Charlatan [ Matthew 23 v14 ]

We are told that in 1 Timothy 6 v10, that the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils, and as I watched a TV programme last night on faith healers, the reality of those words came to mind. I know how easy it is to exploit people who are vunerable, to play on their emotions, guilt, and fears. One of the things that sparked of the reformation under Martin Luther was the selling of indulgences, and of course even to this present day the Roman Catholic mass is a means of exploiting peoples vunerability, as a friend of mine who was a devout R C, and lived in Dublin, told me , no money no Mass. These things and many other things emphasize a love of money, beware of those who are religious , who have a emphasis on money, and who would seek to emotionally blackmail people.One story last night told of a young girl aged 14 ,suffering from a life threatening illness, she heard one of those faith healers, who promised if his hearers would pledge 1.000 dollars, they would , be healed, somehow the young girl raised that money and sent it to the faith healer, but she grew worse, she phoned the so called faith healer, and told him, he replied that she had sin in her life, thats why she was not healed. Later that youngster , went into her garage poured petrol over herself , and set herself on fire. [ Dear God we cry unto You against those who exploit the vunerable, for money,we pray that You would deal with such ,expose then for what they are, in Jesus name Amen ]