I read with a little amusement a news article on Yahoo News Singapore. Here are excerpts from the article:
AFP – Monday, March 30
The New Creation Church, which raised 19 million Singapore dollars in just one day in February for the construction of its new premises, paid one employee between 500,001 and 550,000 dollars in the financial year ended March 31, 2008, the Straits Times said…
Two other employees of the church were paid between 150,001 and 200,000 dollars, but no names were given, the report said…
One of Singapore’s fastest growing churches, New Creation had an income of $55.4 million and net assets of $143.36 million in its last financial year, according to its website…
I recalled that not long ago I was telling some colleagues that these days pastors sound more like CEOs and churches are becoming more corporate while meantime, CEOs (and even certain political leaders) sound very much like pastors. It wasn’t on the matter of their pay though, but rather on the topic that when CEOs or political leaders start sounding devouted, that means there’s something seriously wrong with the company or the country.
I jokingly said that certain pastors would be telling their congregations the percentage in membership growth of their church and also how God has increased ‘His blessings’ upon them by talking about the increase in offerings on a year on year basis. Now that would sound very much like a CEO’s annual report on the growth of the business and increase in profits, wouldn’t it?
On the other hand, some CEOs these days would talk about difficult times ahead, their ‘faith’ in their companies’ business model, and their ‘confidence’ that their companies would weather through the downturn fine. Much like pastors used to tell their congregations to have faith in God and confidence that God’s providence will be sufficient in the tough times ahead.
So, I really found it amusing reading up on all these – from 47-million dollar titanium-clad church building, to alleged ‘singing pastors’, to pastors paid almost the equivalent of TT Durai’s golden peanut (where 1 golden peanut = S$660,000, according to MGCI aka Mrs. Goh Commodity Index).
At times, I wanted to ask how is all that millions used to help the community but I decided not to, simply because I have no wish to be flamed. However, I still wondered when churches provide monetary assistance to the community, what criteria is it based on.
This is because I recalled that an elder of another church (not New Creation) once told a member that the funds are limited and is only to be used for believers and members only. When I heard that I let out a single laugh, because I really wondered whether Kuanyin Temple near Sim Lim Square ask and turn away non-believers who came for the free food when it was distributing them some time during the previous downturn.
No wonder a fellow Christian felt some pastors seems to have gotten everything in reverse these days and he made a lame joke about the matter. The joke goes like this:
Q: What is common between Reverends and Reverse?
A: They are both REV for shot.
Yep, I know it’s fxxking lame but some how, I am one of the few people who understands his cold / lame humor.
Either way, for some odd reasons this movie by Jordan Chan [陈小春] and Tony Leung [梁朝伟] called Heaven Can’t Wait [救世神棍] keeps coming up on my mind.
Cartoons:
