because it shines and glows. It does not accuse. It does not demand. All men seek it and recognize it when it comes their way. Mr. Gadahn, you are a misguided zealot and a youth with a life time ahead of you. However you have blown it. You are merely echoing the rhetoric of evil men and we have heard it all before. You don't have any original thoughts and you are currently on the FBI's most wanted list. Would you please sit down, shut up and just go away. Exam yourself and the works of your organization and then ask yourself the question, "Are you on God's side?" Would you, "Care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan - to all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations?"