Monday, June 10, 2013

E.W. Jackson and the End Times Prosperity Gospel

E.W. Jackson is an evangelical preacher and the Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. A few years ago he wrote a book called Ten Commandments to an Extraordinary Life in which he espoused a strange version of Christianity. Among other things, he thinks the end of time means Christians are all going to get rich:
We live in the most interesting times in human history. These are the days spoken of in Scripture, the days of fulfillment. This is therefore an era of unprecedented spiritual activity on both sides as the conflict races to a head. Those who are in Christ are on the winning side. Part of what must happen during this period of great harvest for the kingdom of God is a massive wealth transfer. It is not going to happen by theft or governmental policy. It is going to happen supernaturally. Those invested in God’s market are going to reap a windfall. Make up your mind now to buy in.
I think the existence of the "prosperity gospel" is the strongest evidence that the post modernists are right about language. It really has no inherent meaning. How else could millions of adults read the Gospel of Matthew and come away thinking that Jesus wanted his followers to get rich?
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth consume, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where thy treasure is, there will thy heart be also.

1 comment:

leif said...

less an indictment of the meaninglessness of words as schooling in how to pick, choose and manipulate authorities and use them to political advantage. this is where closed-system thinking lands us.