Wrong Holiday

More interesting stuff about the bizarre “Seven Blessings” doctrine taught by Steve Munsey: it turns out he didn’t even get the holidays right. I didn’t know this until just now. I’m no Torah scholar; I just assumed he had a clue when he picked three holidays for his “Seven Blessings” drives. He promotes himself as “Dr. Steve Munsey.” That suggests expertise, does it not?

In Biblical times, there were only three holidays which required Jews to travel to Jerusalem. Those holidays were Pesach (Passover), Shavuot (Pentecost), and Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles). Yom Kippur was the holiest day of the year, but it did not require a pilgrimage.

Take note: Sukkot and Yom Kippur are two completely separate events. Sukkot is not the second half of Yom Kippur. It’s not a continuation of Yom Kippur. It’s completely different. I say that because I can already hear the apologists trying to draw a nonexistent connection, in order to save face.

On the three pilgrimage holidays, Jewish males (not females) had to travel to Jerusalem and participate. They did not have to give big cash offerings, although I suppose a freewill offering could take place on any calendar date. Nobody promised them seven blessings.

And of course, Gentiles could not participate in these festivals, so even if Steve Munsey had it right, it would have no relevance to Christians.

It disturbs me that TV evangelists are promoting the Munsey events. It shows they don’t know much about Judaism. Why didn’t they research before committing their flocks to this business? Where is the stewardship? My hope is that they were simply so conditioned to believe that they slipped up. But the obvious self-interest angle raises questions. They are preaching a doctrine that brings them money, so is it possible that the prospect of big offerings caused them to rationalize instead of studying?

This is going to blow up in the faces of preachers everywhere. People will eventually start wondering where their seven blessings went. They will obey. They will believe. Then God may or may not give them what they thought they had coming. When people lose jobs and homes in the upcoming economic disaster, will they sit back and take it on the chin, or will they get on the web, find out the truth about the Jewish holidays, and demand accountability?

This is the kind of thing that destroys the reputation of the body of Christ. Why can’t it be about the Holy Spirit, prayer, repentance, love, service, and giving? Why do preachers have to talk people out of their savings and build monstrous churches? No wonder people think we’re suckers. I guess we are. You can’t be teachable and faithful without swallowing a few lies.

God is real. The baptism with the Holy Spirit is real. About 85% of what the money-crazed churches teach is real. But the other nonsense is like a dead rat on a birthday cake. It’s hard to get to the good stuff when so much filth is in the way.

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Speaking of dubious authorities, here is Wikipedia’s entry on the three pilgrimages Jews were required to make.