If youre a Christian answer this question please?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

I have often wondered why Priests and Nuns live so simply and there are so many valuables in Rome.

I have also wondered why in other Christian Religions the Preachers make so much money. And the TV Evangelists . . . wow?

I know in Knoxville the average Methodist Pastor makes well over $100,000 per year. Why? The Baptist Ministers aren't far behind.

Please note that "Consumer Reports" listed Catholic Charities as a "Best" way to give nationally. Of your donations Catholic Charities uses less than 1% administratively, the rest of the administration costs are covered by the Church.

So please support your local Catholic Charity so that your money actually goes to that ministry, rather than in the pockets of those running the ministry. (ie: The United Way)

Catholic Charities include - food banks, crisis pregnancy centers, vocational training, rehab faciltiies, homeless centers, etc, etc etc . . .

First let us not confuse the whole "Catholic " church, with the Roman Catholic church. Remember, the Catholic church is the universal church or Body of Christ. I agree with your question. Jesus did not come to this world to set up a Church rich in wealth, or to become a State, with all the trappings of the world. He had a humble birth in a stable, with a manger for his bed. He lived in a normal home with a working class father, and an ordinary mother. He went from place to place in his ministry, carrying no money. He did not have a house of his own. And when he was crucified, he had no possessions to leave to anybody. How this equates with Paintings, Palaces, Princes of the Church, etc.etc. I for one fail to see how that can be said to be the church that Jesus founded. However, it has to be said that many Christians, and Christian churches do follow the teachings of Jesus, and do a lot of work amongst the poor, both in home missions, and throughout the World. We do need enough to live on, so I believe that Jesus was saying that we should give what we would use for pleasure, and keep what we need for a modest lifestyle.

It is never about the money. The man you referred to in the bible "went away sad, for he was very rich". Jesus might not have told you or I to give away all we own and follow Him. Jesus reads hearts and he knew that the riches that guy had were very dear to him.

He went away sad because he was not willing to part with it. It had become his god.

One final note. "The poor will be with you always". Feed them for sure but the most important mission christians have is the Great Commission. Spread the gospel of Jesus.

Like Jesus says, "What is it if you gain the whole world but lose your eternal life"?

Yes, the catholic church is rich but don't hold it against them as we are not to muzzle the oxen that are plowing the fields. If they are about God's work then allow them their due. Christ said he wanted us all to "prosper and be in good health, even as our souls prosper." Therein lies the rub. Was the rich man's soul prospering?

Again, it is not the riches. The catholic churches needs a little extra right now so they can pay off all those pedophile law suits. Did you ever wonder how many of them made up into the ranks of the bishops and cardinals and even the pope?

Obviously I am not a catholic...was once.

The love of money is the problem. If you would do nearly anything to get money or to keep it including, immoral or illegal stuff then that is the problem. I know lots of wealthy christians who I am sure are not being begrudged anything by God. We say they are blessed.

Well, that will be tough to answer.

The Catholic church is to Christianity as evolution is to science. There is "some" truth being used-but you have to be very resourceful to figure out who lied and about what and when, and of course why.

In that passage Jesus was talking to a young Jew who was under the law-[ not a Christian ]. Christianity ( the new Covenant) was not available until after the Jews and the nation Israel totally rejected God. Jesus did make the point that it was this man's love for his riches that kept him from being perfect-not his law keeping. I think we can apply that principle to Christians today. But I do not believe it means for us to sell all we have and give to the poor. Yes, some churches do seem to be flagrant with their possessions-and this is surly sin. And the RCC does sit on many billions. Why???-is a valid question. But-remember, this is the Catholic church???-it is "normal" for things not to make sense-although it may not be "right".

I have been in 2 very large Southern Baptist churches. Both had several thousand regular attendees, and the buildings were huge-but they were not elaborate at all. A church may require several large buildings just in order to minister to all those who come-but hording vast sums of wealth is not necessary and may in fact be a sin.

I too was raised Catholic and went to a Catholic school for 9 years. I have yet to figure out why things are like they are! And by the way, the Catholic church isn't the only so called rich church. Check up on some of the other big churches! I personally would rather go to a little church with everything plain inside, afterall God does not care for riches, He just cares for richness of the heart!

The chapter you speak of is from Matt. 19. If you read the whole chapter it is basically saying that keeping the commandments are not the only thing this man needed to get to heaven. He needed to follow Jesus. The rich ruler would not do that. Scriptures also say we can not have 2 masters. This ruler loved his money more than Christ.

I do agree the catholic church has a great deal of money but by them giving it all away would not save the world.

Christ came and died for our sins, so we can have the gift of eternal life. He came to save the world.

The catholic church could do more to relieve some to the worlds suffering but only the physical pain. Christ is the only one who can heal our spiritual suffering.

Find a good bible and read the scriptures yourself. It is God's word. You will be able to understand alot of life's problems with this incredible source of information.

God bless!!!!!!

I'm a catholic I think you have a good point there, and it is true what Jesus said it would be harder for a rich man to enter heaven then a poor man if you think about all the rich people they mostly hold on to there gains or born with there riches but tread on use or walk over other people to keep there riches! so i can understand what he meant by that, as for the church yes build beautiful churches etc but I'm sure he would rather it spent on the poor and needy instead of a new or massive cathedral

First, I am not Catholic, but I study the Bible continuously.

Second, Jesus came to the lost sheep of Israel. Jesus taught Jews to be better Jews. Not once did He teach someone how to be a Christian.

Third, Jesus did not tell the Jew to sell and give to the church, He said give it to the poor, didn't He?

Fourth, there was not one Christian until Jesus fulfilled the Law of Moses on the cross. That is when the New Will and Testament of Jesus went into effect. The old law, including Matthew, Mark, Luke and John were nailed to the cross or were completed there when His new will went into effect.

Jesus told this young man two things to see what he would say. First, he brought up the law -- did he follow all the commandments? The man said yes, which is impossible. I'm sure he tried, but none of us can keep them all the time. Secondly, knowing that the man was very wealthy, he told him to give everything he owned to the poor and follow him on the road. The man went away very troubled. Jesus wasn't saying that rich people (or institutions) don't go to heaven, but that they are faced with far more difficult decisions about attachments to this world. I don't think he really wanted the man to give up his wealth; he just wanted him to be willing to do it. People and institutions with great wealth can do so much to help other people, even more than if they just gave it all away. Mike Kelly's response is excellent!!!

Hi,

In the Catholic religion with regards to finances, each church works as and independent entity and the money from collections is not turned over to the Vatican. The Vatican is wealthy in terms of properties and art treasures but they are for everyone in the public to view and appreciate. They cannot be taken by any individual Catholic for private collections etc. According to some lawyers and accontants that have dealt with this organization, they tell me the Vatican is not rich as far as liquid assests go.

When it comes to temporal wealth, i.e., the art, paintings, land, hospitals, universities, institutes etc., the Church doesn't act as a corporation. It's the religious orders, and diocese themselves who each own that type of stuff individually. The Pope doesn't own it. The Pope doesn't say, "Alright bishops, sell that college and buy me $4000 worth of stock in IBM." That's not how it works. The Pope, bishops, Cardinals and priests do not earn a salary or make any money. They don't even own anything they can call their own. It is not a corporation in that sense of the word. The Vatican itself doesn't own that much itself at all, at least not to the scale that people imagine they do. In fact, up until just a few years ago the Vatican was running a deficit of 100's of millions of dollars.

Monasteries and diocese are their own entities. Their finances are not controlled by the Vatican.

When you talk about the "wealth" of the Catholic Church there's a couple examples we can use from the way Americans do business. First, the corporate structure, the board of directors, the CEO, the president. These people run the show and control everything. The Catholic Church does not act in this manner. It's more like a franchise. Each individual diocese runs the show themselves. They are responsible for their own finances. For example, if a priest or bishop runs out of money he cannot call the Vatican and ask the Pope for a loan.

In regard to all of the priceless art in the Vatican, that's exactly what it is, "Priceless". The Vatican makes very little money on that stuff. It sees itself as a "custodian of history" of sorts. It has to preserve it. It takes a TON of money to maintain all of the paintings and art from centuries ago that's in the Vatican.

For those of you who might say, "Why don't they sell it all and give it to the poor"? Well, who exactly is going to buy Michelangelo's paintings on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel? Even if Donald Trump, Bill Gates and Queen Elizabeth were to decide to buy these even their credit cards would max out! Then they would have to spend millions to maintain them.

Michael Kelly