Aside from Opus Dei sex scandals, the dodgiest Christians today tend to be the Evangelists. Most notably in Brazil - the largest Catholic country in the world - where one million Catholics switch every year to Evangelical Protestant Churches, often considered fundamentalist sects. Fervent and hugely politicized, many of the 40 evangelist Pastors and Bishops in the Brazilian Parliament are often the ones most often cited in corruption scandals, further powered by the churches where followers are obliged to pay a tenth of their wages.
Edir Macedo is the name of “the bishop”. Seen as a dark figure in Rio, he has created an empire in telecommunications through his Church (Igreja Universal do Reino de Deus) seen almost all over Brazil as well as Africa, Asia, USA and Europe. He even has a Church in Brixton, London. In 1992 Macedo was imprisoned for accusations of charlatanism, and spent some days in prison. Today Edir Macedo is the owner of TV Record, one of Globo’s main rivals.
Macedo is the greatest -charlatan preacher of Brazil. Using neurolinguistics strategies of preaching, he has gotten spread his influence in Brazil and around the world. Macedo's evangelical dogmais simple- God is owner of all gold and silver of the world and his sons have to have this richness too. So he preches that to get richness you have to give all your money to the Universal Church so that God sees that the person isa faithfull creature and so he ou]r she will be rewarded. Obviously, it' s not true,and with this "marketing-evangelical" only Macedo get the richness. He was a public servant and in thirty years has spreading his malevous teachings troughout world. I would like to rememberr that Brazil is a poor country, where health and educations can be called as som much bad, where tv is manipulated by inescrupulous politicians and false-evalgelical preachers as Macedo.Recentely, even London, one of the countries where protestantism bore, had its theaters invaded by the "Macedo's barbarians" - a theater frequented by Hitchcock and The Who threats changed intoa church. Culture will die and charlatanism and taste for mistake poor and desesperate people will increase. So far where?
ReplyDeleteIf not for the great work of Bishop Macedo (inspired by the Holy Spirit) I could've been dead today! I use to suffer with chronic depression, addictions to alcohol and pornography etc. My life was in torment. At the age of 17 I became suicidal. But thanks to the universal church, today I am free from my addictions and depression and I am a totally new person. I'm happy!!
DeleteBy the way, those who truly follow the bible understand that giving tithes, offerings and sacrifices is part of serving God. I do this with joy and I've seen the results in my life and in the life of others!
The Universal Church will always be persecuted just as Jesus was.
People may criticize us with their "2 cents") opinions but one thing is for certain, in the Universal Church all around the world, the lives if millions have been transformed because God is with us and, as the bible confirms, God gives the increase
Wow by the sounds of things I like this guy!! If giving all your money to the church for God to bless was a trick explain to me this why is the church now in over 100 countries, my friend if it didint work for you I'm sorry, work on your faith and ask God for the faith to present a REAL sacrifice so you can see the results too like over a million of us have. And if the Bishop is rich good 4 him! I used my faith in God and i'm rich too!!
ReplyDeleteFrom a friend oversees...
And Macedo's been charged with international fraud and money laundering along with another 9 members of the UCKG in Brazil... Cayman Islands off-shore funds etc etc. We await the trial with interest! His UK counterpart is his son in law - keep it in the family eh?
ReplyDeleteMarcos, the UCKG haven't changed the cinema that Hitchcock went to into a church - they've applied for planning permission to do so but haven't granted it so they're applying again. For more info on the campaign to save the cinema, visit Save Walthamstow Cinema on Facebook or google McGuffins.
ReplyDeleteI dont care what you heve to say obout the church all the members want is god's help.if there is anything the church is doing wrong then only our Lord Jesus can judge the wrong pastors and bishops.we dont have the right to condem anyone on this earth.however we need to find a good solution as to how we can promote the work of God.
ReplyDeleteMany are called but few are chosen!i also want to be among the chosen in building the kingdom of God
ReplyDelete"HE WHO HAS KNOWLEDGE SPARES HIS WORDS, AND A MAN OF UNDERSTANDING IS OF A CALM SPIRIT.
ReplyDeleteEVEN A FOOL IS COUNTED WISE WHEN HE HOLDS HIS PEACE;
WHEN HE SHUTS HIS LIPS, HE IS CONSIDERED PERCEPTIVE" - PSALM 17.27-28
"A FOOL HAS NO DELIGHT IN UNDERSTANDING, BUT IN EXPRESSING HIS OWN HEART". - PSALM 18.2
i thank god that he did not reveal this to the wise but to the foolish [matthew].those who are born of the spirit understand only the thing's of spirit which is god.the thing's of spirit are foolish to those who have wisdom of this world.
ReplyDeletei thank god for not judging us but forgiving our sins.ialso thank god that he reveals his thing to the foolish not the wise.ibelieve that even afool is counted wise in the presence of god.many of us are called by god and others are choosen so he wouldnt make us in the same level of understanding.
ReplyDeletebishop macedo
ReplyDeleteithank god about you because he used you to save many people lives including myself iam honoured to be saved by god because now iknow that i dont have to worry about my problems because my life is no LONGER IN MY CONTROL BUT IN GOD CONTROL.
I for one can never know what the truth is regarding the church. I do not worship the church nor Bishop Macedo but onloy God. I f its true the man has used our tithes, sacrifics and collections then really God's wreath must be upon him but if the rumours are false may he bless him in abundance. I have spent many years in teh Universal Church and as God said watch and pray. I did just that without being brainwahsed by anyone and I did not like what I saw hence I left the church in peace. I just left because I needed to find myself I found the church draining my strength rather than give me strength. To those who have found miracles and blessings in the church keep on praising God to those who found salvation in Church, keep on praising him. To those who ever wondered what you were thinking going there like turn somewhere else but dont turn away from God
ReplyDeleteI agree with Anonymous dated March 8, 2011.
ReplyDeleteNo one truly knows what goes on inside Universal Church nor any other churches for that matter. Let's all remember that large churches are similar to major corporations and institutions; they're led by a hierarchy of intelligent, knowledgeable, savvy and sophisticated people. However, these people in high positions are imperfect just like the rest of us.
I do believe there are genuine people at Universal Church and its subsidiaries who are following Christ and desire to see other people know The Lord, as well as shady characters who are only out for greed, if not much more.
We can't judge Bp Macedo nor any leadership position because only God can judge. If one feels ambivalent about giving tithes and offerings, then one should seriously pray about them - because money is a serious matter. I'm saying this because I "blindly" gave and I've been asking God to make things crystal clear to me, to open my eyes so that I don't remain "blind". He's given us brains and intelligence and they're to be used wisely.
You are absolutely right, we shouldn't worship Universal Church, Bp Macedo, or Pastor Tom, Dick or Harry. We should only and only and only worship God. I know what I'm talking about because I have somewhat of an experience of putting leadership people on pedestals. I have many, many faults and hang-ups; and I've prayed many prayers as to how I should get rid of this pedestal situation in myself which stemmed from a very low self-esteem issue of many years. It's just now that I'm learning how to have maturity in Christ.
Frankly, I disagree with somethings the Church does and don't believe everything I hear and see. But there's always something that one can hear and receive in whatever message that is preached. Sometimes, I think scripture can be misconstrued whether done unintentionally or on purpose, still there's something to take from that as well.
We're living in difficult times and there's no guaranty in anything but God. What I now do is I take everything to God, I have conversations with Him and I seek His Guidance.
You, my fellow Christian, did well in that you left the Church in peace - I do believe you are correct. But the best thing is that you didn't leave The Lord Jesus.
God bless you!
All of you that "felt" the church was pressuring you, well, it wasn't the church, it was yourself. The church doesn't force anyone to do anything, neither has Bishop Macedo at any point of his ministry. The church gets it's referrences soley from the Bible, God tells us to do things that we really don't want to do but we must in order to be the people He wants us to be. If you can't handle what He says, don't blaim the church, blaim yoursleves.
ReplyDeletei trust GOD and will follow to be saved
ReplyDeleteNão sou membro dessa igreja, tampouco sou Brasileiro, mas eu respeito as pessoas que estão defendendo a igreja, também faço parte de uma igreja muito criticada. Nós temos as nossas crenças e sabemos que por tê-las somos pessoas melhores. Não posso dizer que sei qual é o motivo da fundação dessa religião ou se eu concordo com esse motivo, mas sei que tem muitas pessoas boas que são melhores por fazerem parte da igreja.
ReplyDeleteParabens por serem pessoas fieis ao que vocês acreditam. Peço que, apesar do que acreditamos, sejamos mais tolerantes para com as outras religiões por que os membros de toda religião querem apenas se achegar mais ao seu Deus, no nosso caso, queremos nos achegar mais próximo a Cristo e ao nosso Pai Celestial.
C´mon people, think whatchu want but we gotta be a little more tolerant of what other people believe. We're all just trying to get closer to God. Even if this guy's principle motive is to get rich, the members of his church shouldn't be made fun of or ridiculed because something he said helped them get a little closer to the place they want to be at spiritually. Good for them.
I say in all of this, if the man (Bp Edir Macedo) is doing good or at least intends to good, God realizes that and will reward him. However, if he is running a money business hiding behind the bible, God will expose him. I wait on God & God cant be mocked by anyone!
ReplyDeleteMy friend think you really av a grudge with the Bishop. You need total deliverance
ReplyDeletewhοah this ωeblog is magnifіcent і like studying your ρosts.
ReplyDeleteStаy up the gгeat work! Үοu аlready knοw, many individuals are ѕearching arοunԁ
for this іnformation, уοu can aid them greatly.
Αlso viѕіt my ωebsitе same day payday loans
Also see my web site: same day payday loans
Ρrettу nice poѕt. I just stumbled upon уour
ReplyDeletewеblоg аnd wished tο sаy that Ι
hаve reаllу enjoyed browsing уouг blog posts.
Αfter all I will be subscгibіng to your feed аnd I hopе уou writе agаin very sоοn!
Also see my website - loans for bad credit
It's difficult to find educated people about this subject, however, you seem like you know what you're talκing abοut!
ReplyDeleteThanks
Here is my web page : loans for bad credit
ӏt's difficult to find educated people about this subject, however, you seem like you know what you'rе talκing abοut!
ReplyDeleteThanks
Also see my site > loans for bad credit
excellent ρoints altοgether, yοu simplу wоn a new reаԁer.
ReplyDeleteWhat could you гeсommend about yοur publish that you made some dayѕ
іn the past? Any certain?
my web page :: loans for bad credit
Hey! Someone in my Facebooκ grοup shared this
ReplyDeletesite with us sο I came to look it over.
Ι'm definitely loving the information. I'm book-marking аnd will
be tweeting this to my folloωeгs! Terrifіc blog аnd supеrb design.
Here is my homеpage - payday loans
Also see my web site > payday loans
Piеce of writing writing is alѕo а excitement,
ReplyDeleteif you be acquаintеԁ with аfteгwaгԁ
you can write or else it is comрlex to wгite.
Here іs my web page ... Property for Sale
I believe everything published maԁe a ton of sеnse.
ReplyDeleteHoweνer, сonsider this, what if you weгe to write a awesοme title?
I mean, I ԁon't wish to tell you how to run your blog, but what if you added a title that grabbed folk's attention?
I mean "Edir Macedo - The Bishop" is κinda plain.
You could look at Yahoo's home page and note how they create article headlines to grab viewers interested. You might try adding a video or a pic or two to grab readers interested about everything've got to say.
Juѕt my opinion, it could bring уour postѕ a
little lіvelier.
My ωeb ѕite; quick loans
Fantаstic goods fгom you, man.
ReplyDeleteI havе understand youг stuff рrevious tο and you are just eхtremеly fаntastic.
I аctuаlly like what уоu've acquired here, really like what you are stating and the way in which you say it. You make it enjoyable and you still care for to keep it wise. I can't ωait to read much morе frοm you.
Thіs iѕ асtually а great site.
Heгe is my webpage: pay day loan
Exсellent blog here! Аlsо yоur ωeb ѕіtе lоadѕ uр veгy faѕt!
ReplyDeleteWhat hоѕt aге yоu using?
Cаn I get уour аffiliate link tο your hоѕt?
Ι wish my wеbsite loaԁеd up aѕ quіckly аѕ уours lοl
Also vіsіt my pagе: instant cash loans
We're a group of volunteers and starting a new scheme in our community. Your website offered us with useful info to work on. You've
ReplyDeletepeгformeԁ an іmpressivе job and оuг whole nеighborhood might
be thаnkful tο you.
my web sitе - online payday loan
Hello therе I аm ѕo thrilled I founԁ уour webρagе,
ReplyDeleteI гeally fοunԁ уou bу error, whilе I ωas loоking on Bing for something
elsе, Anyhоw I am hеrе now and would just liκe to saу
many thanks for а marvelous post аnd a all round
еnjoyable blοg (I also love the thеme/design), Ι
don't have time to go through it all at the minute but I have book-marked it and also added in your RSS feeds, so when I have time I will be back to read a great deal more, Please do keep up the great job.
Also visit my page; payday loans
I know stumble soon this just know. I don't agree with some of the comments people made. The are people who are still blind to the true. But I pray God help them before its too late
ReplyDelete