Sunday, March 21, 2010

Christ sure pays

When I read stories about pastors living large like Bishop Anthony Jinwright, the first thing that pops into my head is scam. Why would a pastor need 18 cars over a 8 year span, including a Bentley GT and a Mayback 57? How is this Christ like? Did Jesus ride a Mach 5 donkey? Jinwright and his congregation have the message all wrong. You might ask why I care? I'm an Atheist, what does the lavish live of a religious person have to do with me?  I have a couple of reasons to back up my position. Hear me out.

First, I know a scam when I see one. The parishioners at Jinwright's church may not realize it, but they are foolishly wasting money. They might as well be flushing it down the toilet. To pay anyone a millions of dollars run a church is a first class scam. I don't know, does it mean something to have the most well paid pastor on the block? is this about what the Jones pay their pastor? Or is this something worse? Is this a greedy man and his wife sucking the lifeblood out of his parishioners for his base carnal pleasures. It's a scam…

I judge bad pastors by the good Christians I know. And let me tell you, the good Christians I know don't drive Bentley GTs. They work hard, try to help those who are less fortunate, and try to live a good life. Fiscal responsibility is a trait most of them share.  I don't see it here. Lavish lifestyles and tax evasion, it is a scene right ouf of a1930s gangster movie, only the substance of choice is prayer instead of bootleg rum.

Check out the excess:

Anthony Jinwright received more than $4.1 million from 2001 through 2007 from the church, according to the indictment. His salary in 2007 was about $300,000, prosecutors allege. He also got a housing allowance, which increased from nearly $130,000 in 2001 to more than $160,000 in 2007, and annual bonuses totaling about $125,000.

The indictment alleges that Harriet Jinwright got more than $1.2 million from the church during the same time, including a $175,000 salary in 2007, anniversary bonuses ranging from $2,000 to $11,000, and a travel allowance of almost $25,000 in 2001.

The indictment says the couple lived a lavish lifestyle. They've leased 18 cars since 2001, the indictment says, including a Bentley GT worth $175,232, a Maybach 57 valued at $244,182 and a Rolls-Royce Phantom worth $352,500. The couple also are accused of using unreported income to buy a $990,000 house on Lake Norman and to lease a $3.7 million house elsewhere.

Check their bathroom. I bet their commode has gilded seats.