Religious con-artists, and rip-off scams.

Wanted to share this to everyone here.

Lately, for some weird-ass reason I’ve been getting mails from a so-called Saint Matthews Churches. They initially send you a ‘prayer rug’; and solicit a donation or ‘seed offering’.

Wanted to warn people about them. I’m not stupid enough to send them money but people are gullible enough to believe this tripe.

I did some online research and I am also helping to join the fight to get their tax-exempt status revoked. I’m TIRED of getting their mailings. I hate con-artists and using religion as their basis makes me plain sick.

BabyChris121675

Religious con-artists, and rip-off scams.

I just got something from them last week. It went in the same place all religious mailers go.

Religious con-artists, and rip-off scams.

At least you guys don’t get pamplets on Jehovah’s Witnesses from your own grandma that know you are a modern Baptist Christian.

Religious con-artists, and rip-off scams.

This is just another reason I despise evangelism.

Religious con-artists, and rip-off scams.

I haven’t gotten anything from them (which sounds like a good thing), so they obviously don’t target every address in the U.S. I’m not sure where they’re getting the list from, but there must be some kind of common x-factor for everyone who’s received the mailing.

Of course, it could just be that I haven’t gotten one yet. In which case, I will keep my garbage can armed and ready.

Religious con-artists, and rip-off scams.

They may be mailing out by area, Vickie, Chris and I all live in Great Lakes states.

Religious con-artists, and rip-off scams.

This sounds familiar, but neither my fiancee nor I bought what they were trying to sell.

Religious con-artists, and rip-off scams.

No, I just get annoyed cause it seems like every other week I find one of those in the mail and I despise scams and cons with a passion. I grew up in very protestant home and I respect religion, I just don’t like it when they try to solicit money from me like that.

I am not a religious fellow by any means, but I do respect it. I grew up with it, and my folk’s church never did anything like that. I just find it annoying. My first statement was out of frustration that’s all. I’m moving on, and kinda had to vent off a little bit.

I respect religion, I just hate those who use it as a money cow. I’m sorry if I stepped on toes. I didn’t mean to.

BabyChris121675

Religious con-artists, and rip-off scams.

I get things like that every once in a while, but they have never asked me for money. If anything they seem to give more than they ask for.

Religious con-artists, and rip-off scams.

This is what they say… a direct quote from the letter… ‘Send us a ‘seed harvest’, and your prayers will come true!’

All over the letter they say Biblical Seed Harvest, and or Seed Harvest Plan. Sounds kinda fishy to me. That Church is only 49 years old. They claim they are an old church. I also have read online that they have also come under fire on scam alerts. I did some research into them, to see more. The minister, has even been investigated by the IRS, and other agencies.

In the one with the Prayer Rug, they ask you to send the rug back with a donation or a seed harvest. Even Ernest Angely doesn’t pull stuff like this. For those who don’t know, he’s a local televangelist.

That’s what bothers me. All over this letter, and the other one, it says “Your Prayers will come true if you send us a Seed Harvest!”

BabyChris121675

Religious con-artists, and rip-off scams.

From their website:

Following is the method that St Matthews Churches follows for the seed faith donations from Saint Matthews Churches members:

  • St Matthews Churches members mail their letters and seed faith donations to a post office in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
  • The United States Post Office delivers the Saint Matthews Churches mail and seed faith donations to the secular firm that opens it and removes donations.
  • Seed faith donations are deposited into Saint Matthews Churches bank account from which Saint Matthews Churches writes checks from seed faith donations to pay church bills.
  • Then, and only then, every letter is sent to Saint Matthews Churches where they are read and prayer requests are prayed over five times each day.

Note that they will not read and answer prayer requests until after they have deposited your money. The church is not in Tulsa, where you send the money.

http://www.houstonpress.com/2007-03-22/news/saint-matthew-s-churches-inc/print

Behold the Faith Check. It is written on the Bank of Heaven. Bank President: God, the Father; Vice President: Jesus, the Son; Secretary and Treasurer: The Holy Ghost.

Perhaps you can give me the Book, Chapter and Verse that lists as positions of God, Jesus, and The Holy Ghost.

Religious con-artists, and rip-off scams.

Not a crime, just bloody bloody irritating.

There’s a charity here that sends you worry dolls in the post and then asks for a suggested donation in return (even though it’s not mandatory). Guilt trip.

Religious con-artists, and rip-off scams.

Actually there are claims that the prayer requests are and were just incinerated and not prayed over for the five days.

Religious con-artists, and rip-off scams.

And I don’t like the idea of selling prayer. It’s like selling pardons.

Religious con-artists, and rip-off scams.

On a similar note, it seems that the good people at Christian View-British Baptists, have deleted their blog. Maybe now they shall get both a real job and life.

Religious con-artists, and rip-off scams.

I wonder what Tedrick would say if he weren’t banned. He’d probably blame US for the downfall of that blog.

BabyChris121675

Religious con-artists, and rip-off scams.

Even if he/they did what would it matter to us?

Religious con-artists, and rip-off scams.

I know they weren’t selling anything, LOL, that’s my new saying. It means I’m not convinced by what they were saying, especially when they wanted that “Seed Harvest”. And my fiancee has an easier way if she wanted a church to pray for something, she could go to the priests at hers.

Now how do I stop them from sending me things (all religious groups, no wonder I’m jaded by organized religion and leave everything between myself, God, and Jesus alone).

Religious con-artists, and rip-off scams.

mines been around for over 100 years I think. but they did move a little ways across town. They needed more sapace and they keep expanding lol.

Religious con-artists, and rip-off scams.

The one I live at is around 500 years old, but there are a few nearby which are as old as 800.

Plus around were I live in London there are a few between 200 and 700 years old.

And the cathedrals… well, they’re getting on a bit.