In Oryol, Russia, Orthodox Bishop Nektary (Nikolai Seleznev) has declared that he is entitled to a new form of manna from heaven in the form of a new top of the line, fully loaded luxury Land Cruiser. When confronted by the ethical questions over the gift from a local agribusiness, Seleznev insisted that Jesus would have definitely taken such a sweet ride if it were offered.
The Bishop is clearly taken back the vehicle despite an order in 2012 from Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill (the figure who recently combated the WannaCry malware with hold water) that clergy would refuse luxury cars. Indeed, Kirill told clergy to “think it over 20 times” before accepting such gifts. The Bishop apparently did so and conclude “Yep, God wants me to have it.” Indeed, his spokesman stated that “Jesus Christ Himself wore expensive clothes gifted to him, shall we say, by people who celebrated Him.” Accordingly, Jesus would have cranked up the Bois speakers and cruised on down the road.
It is reminiscent of the Christian Televangelists explaining how their private jets allow them to speak to God.
Of course, Luke 12:15 states
15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
Toyota’s slogan “Let’s Go Places” has many in Russia wondering if the good Bishop is headed on the highway to hell.
However, who wants to drive a camel through the eye of a needle (Luke 18:24-27) when you can drive this baby through with a V8 engine under the hood.
he chose a donkey. he would shun such a vehicle.
Of course the SUV is blessed by Holy Water passed personally by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia
Sweet ride, eh?
Used to have a pastor, at a very large church, that drive a used car, lest anyone would presume that he was in it for the money.
While the church income had to have been massive, neither he, nor any of the assistant pastors, live in more than modest dwellings.
As a contractor, I was impressed when told – rather sternly – that no discount was to be given for work I did.
I trust people like that.
I could probably swing a cat and hit a dozen people with sweet rides – and smirking stories of how they came by them.
I’ll stick with the humble types.
I have been meaning to re watch “Elmer Gantry” which this post reminded me of. So thanks for this post.
Is this man a drunk or a sexual transgressor? Or is he just a clergyman who received a donation?
It was a gift to either the diocese or the bishop personally. Why are you comparing this to a private jet? Why is this of interest to you?
Focus on pedophile priests. Put them in cages and throw them in rivers. Or the ocean.
You do some good work, but your priorities about what to cover are incredibly twisted. Much too concerned about what other people in other countries do.
It’s easier for a Land Cruiser to pass through the eye of a needle …..
🙂
Anointed with 10w-40
“Oh lord won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz
My friends all have Porsches
I must make amends”
Well … working with the poor doesn’t mean you have to be poor.
Well, I’m sure our televangelists would agree with him and Catholic bishops and cardinals wouldn’t be far behind. Money and power. Men of the cloth have often lusted after money and power, ermine and silk, gold and silver, tax exemptions and religious privileges while they lectrue thenlayity on how they should live their lives and look toward the afterlife for their reward.
Benedictines?
Francians? As in Pope Francis?
Men of the cloth have often lusted after money and power, ermine and silk, gold and silver, tax exemptions and religious privileges while they lectrue thenlayity on how they should live their lives and look toward the afterlife for their reward.
1. If you fancy clergymen are ‘powerful’, I’ve a bridge for sale.
2. I have news for you: philanthropic agencies do not pay taxes, including private colleges whose revenues are a couple of orders of magnitude greater than that of a typical church. A typical Anglican church (which has fairly well-compensated clergy) will employ a rector, a sexton, a part-time secretary, and an antique (part-time) curate.
Have you read any church history or even the history of Europe? Have you seen the behavior of our current crop of religious leaders? Yes, men of the cloth have and still do lust after money and power.
I didn’t say all and I didn’t say always.
As to tax exemption for churches or other religious entities, I’m against them. If you want to support your religion do so but don’t ask me to help. If a religious organization wants a federal grant or any federal state or local taxpayer supported benefit either directly or indirectly they should have to follow the law. I oppose theocracy in all its forms and strongly support separation of church and state.
Have you read any church history or even the history of Europe? Have you seen the behavior of our current crop of religious leaders? Yes, men of the cloth have and still do lust after money and power.
Your otherwise empty mind is fixated on the Renaissance papacy and a scatter of megachurch pastors. As we speak, mean cash compensation for clergymen is about $49,000 a year, similar to that of credit counselors, high school biology teachers, librarians, newspaper reporters, and postal workers. I generally do not like clergymen I’ve known personally, at least clergymen born after about 1930. I have to admit, though, that most of them gave up satisfactory employment to enter the clergy trade. One was a quondam tax lawyer, another an engineer, another had had a decades long career in business including running an internet service provider; another had had careers in the Navy and in business ‘ere entering the clergy near retirement age; another had been in the advertising business. If they’re venal, they’re taking an awfully circuitous route between point A and point B.
Now you’re going to complain that they receive housing. That’s commonly true. I’ve seen handsome rectories and I’ve seen banal ranch houses serving as rectories. A committee of the diactonate or vestry will be reviewing whatever the pastor / rector’s wife does.
He doesn’t seem to have read the Book of Matthew.
Neither has Squeeky, as far as I can tell.
I worry more about Obama’s $60 Million dollar book bribe, and Al Gore’s private jet, and Bernie Sander’s third house. Because crooked preachers and priests are one thing, but crooked politicians are a much more dangerous problem.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
But not Ivanka’s $100 million from the Saudis or the sale of visas by Jared Kushner……