Temple-making money

[vbelle]

I post this with no intention to insult any religion...just wondering:

I went to this temple yesterday in Chinatown. I notice there is this; you can adopt a God that suits your horoscope, and have your name written in the temple for 88$ or something like that (ok..i skim through so info might be a bit inaccurate), point is...there is a price there..

And i walk inside, there was this donation box that says: donate 50$ and you can win gold pendant (??!!)

And outside, 3 announcement next to each other...with different prices of xx, xxx and xxxx digit to sponsored a gold tile, to have your name written, etc

Everything with price..and i found this a bit...outrageous..
its ok to ask for donation...well i guess thats how temples, churches, and mosques survive....
but to put a price tag...so you can have your name engraved in one of the parts of the temple...

Do I think of this wrongly?

[nakatago]

I post this with no intention to insult any religion...just wondering:

I went to this temple yesterday in Chinatown. I notice there is this; you can adopt a God that suits your horoscope, and have your name written in the temple for 88$ or something like that (ok..i skim through so info might be a bit inaccurate), point is...there is a price there..

And i walk inside, there was this donation box that says: donate 50$ and you can win gold pendant (??!!)

And outside, 3 announcement next to each other...with different prices of xx, xxx and xxxx digit to sponsored a gold tile, to have your name written, etc

Everything with price..and i found this a bit...outrageous..
its ok to ask for donation...well i guess thats how temples, churches, and mosques survive....
but to put a price tag...so you can have your name engraved in one of the parts of the temple...

Do I think of this wrongly?

Something similar is done with shinto temples in Japan...

[sundaymorningstaple]

Aren't donations of pews, stained glass windows, etc. in Christian Churches amounting to the same thing?

[prkravi]

i fail to see why you are bewildered by this..
I've known a Church that used to have a big list of Prayer Items for purchase!
Prayer for this - $**
Prayer for that - $**

Having said that, I sadly admit Religion is BIG Business today across all Religions.

[vbelle]

I didnt say that church doesnt do that....but i have never seen so many price tags in a temple before! also not in japanese ones that i've visited...except for the souvenirs...

it was sad too to see stuff being sold in famous churches in europe...its the same thing...temples and church making money this way...all business...
including city harvest that was made the news months ago..

money to build a golden temple, church or mosque...or to make the priests rich...what a shame...would have been better to donate the money to people who need it

if God exist..surely this will make Him/Her happier....

[prkravi]

Oh yes Citi Harvest was a big grosser..
Well I do hope God realises that He is being swindled and makes an appearance atleast to claim all that's His..
Would it then lead to a "War of the Lords"??

[x9200]

I didnt say that church doesnt do that....but i have never seen so many price tags in a temple before!

You would be surprise seeing the level of money related pathology in some of the European traditional Roman Catholic countries. Afterall priests are just humans with all their weaknesses and even worse with all sorts of the excuses that this is for God not for their own comfort or convenience.

[Splatted]

I post this with no intention to insult any religion...just wondering:

I went to this temple yesterday in Chinatown. I notice there is this; you can adopt a God that suits your horoscope, and have your name written in the temple for 88$ or something like that (ok..i skim through so info might be a bit inaccurate), point is...there is a price there..

And i walk inside, there was this donation box that says: donate 50$ and you can win gold pendant (??!!)

And outside, 3 announcement next to each other...with different prices of xx, xxx and xxxx digit to sponsored a gold tile, to have your name written, etc

Everything with price..and i found this a bit...outrageous..
its ok to ask for donation...well i guess thats how temples, churches, and mosques survive....
but to put a price tag...so you can have your name engraved in one of the parts of the temple...

Do I think of this wrongly?

you left out the bit where you can earn an income yourself, for every friend you refer. My father-in-law gets some pocket money doing this bringing people to one temple in Malaysia.

[ksl]

Remember the Church that raised $21m in 24 hours in Singapore in 2010 I think it was. You can search it! Its in the paper we must not mention. Though collections and sales are world wide for religious groups, not just in Singapore.

[nakatago]

This is why all these televangelists/gurus/spiritual leaders keep popping up. They get people to give shitloads of money and if they get religion status in some countries, they get tax exemptions. It was never about spirituality.

[ksl]

This is why all these televangelists/gurus/spiritual leaders keep popping up. They get people to give shitloads of money and if they get religion status in some countries, they get tax exemptions. It was never about spirituality.

Shepherds leading the sheep is good business along with chat shows, and seminars in financial investment having the gift of the gab is quite a skill in itself!

[nakatago]

This is why all these televangelists/gurus/spiritual leaders keep popping up. They get people to give shitloads of money and if they get religion status in some countries, they get tax exemptions. It was never about spirituality.

Shepherds leading the sheep is good business along with chat shows, and seminars in financial investment having the gift of the gab is quite a skill in itself!

From what I gather, Adolf Hitler was very charismatic...

...and then again, so is Steve Jobs.

BADABOOM: Godwin's law quota met!

[ecureilx]

Thread drift or not - not sure .. but, I did some work for a Chinese Temple in China Town, and when it came to payment, instead of the 2,000 $, they gave me 1,000 $ and 1,000 $ worth of prayer voucher - no kidding

And when I asked what I could do with the prayer voucher, I was told I can use it for Special Prayers No - I didn't make this up .. and apparently the Gods will reward me for donating back the money

[Wind In My Hair]

Aren't donations of pews, stained glass windows, etc. in Christian Churches amounting to the same thing?

Indulgences too, which sparked the Protestant Reformation.

[prkravi]

["Wind In My Hair"]
Indulgences too, which sparked the Protestant Reformation.[/quote]

Im not sure what you meant by Indulgences, but I can sure tell you this, from where I come, some of the Religious leaders INDULGE a lot and pop up on the Radar all the time....
Indulgences of a different kind....