{"id":2623,"date":"2016-12-13T06:40:29","date_gmt":"2016-12-13T12:40:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/?page_id=2623"},"modified":"2025-08-18T06:27:31","modified_gmt":"2025-08-18T11:27:31","slug":"religion-is-commerce","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-commerce","title":{"rendered":"Religion is Commerce"},"content":{"rendered":"<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td colspan=\"2\">\u00a0STUDY TIP: See the following pages for more about commercial religion:<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>\n<ul class=\"children\">\n<li class=\"page_item page-item-3478\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-commerce\/examples-of-business-and-commerce-in-religion\">Examples of Business and Commerce in Religion<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"page_item page-item-3460\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-commerce\/jesus-and-the-money-changers-in-the-temple-2\">Jesus and the Money-Changers in the Temple <\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"page_item page-item-3467\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-commerce\/money-and-ministry\">Money and Ministry In the New Testament <\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"page_item page-item-3470\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-commerce\/money-and-ministry-in-the-old-testament\">Money and Ministry in the Old Testament<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"page_item page-item-3462\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-commerce\/using-money-to-buy-religious-authority\">Using Money to Buy Religious Authority\u00a0 <\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"page_item page-item-3457\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-commerce\/what-jesus-said-about-money\">What Jesus Said About Money <\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"page_item page-item-3457\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-commerce\/commercial-religion-in-the-end-times\">Commercial Religion in the End Times\u00a0 <\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>BIG BUSINESS<\/strong><br \/>\nReligion is big business. There is hardly an aspect of religion (speaking here of Judaism and Christianity) that exists without at least an element of business. From the smallest ministries to large mega churches, all exist and function through the exchange of money and\/or services in lieu of money.<\/p>\n<p>We do not need to look far to find an example of someone selling or buying some kind of service or product related to religion. All religious people, both <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/revelation\/passage\/?q=revelation+13:11-17\">buyers and sellers of religious services or products, participate in commercial religious transactions and wear the mark of the beast<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>No one doubts or questions that the exchange of money for religious services and products is legitimate. If anyone bothered to think about it, the thinking would go something like this:<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>This is how religion has always worked.<\/li>\n<li>Religions would not be able to function without the exchange of money.<\/li>\n<li>If buying and selling of religious products and services was not OK, God would not allow it.<\/li>\n<li>Everyone who is in ministry or consumes ministry services benefits from the exchange of money. So why should we care.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>The answer to \u201cwhy we should care?\u201d is that religious business is not OK because the practice of mixing business and religion (speaking specifically of Judaism and Christianity) is not Biblical. When we say it is not Biblical, we mean that the mixing of business into the theology and traditions of Judaism and Christianity is only a feature of the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/5\">Old\/First Covenant and not a feature of the New Covenant.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>We can&#8217;t be sure, but we suspect, that people on the outside of these very visible religions are able to see and know that there is something not quite right about mixing business and religion. Outsiders don\u2019t know why it is not right; they just know that there is something incongruous about the mix of tangible money and spiritual stuff. It is another example of outsiders being able to identify <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/hypocrisy\">hypocrisy<\/a> when insiders cannot.<\/p>\n<p>Perhaps the reason outsiders know what the insiders don\u2019t know is that they have not been indoctrinated in the errant theologies (whatever they might be) and traditions (there are many that have been around for hundreds and thousands of years) that characterize Judaism and Christianity. Thus, the outsiders are not limited by the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-a-stronghold-of-wrong-thinking\">strongholds of wrong thinking<\/a> that prevent insiders from knowing the truth about business in religion and other errant theologies and traditions.<\/p>\n<p>Jews and Christians, on the other hand, are handicapped by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=matthew+15:1-6;+mark+7:1-13;+colossians+2:8;+isaiah+29:1-14\">traditions<\/a> regarding business in religion. That leaves us with the formidable task of educating believers about a concept for which they do not know they need to be educated. Worse yet, most do not want to be educated because they are very content with the religion they know and love. Who cares if it is not perfectly Biblical? If it seems right and perpetuates religion, that is good enough for religious people. Besides, our religious ancestors have been doing it for years without interference by God, so he must be OK with it. &#8220;If it ain&#8217;t broke, don\u2019t fix it,\u201d they might say. The reality is, however, that both these religions are broke in many ways, but they don\u2019t know and don&#8217;t care that their religions are fundamentally broken because of money.<\/p>\n<p>Business in religion has a longstanding history of acceptability and legitimacy that will resist any arguments that it is not Biblical. Therefore, the whole of Judaism and Christianity will be opposed to the evidence and arguments we present in these pages. As stakeholders in the status quo, they will strongly resist any efforts by anyone who would presume to challenge the educated doctrines and longstanding traditions of their respective faiths. Even those who have nothing to lose (i.e. they are not direct beneficiaries of religious business) will find the evidence and arguments presented in these pages hard to accept because business is so entrenched in religious life.<\/p>\n<p>The series of pages about commercial religion listed at the top of this page will especially challenge Jewish and Gentile religionists who believe that they have a calling to be in ministry. Ignoring that God said his people will be a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=exodus+19:3-8;+1-peter+2:1-9;+revelation+1:6;+revelation+5:10\">nation of priests,<\/a> they wrongly represent that they are priests of a higher order who are qualified to receive tithes and offerings from lesser priests who effectively support them with their labor.<\/p>\n<p>Both the elite priests (i.e. clergy) and common priests (i.e. laity) believe that this system is ordained by God because it is the system that they infer from their literal readings of the Old Testament. And indeed this is the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/2#oldcovenant\">religious system that must be practiced by Old\/First Covenant religionists.<\/a> It is not, however, the better, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/2#newcovenant\">preferred system that God wants for New Covenant disciples<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-injustice-and-slavery\"> In this Old\/First Covenant religious system, there is an oppressive slave and master kind of relationship between the clergy and laity that violates God&#8217;s sense of justice.<\/a> That is why he sent, and continues to send, his true prophets to engage in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-the-enemy\/gods-at-war\">warfare<\/a> designed to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/tabernacles-temples-altars-high-places-and-pilgrimages\">destroy religious systems and all of their physical features <\/a>in fulfillment of his goal which is to replacing the religious world system with his spiritual kingdom.<br \/>\n<!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<p><strong>THE PROBLEM OF PRIESTS<\/strong><br \/>\nAll of God&#8217;s people are called to be <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/servants\">servants, shepherds<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/romans\/passage\/?q=romans+6:15-23\">slaves<\/a>. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/colossians\/passage\/?q=colossians+3:23-24\">Colossians 3:23-24<\/a> reinforces this idea saying that God&#8217;s people are to do everything as though they were serving God. Our challenge is to understand how everyone can fulfill these scriptural imperatives without engaging in commercial religion as either a buyer or seller of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-commerce\/examples-of-business-and-commerce-in-religion\/2\">religious products and\/or services<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>This challenge is greatly complicated by the issue of what it means to be a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/lexicons\/hebrew\/kjv\/kohen.html\">priest. \u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">STUDY TIP: See\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/religion-is-the-kingdom-of-false-prophets\/shepherds-sheep-priests\">Shepherds, Sheep and Priests<\/a> for a detailed discussion of priests. Also see <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/true-prophets\/the-high-priest\">High Priests<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Confusion about who is a priest and who is not is at the root of the sin of mixing business and religion. Since God said that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=exodus+19:3-8;+1-peter+2:1-9;+revelation+1:6;+revelation+5:10\">his people are to be a nation of priests<\/a>, we must assume that being a Godly priest is good and desirable. But, when we consider that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/search\/?s=bibles&amp;q=pharisees+priests&amp;t=nas&amp;c=all\">chief priests (i.e. pharisees) conspired to kill Jesus, <\/a>and that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-commerce\/jesus-and-the-money-changers-in-the-temple-2\/4\">Jesus spoke against pharisees many times,<\/a> we must conclude that not all priests are Godly priests. This creates a challenge to distinguish between Godly priests and priests that are not Godly.<\/p>\n<p>To begin to understand which priests are Godly and which are not, we must consider the following facts:<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Priest\">Priests have always been common features of all religions, past and present, including Babylon (i.e. Sumeria) and Egypt<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Israel had learned about the place of priests in religion during its season of bondage in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/egypt-and-babylon\">Egypt.<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=exodus+23:20-27;+deuteronomy+12:29-32;+deuteronomy+18:9;+leviticus+18:3;+leviticus+18:30;+leviticus+20:22-26;+2-kings+17:7-13;+2-kings+21:1-2;+ezra+9:10-15;+jeremiah+10:2;+jeremiah+44:2-8\">God warned Israel about not following the religious customs<\/a> of other religious nations. These warnings apply to many aspects of religion, but especially to customs regarding priests.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Since the concept of shepherding also has strong Biblical associations, we must also learn to distinguish between <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=john+10:1-18;+john+21:15-17;+ezekiel+34:23;+zechariah+11:16-17;+1-peter+5:1-2;+acts+20:28;+isaiah+40:11;+matthew+2:6;+revelation+7:17\">shepherds\/priests who are good and Godly,<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=isaiah+56:11;+jeremiah+10:21;+jeremiah+12:10;+jeremiah+22:22;+jeremiah+23:1-4;+jeremiah+25:34-36;+jeremiah+50:6\">shepherds\/priests who are not good and Godly<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Religious people tend to think that the shepherds they follow are good and Godly. This attitude maintains until the shepherd disgraces himself\/herself, or until the sheep discover that they and the shepherd do not share the same beliefs anymore. Then they fire the current shepherd and<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/john\/passage\/?q=john+10:1-18\"> hire another shepherd who is only working for a salary and does not really care for the sheep.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>In the Biblical terms, the issue of priests\u00a0 goes back to Moses and Israel&#8217;s desert experience after the exodus from Egypt when God singled out the tribe of Levi for the priesthood. Actually, the issue first emerged while Israel was in bondage to <a href=\"http:\/\/factsanddetails.com\/world\/cat56\/sub403\/entry-6113.html\">Egypt where priests were critical features of the religious system<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In the Bible, the priesthood emerged after the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/music-singing-and-dancing\/3#goldencalf\">golden calf incident<\/a> in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/exodus\/passage.aspx?q=exodus+32:21-31\">Exodus 32:21-31<\/a> when the Levites responded to Moses&#8217; statement &#8220;Who is on the LORD&#8217;s side? Come to me.&#8221; They then went throughout the camp killing those who had worshiped the golden calf.\u00a0As a result, the Levites were chosen for service to the Lord.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">STUDY TIP: The Levites&#8217; actions symbolically represent New Covenant\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/true-prophets\/model-warriors\">Warriors<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/true-prophets\/messiah\">messiahs<\/a>\u00a0and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/angels\">angels\/messengers<\/a> whose are challenged to eradicate religion by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=john+7:16;+john+12:49;+john+14:10;+john+14:26;+john+16:13;+1-john+2:27;+1-john+2:20;+1-corinthians+2:12;+psalm+143:10;+luke+12:11-12;+matthew+10:17-20;+mark+13:11;+1-thessalonians+2:13;+exodus+4:12\">speaking for God<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The fulfillment of this appointment came later when <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=exodus+28:36-43;+exodus+29:1-7;+exodus+29:21;+exodus+30:25-33\">Aaron and his sons who were from the tribe of Levi were ordained and consecrated as priests to serve in the Tabernacle of Moses<\/a>. They have been the models for professional priests ever since.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: Ordination and consecration includes <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/true-prophets\/messiah\">anointing with oil<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/blood\/2\">sprinkling with blood (i.e. God&#8217;s word).<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Later, in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/numbers\/passage\/?q=numbers+18:21-24\">Numbers 18:21-24, <\/a>God says that the Levites are to receive the tithes that the people present as an offering to the Lord. When we remember that priests (religious rulers) are the ones who served in the Tabernacle of Moses and in the Temple of Solomon, it is easy to get to the idea that financial tithes and offerings (in lieu of crops and animals) are to be given to the religious leaders. And having made that jump, it is not difficult to go the extra step to saying that all religious leaders are eligible to receive financial tithes and offerings for the spiritual work they do. This seems like a reasonable enough way to handle money since God himself does not really need any money, and since the priests are imagined to be God&#8217;s chosen representatives who have the greatest responsibility for ministry. It is such a logical system that no one ever thinks to challenge its legitimacy.<\/p>\n<p>The main problem with interpretations about priests, tithes and\u00a0 offerings is that they are based on<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/literal-or-symbolic-interpretation-part-1\"> literal interpretations of scripture<\/a> &#8212; not with the<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/5\"> better, symbolic view which points to the New Covenant.<\/a> The other problem with the commercial system is that it violates <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=exodus+23:20-27;+deuteronomy+12:29-32;+deuteronomy+18:9;+leviticus+18:3;+leviticus+18:30;+leviticus+20:22-26;+2-kings+17:7-13;+2-kings+21:1-2;+ezra+9:10-15;+jeremiah+10:2;+jeremiah+44:2-8\">what God has said about not following the customs of other religious nations<\/a>. When we understand that the custom of employing <a href=\"http:\/\/factsanddetails.com\/world\/cat56\/sub403\/entry-6113.html\">professional priests who serve in a religious temple actually existed in Egypt<\/a> before the giving of the law of Moses, which is the Biblical basis for professional priests in Judaism and Christianity, we see that all <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/4\">religion has its roots in ancient, pagan religions.<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">STUDY TIP: See <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/nations\/4\">Nations <\/a>for understanding of this Biblical term.<\/p>\n<p>Ignoring these problems, Jews and Christians have done their best to apply literal\u00a0 scriptural interpretations to contemporary religion. Thus, sacrifices, tithes and offerings are wrongly assumed to be money in lieu of grain, drink, and bulls and goats sacrificed on an altar. And rabbis, pastors, priests and other religious leaders are wrongly assumed to be the contemporary equivalent of\u00a0Old Testament priests. These conversions, while <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=isaiah+55:8-9;+isaiah+65:2;+psalm+81:11-12;+isaiah+59:7\">making sense to religionists, are not in God&#8217;s way of thinking. <\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">AUTHOR&#8217;S NOTE: We understand the logic of interpreting tithes and offerings as money and subscribed to it for many years thinking that we were being obedient to the Bible and to the exhortations of religious leaders whom we trusted. But now we see tithes and offerings with a New Covenant perspective that identifies tithes and offerings as spiritual sacrifices of the heart &#8212; not as material offerings.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">STUDY TIP: See <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/sacrifices-tithes-and-offerings\">Sacrifices, Tithes and Offerings <\/a>and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/sacrifices-tithes-and-offerings\/2593-2\">Tithes<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/tabernacles-temples-altars-high-places-and-pilgrimages\">Tabernacles, Temples, Altars, High Places and Pilgrimages<\/a>\u00a0for more about the spiritual nature of these concepts<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">STUDY TIP: Do not assume that you know the truth about a topic because you have read the Bible or because you have heard a sermon on it. If you imagine yourself to be a New Covenant disciple, you must let <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=psalm+81:8-13;+isaiah+28:23;+jeremiah+11:1-8;+jeremiah+22:21;+ezekiel+33:30-33\">God speak to you directly<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">Remember, it is all a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\">Mystery<\/a> and a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/study\/assemble-the-puzzle\">Puzzle<\/a> that you must assemble. in order to make any sense of it. If you read anything for its literal meaning only, without searching for the spiritual meaning, and without coming to an understanding of related scriptures, you will not come to a right understanding of any scripture.<\/p>\n<p>People who have read <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/sacrifices-tithes-and-offerings\">Sacrifices, Tithes and Offerings <\/a>and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/sacrifices-tithes-and-offerings\/2593-2\">Tithes<\/a> will understand why we say that tithes and offerings are not money and are not volunteer labor. New Covenant disciples in particular understand that tithes and offerings are God&#8217;s words spoken by \u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/true-prophets\">true prophets<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/angels\">angels<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/true-prophets\/messiah\">messiahs<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/true-prophets\/the-high-priest\">high priests<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenants-part-2\/7#witnessdefined\">witnesses<\/a>, and\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/true-prophets\/model-warriors\">warriors<\/a> whom<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=john+3:34;+jeremiah+26:1-5;+ezekiel+2:1-7;+2-chronicles+36:15;+acts+3:26;+revelation+1:1;+deuteronomy+18:18;+isaiah+51:15-16;+john+17:1-8;+isaiah+59:21;+deuteronomy+32:1;+job+22:22;+psalm+19:14;+proverbs+12:6;+jeremiah+1:9;+jeremiah+5:14;+hosea+6:5;+daniel+9:9-11;+2-peter+1:19-21\"> God sends to speak for him.<\/a> What they <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=matthew+12:34;+deuteronomy+30:14;+job+22:22;+psalm+19:14;+psalm+49:3;+luke+6:45;+romans+10:8-10;+psalm+37:30;+job+33:3;+job+33:33;+psalm+45:1;+proverbs+16:23;+proverbs+4:23\">speak comes out of their hearts<\/a> as <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=psalm+51:16-17;+mark+12:32-33;+1-samuel+15:22;+2-kings+22:18-19;+psalm+34:18;+joel+2:13;+micah+6:6-8;+malachi+3:1-4;+hebrews+13:16;+psalm+107:22\">spiritual sacrifices of the heart.<\/a> New Covenant disciples understand that tithes, offerings and sacrifices are not donations of money or labor.<\/p>\n<p>These interpretations are difficult to grasp because they argue against everything Christians and Jews have been taught, believed and practiced.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">STUDY TIP: If these principles do not yet register in you as truth, we recommend that you go back to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/sacrifices-tithes-and-offerings\">Sacrifices, Tithes and Offerings <\/a>and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/sacrifices-tithes-and-offerings\/2593-2\">Tithes<\/a> to study those scriptures and commentaries again. If you don&#8217;t understand that<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=psalm+51:16-17;+mark+12:32-33;+1-samuel+15:22;+2-kings+22:18-19;+psalm+34:18;+joel+2:13;+micah+6:6-8;+malachi+3:1-4;+hebrews+13:16;+psalm+107:22\"> God wants sacrifices of the heart and not physical sacrifices<\/a>, you won&#8217;t appreciate what we have to say about priests and mixing business with religion.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">Assuming that those issues are now settled in your mind, we can return to priests and commercial religion.<\/p>\n<p>Traditional thinking about tithes and offerings is that in these modern times, most of us are not all farmers with crops or herds from which we can bring produce or animals to God. Therefore, we do our best to adapt to our understanding of scripture by bringing money instead of grain and bulls and goats because it is money that we make or grow from our labors. Part of the problem with this thinking is that farmers and ranchers do still exist. But do they bring a tenth of their crops or herds to church? Of course they don&#8217;t. Church would be a different place if they did. So, even in their attempts to be Biblical they err by substituting their wrong interpretation for a literal interpretation which it impossible for them to obey.<\/p>\n<p>A related problem is about who is a priest and who is not. This gets confused when we consider that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=exodus+19:1-6;+revelation+1:1-6;+revelation+5:1-10\">God says we are a kingdom of priests. <\/a>If we are all priests, then we have priests bringing tithes and offering to other priests. So here is what we have to reconcile: Are we or are we not all servant\/slave priests who work for God, or do some of us get paid for our work?<\/p>\n<p>Scripture cannot possibly mean that everyone serves as a priest (or rabbi) as we commonly understand priests as professional clergy in any religion. Obviously that kind of kingdom would collapse if everyone was a professional priest who earned his or her income from ministry. Who would be left to earn an income from which a share would be given to support the priests? Therefore, we must alter our understanding of what a priest is and what a priest does if we are to understand what God meant when He called us all to be a kingdom of priests. There must be an interpretation of &#8220;priest&#8221; that any believer can fulfill. What is it?<\/p>\n<p>We all accept that we need to work at something in order to earn a living. If there is any doubt about that, look at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/2-thessalonians\/3-10.html\">2 Thessalonians 3:10.<\/a> The question is this: Do we work as servants or as employees, or both?<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/colossians\/passage.aspx?q=colossians+3:23-24\">Colossians 3:23-24<\/a> says that whatever we do (this would include working as a priest, or as a slave, or as a servant, or as an employee working for wages), we should work as though we are doing it for God. This exhortation clearly implies that laborers who are not employed in the religion business have spiritual value in God&#8217;s eyes. It also implies that we can fulfill priestly functions even if we do not work for wages in a business that is not associated with religion. In other words, God does not recognize two categories of priest (i.e. professional and unprofessional).<\/p>\n<p>This is important to recognize that, in the context of commercial religion, professional priests are the direct beneficiaries of all commercial religious activity. Since God intended for all of his people to be priests, however, having a special class of professional priests is not necessary. And, since there are there are no professional priests in the\u00a0 New Covenant kingdom of God, there is no need for <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/tabernacles-temples-altars-high-places-and-pilgrimages\">Tabernacles, Temples, Altars, and High Places <\/a>in which professional priests can conduct their business. This effectively eliminates the need for commercial religion because there is no need to collect tithes and offerings to support priests or pay for the costs of building and maintaining religious buildings and organizations. This is exactly why <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/god-is-calling-people-out-of-religion\">God is Calling People Out of Religion. <\/a>This is exactly why Jesus wanted to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=matthew+27:39-40;+mark+14:58;+mark+15:29\">destroy the temple system.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>This all makes sense when we consider that God wants people to\u00a0 listen to his voice only.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">STUDY TIP: See <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\">God\u2019s Written Word and God\u2019s Spoken Voice Part 1<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice-part-2\">God\u2019s Written Word and God\u2019s Spoken Voice Part 2<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/religion-is-the-kingdom-of-false-prophets\">Religion is the Kingdom of False Prophets<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-commerce\/jesus-and-the-money-changers-in-the-temple-2\">Jesus and the Money-Changers in the Temple, <\/a>and Religion is Idolatry for more understanding about why God is opposed to commercial religion.<\/p>\n<p>The challenge is to understand how God intends for all of his people to function as <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=psalm+110:1-4;+zechariah+6:13;+hebrews+5:1-10;+hebrews+6:20;+hebrews+7:17;+hebrews+7:21\">priests in the order of Melchizedek<\/a> &#8212; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=hebrews+7:11-21;+hebrews+8:1-4\">not as priests appointed according to religious laws.<\/a> He does not want any of them to be in professional ministry. There must be a way for this to work or God has created a situation that is impossible for us to fulfill. What is that way? We all need to know. It is a problem to solve for all believers.<\/p>\n<p>For starters, let&#8217;s assume that people who are not in a professional ministry are already integrating their spiritual life with their religious life. This is not how it is for people who are in professional ministry. They have made their spiritual life their business. The professionals, therefore, are the ones who violate God&#8217;s principles regarding mixing business with religion.<\/p>\n<p>Since God says his people are a kingdom of priests, we should not ever say that people who are in professional ministry are more spiritual than those who are not in professional ministry. But, the common perception in religious communities is that the professionals are the ones who are more spiritual. Can they indeed be more spiritual if the are guilty of violating the important principle of not mixing business with religion?<\/p>\n<p>Remember the scriptures about <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-commerce\/jesus-and-the-money-changers-in-the-temple-2\">Jesus and the Pharisees, temple leaders and money-changers<\/a>? None of them escaped Jesus&#8217; wrath (verbal or physical). Remember that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=matthew+9:36;+mark+6:34\">Jesus saw the people of Jerusalem as though they were like sheep without a shepherd<\/a>? We must concluded that those who are in positions of leadership are not automatically more spiritual just because they have degrees and titles. Since most of them have been to seminaries and Bible schools, they surely have studied what the Bible says about mixing money and ministry. And, if they know those scriptures, we would expect that they would not mix business with religion. But the truth is that, despite all the training and study they continue to engage in commercial religion. They are<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=isaiah+56:11;+jeremiah+6:13;+jeremiah+8:10;+jeremiah+22:13-17\"> greedy for financial gain<\/a> and the literal Bible is the tool that they use to earn money.<\/p>\n<p>To make any sense out of scripture about sheep, shepherds and priests, we must first believe that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/2-timothy\/passage\/?q=2-timothy+3:14-17\">all scripture is able to instruct us in righteousness<\/a>. This attitude compels us to identify with ancient Israel and see it&#8217;s history as a parable of our own history with God. It also compels Old\/First Covenant religionists to see themselves as sheep without a shepherd.<\/p>\n<p>This perspective also allows us to look at all the religions in the world today and compare our religion with those religions who employ priests. And when we see <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=exodus+23:20-27;+deuteronomy+12:29-32;+deuteronomy+18:9;+leviticus+18:3;+leviticus+18:30;+leviticus+20:22-26;+2-kings+17:7-13;+2-kings+21:1-2;+ezra+9:10-15;+jeremiah+10:2;+jeremiah+44:2-8\">religious beliefs and practices in our religion that are similar to the beliefs and practices of other religions,<\/a> both past and present, we must conclude that we disobey God in those areas.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">STUDY TIP: See\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/3\">THE ESSENCE OF RELIGION DOES NOT CHANGE<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/4\">HISTORY OF RELIGION<\/a><\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<p><strong>WHAT GOD DOES AND DOES NOT WANT<\/strong><br \/>\nIf Bible schools and seminaries taught students how to interpret the Bible symbolically, there would be no commercial religion. But, because it is in their financial interest to avoid this issue, commercial religion persists.<\/p>\n<p>If Bible students had learned to listen to God&#8217;s voice, however, they would have learned how to interpret scriptures about what God does and does not want from his people.<\/p>\n<p>In an effort to begin to fill that gap, we offer the following scriptures with commentaries. As you read each one, compare them to common practices of Judaism and Christianity. Ask yourself if God is really receptive to financial offerings and other manifestations of business in these modern times? If he was not receptive to the blood and grain sacrifices and offerings which he commanded them to bring to him in Bible times, how can he possibly be receptive to financial offerings and payments that people bring to religious leaders?<\/p>\n<p>Here is a short list of what God does and does not want from his people:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a id=\"\" title=\"Go to Proverbs 15:8 (Standard View)\" href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/proverbs\/15-8.html\">Proverbs 15:8<\/a> The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is his delight.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: Physical sacrifices, including money, are abominations to God.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">Prayer, which happens in the heart, is what he does want.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span class=\"versetext\"><a id=\"\" title=\"Go to Psalm 40:6-8 (Standard View)\" href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/psalms\/passage.aspx?q=psalms+40:6-8\">Psalm 40:6-8<\/a><span class=\"versetext\"> Sacrifice and offering thou dost not desire; but thou hast given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering thou hast not required. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">7<\/span> Then I said, &#8220;Lo, I come; in the roll of the book it is written of me; <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">8<\/span> I delight to do thy will, O my God; thy law is within my heart.&#8221; <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: What God want is that people will listen to his voice and obedience&#8211; not money.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a id=\"\" title=\"Go to Psalm 50:8-23 (Standard View)\" href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/psalms\/passage.aspx?q=psalms+50:8-23\">Psalm 50:8-23<\/a><span class=\"versetext\"> I do not reprove you for your sacrifices; your burnt offerings are continually before me. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">9<\/span> I will accept no bull from your house, nor he-goat from your folds. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">10<\/span> For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">11<\/span> I know all the birds of the air, and all that moves in the field is mine. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">12<\/span> &#8220;If I were hungry, I would not tell you; for the world and all that is in it is mine. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">13<\/span> Do I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">14<\/span> Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High; <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">15<\/span> and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.&#8221; <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">16<\/span> But to the wicked God says: &#8220;What right have you to recite my statutes, or take my covenant on your lips? <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">17<\/span> For you hate discipline, and you cast my words behind you. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">18<\/span> If you see a thief, you are a friend of his; and you keep company with adulterers. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">19<\/span> &#8220;You give your mouth free rein for evil, and your tongue frames deceit. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">20<\/span> You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother&#8217;s son. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">21<\/span> These things you have done and I have been silent; you thought that I was one like yourself. But now I rebuke you, and lay the charge before you. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">22<\/span> &#8220;Mark this, then, you who forget God, lest I rend, and there be none to deliver! <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">23<\/span> He who brings thanksgiving as his sacrifice honors me; to him who orders his way aright I will show the salvation of God!&#8221; <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: When we stop to think about it, it is a silly notion to imagine that God needs money to do his work. His work is spiritual &#8212; not physical. The work of religion, on the other hand, is physical, and that is why religion needs physical money to operate.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">Because <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\">money can be seen and touched, it is a matter of religion &#8212; not a matter of faith which cannot be seen.<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a id=\"\" title=\"Go to Hosea 6:1-10 (Standard View)\" href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/hosea\/passage.aspx?q=hosea+6:1-10\">Hosea 6:1-10<\/a><span class=\"versetext\"> &#8220;Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn, that he may heal us; he has stricken, and he will bind us up. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">2<\/span> After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">3<\/span> Let us know, let us press on to know the LORD; his going forth is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.&#8221; <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">4<\/span> What shall I do with you, O E&#8217;phraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes early away. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">5<\/span> Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of my mouth, and my judgment goes forth as the light. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">6<\/span> For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God, rather than burnt offerings. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">7<\/span> But at Adam they transgressed the covenant; there they dealt faithlessly with me. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">8<\/span> Gilead is a city of evildoers, tracked with blood. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">9<\/span> As robbers lie in wait for a man, so the priests are banded together; they murder on the way to Shechem, yea, they commit villainy. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">10<\/span> In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing; E&#8217;phraim&#8217;s harlotry is there, Israel is defiled. <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: What God wants is love and obedience that comes from the heart &#8212; not from the checkbook.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a id=\"\" title=\"Go to 1 Samuel 15:18-27 (Standard View)\" href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/1-samuel\/passage.aspx?q=1-samuel+15:18-27\">1 Samuel 15:18-27<\/a><span class=\"versetext\"> And the LORD sent you on a mission, and said, &#8216;Go, utterly destroy the sinners, the Amal&#8217;ekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.&#8217; <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">19<\/span> Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD? Why did you swoop on the spoil, and do what was evil in the sight of the LORD?&#8221; <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">20<\/span> And Saul said to Samuel, &#8220;I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, I have gone on the mission on which the LORD sent me, I have brought Agag the king of Am&#8217;alek, and I have utterly destroyed the Amal&#8217;ekites. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">21<\/span> But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal.&#8221; <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">22<\/span> And Samuel said, &#8220;Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">23<\/span> For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king.&#8221; <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">24<\/span> And Saul said to Samuel, &#8220;I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">25<\/span> Now therefore, I pray, pardon my sin, and return with me, that I may worship the LORD.&#8221; <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">26<\/span> And Samuel said to Saul, &#8220;I will not return with you; for you have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel.&#8221; <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">27<\/span> As Samuel turned to go away, Saul laid hold upon the skirt of his robe, and it tore.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: What God wants is people who listen to and obey his voice &#8212; not physical sacrifices.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a id=\"\" title=\"Go to Proverbs 21:3 (Standard View)\" href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/proverbs\/21-3.html\">Proverbs 21:3 <\/a><span class=\"versetext\">To do righteousness and<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-injustice-and-slavery\"> justice<\/a> is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: See <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-injustice-and-slavery\">Religion is Injustice, Slavery, Oppression and Affliction<\/a> for more about justice.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/lexicons\/hebrew\/nas\/zebach.html\">Sacrifice<\/a> here may rightly be interpreted any kind of physical offering &#8212; including money.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">When the Bible says that righteousness and justice are more acceptable than sacrifice, it is not allowing that there is any room at all for sacrifice for New Covenant disciples.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a id=\"\" title=\"Go to Jeremiah 6:20 (Standard View)\" href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/jeremiah\/6-20.html\">Jeremiah 6:20<\/a><span class=\"versetext\"> To what purpose does frankincense come to me from Sheba, or sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing to me. <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: Physical sacrifices are not acceptable to God because they can be seen and do not originate in faith.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a id=\"\" title=\"Go to Amos 5:18-27 (Standard View)\" href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/amos\/passage.aspx?q=amos+5:18-27\">Amos 5:18-27<\/a><span class=\"versetext\"> Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD! Why would you have the day of the LORD? It is darkness, and not light; <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">19<\/span> as if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house and leaned with his hand against the wall, and a serpent bit him. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">20<\/span> Is not the day of the LORD darkness, and not light, and gloom with no brightness in it? <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">21<\/span> &#8220;I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">22<\/span> Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and cereal offerings, I will not accept them, and the peace offerings of your fatted beasts I will not look upon. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">23<\/span> Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">24<\/span> But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">25<\/span> &#8220;Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">26<\/span> You shall take up Sakkuth your king, and Kaiwan your star-god, your images, which you made for yourselves; <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">27<\/span> therefore I will take you into exile beyond Damascus,&#8221; says the LORD, whose name is the God of hosts. <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a id=\"\" title=\"Go to Jeremiah 7:16-26 (Standard View)\" href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/jeremiah\/passage.aspx?q=jeremiah+7:16-26\">Jeremiah 7:16-26 <\/a><span class=\"versetext\">&#8220;As for you, do not pray for this people, or lift up cry or prayer for them, and do not intercede with me, for I do not hear you. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">17<\/span> Do you not see what they are doing in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">18<\/span> The children gather wood, the fathers kindle fire, and the women knead dough, to make cakes for the queen of heaven; and they pour out drink offerings to other gods, to provoke me to anger. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">19<\/span> Is it I whom they provoke? says the LORD. Is it not themselves, to their own confusion? <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">20<\/span> Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, my anger and my wrath will be poured out on this place, upon man and beast, upon the trees of the field and the fruit of the ground; it will burn and not be quenched.&#8221; <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">21<\/span> Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: &#8220;Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices, and eat the flesh. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">22<\/span> For in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, I did not speak to your fathers or command them concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">23<\/span> But this command I gave them, &#8216;Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people; and walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.&#8217; <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">24<\/span> But they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and the stubbornness of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">25<\/span> From the day that your fathers came out of the land of Egypt to this day, I have persistently sent all my servants the prophets to them, day after day; <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">26<\/span> yet they did not listen to me, or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck. They did worse than their fathers. <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: People who interpret the Bible literally believe that God wants physical sacrifices &#8212; including money. They do not understand the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/literal-or-symbolic-interpretation-part-2\/3\">first the natural and then the spiritual<\/a> principle.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">Applying this principle, we see that God presents physical sacrifices and offerings which people understand to introduce spiritual sacrifices and offerings that they do not understand. Old\/First Covenant religionists who interpret the Bible literally do not get beyond physical sacrifices. New Covenant disciples, however, understand the spiritual meanings of Old Testament scriptures regarding sacrifices really represent sacrifices of the heart.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a id=\"\" title=\"Go to 1 Samuel 2:12-17 (Standard View)\" href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/1-samuel\/passage.aspx?q=1-samuel+2:12-17\">1 Samuel 2:12-17 <\/a><span class=\"versetext\"> Now the sons of Eli were worthless men; they had no regard for the LORD. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">13<\/span> The custom of the priests with the people was that when any man offered sacrifice, the priest&#8217;s servant would come, while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged fork in his hand, <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">14<\/span> and he would thrust it into the pan, or kettle, or caldron, or pot; all that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. So they did at Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">15<\/span> Moreover, before the fat was burned, the priest&#8217;s servant would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, &#8220;Give meat for the priest to roast; for he will not accept boiled meat from you, but raw.&#8221; <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">16<\/span> And if the man said to him, &#8220;Let them burn the fat first, and then take as much as you wish,&#8221; he would say, &#8220;No, you must give it now; and if not, I will take it by force.&#8221; <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">17<\/span> Thus the sin of the young men was very great in the sight of the LORD; for the men treated the offering of the LORD with contempt. <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: Worthless priests take all the physical sacrifices that they can get.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a id=\"\" title=\"Go to Jeremiah 14:7-17 (Standard View)\" href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/jeremiah\/passage.aspx?q=jeremiah+14:7-17\">Jeremiah 14:7-17 <\/a><span class=\"versetext\"> &#8220;Though our iniquities testify against us, act, O LORD, for thy name&#8217;s sake; for our backslidings are many, we have sinned against thee. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">8<\/span> O thou hope of Israel, its savior in time of trouble, why shouldst thou be like a stranger in the land, like a wayfarer who turns aside to tarry for a night? <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">9<\/span> Why shouldst thou be like a man confused, like a mighty man who cannot save? Yet thou, O LORD, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name; leave us not.&#8221; <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">10<\/span> Thus says the LORD concerning this people: &#8220;They have loved to wander thus, they have not restrained their feet; therefore the LORD does not accept them, now he will remember their iniquity and punish their sins.&#8221; <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">11<\/span> The LORD said to me: &#8220;Do not pray for the welfare of this people. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">12<\/span> Though they fast, I will not hear their cry, and though they offer burnt offering and cereal offering, I will not accept them; but I will consume them by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence.&#8221; <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">13<\/span> Then I said: &#8220;Ah, Lord GOD, behold, the prophets say to them, &#8216;You shall not see the sword, nor shall you have famine, but I will give you assured peace in this place.'&#8221; <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">14<\/span> And the LORD said to me: &#8220;The prophets are prophesying lies in my name; I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">15<\/span> Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the prophets who prophesy in my name although I did not send them, and who <\/span>say, &#8216;Sword and famine shall not come on this land&#8217;: By sword and famine those prophets<span class=\"versetext\"> shall be consumed. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">16<\/span> And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem, victims of famine and sword, with none to bury them&#8211;them, their wives, their sons, and their daughters. For I will pour out their wickedness upon them. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">17<\/span> &#8220;You shall say to them this word: &#8216;Let my eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease, for the virgin daughter of my people is smitten with a great wound, with a very grievous blow.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a id=\"\" title=\"Go to Amos 4:1-9 (Standard View)\" href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/amos\/passage.aspx?q=amos+4:1-9\">Amos 4:1-9 <\/a><span class=\"versetext\"> &#8220;Hear this word, you cows of Bashan, who are in the mountain of Sama&#8217;ria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who say to their husbands, &#8216;Bring, that we may drink!&#8217; <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">2<\/span> The Lord GOD has sworn by his holiness that, behold, the days are coming upon you, when they shall take you away with hooks, even the last of you with fishhooks. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">3<\/span> And you shall go out through the breaches, every one straight before her; and you shall be cast forth into Harmon,&#8221; says the LORD. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">4<\/span> &#8220;Come to Bethel, and transgress; to Gilgal, and multiply transgression; bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three days; <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">5<\/span> offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving of that which is leavened, and proclaim freewill offerings, publish them; for so you love to do, O people of Israel!&#8221; says the Lord GOD. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">6<\/span> &#8220;I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities, and lack of bread in all your places, yet you did not return to me,&#8221; says the LORD. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">7<\/span> &#8220;And I also withheld the rain from you when there were yet three months to the harvest; I would send rain upon one city, and send no rain upon another city; one field would be rained upon, and the field on which it did not rain withered; <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">8<\/span> so two or three cities wandered to one city to drink water, and were not satisfied; yet you did not return to me,&#8221; says the LORD. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">9<\/span> &#8220;I smote you with blight and mildew; I laid waste your gardens and your vineyards; your fig trees and your olive trees the locust devoured; yet you did not return to me,&#8221; says the LORD.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: Israel loved to go from one city to another to offer sacrifices and offerings. These were all transgressions (i.e. sins) in God&#8217;s eyes.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a id=\"\" title=\"Go to Micah 6:1-16 (Standard View)\" href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/micah\/passage.aspx?q=micah+6:1-16\">Micah 6:1-16 <\/a><span class=\"versetext\"> Hear what the LORD says: Arise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">2<\/span> Hear, you mountains, the controversy of the LORD, and you enduring foundations of the earth; for the LORD has a controversy with his people, and he will contend with Israel. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">3<\/span> &#8220;O my people, what have I done to you? In what have I wearied you? Answer me! <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">4<\/span> For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and redeemed you from the house of bondage; and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">5<\/span> O my people, remember what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Be&#8217;or answered him, and what happened from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the saving acts of the LORD.&#8221; <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">6<\/span> &#8220;With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">7<\/span> Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?&#8221; <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">8<\/span> He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">9<\/span> The voice of the LORD cries to the city&#8211;and it is sound wisdom to fear thy name: &#8220;Hear, O tribe and assembly of the city! <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">10<\/span> Can I forget the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is accursed? <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">11<\/span> Shall I acquit the man with wicked scales and with a bag of deceitful weights? <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">12<\/span> Your rich men are full of violence; your inhabitants speak lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">13<\/span> Therefore I have begun to smite you, making you desolate because of your sins. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">14<\/span> You shall eat, but not be satisfied, and there shall be hunger in your inward parts; you shall put away, but not save, and what you save I will give to the sword. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">15<\/span> You shall sow, but not reap; you shall tread olives, but not anoint yourselves with oil; you shall tread grapes, but not drink wine. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">16<\/span> For you have kept the statutes of Omri, and all the works of the house of Ahab; and you have walked in their counsels; that I may make you a desolation, and your inhabitants a hissing; so you shall bear the scorn of the peoples.&#8221; <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: Old\/First Covenant religionists wrongly believe that if they sow financial offerings and sacrifices they will reap financial rewards. What God really want is people who <span class=\"versetext\">do justice, love kindness, and to walk humbly with God. <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a id=\"\" title=\"Go to Isaiah 1:6-16 (Standard View)\" href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/isaiah\/passage.aspx?q=isaiah+1:6-16\">Isaiah 1:6-16 <\/a><span class=\"versetext\"> From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but bruises and sores and bleeding wounds; they are not pressed out, or bound up, or softened with oil. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">7<\/span> Your country lies desolate, your cities are burned with fire; in your very presence aliens devour your land; it is desolate, as overthrown by aliens. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">8<\/span> And the daughter of Zion is left like a booth in a vineyard, like a lodge in a cucumber field, like a besieged city. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">9<\/span> If the LORD of hosts had not left us a few survivors, we should have been like Sodom, and become like Gomor&#8217;rah. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">10<\/span> Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom! Give ear to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomor&#8217;rah! <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">11<\/span> &#8220;What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the LORD; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of he-goats. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">12<\/span> &#8220;When you come to appear before me, who requires of you this trampling of my courts? <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">13<\/span> Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and sabbath and the calling of assemblies&#8211;I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">14<\/span> Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me, I am weary of bearing them. <\/span> <span class=\"versetext\"> <span class=\"versenum\">15<\/span> When you spread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood. <\/span> <span class=\"versenum\">16<\/span> Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil,<\/p>\n<p>How do we explain the contradictions, the disconnects between what God said and the practices of contemporary Christianity and Judaism? Did our trusted spiritual leaders miss class on the days these scriptures were studied? Were those scriptures wrongly interpreted? Did they forget to apply those scriptures in their personal lives? Did they know the scriptures but willfully decide to ignore those scriptures because they conflicted with their personal goals of earning incomes as religious professionals? Were they deceived into thinking that those scriptures do not apply to them because they are spiritual and God has a calling on their lives that supersedes obedience to the scriptures?<\/p>\n<p>We don&#8217;t know the answers to these questions for any individual professional religious leader. But, because of the proliferation of professional clergy for the past four thousand years or so, we do know that those who fell into the sin of mixing business in religion were in very good (i.e. bad) company. Knowing that, however, provides no instruction about how those leaders and followers can extricate themselves from the business system that is called religion.<\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<p><strong>A SHORT HISTORY OF COMMERCIAL RELIGION<\/strong><br \/>\nAwareness of these truths about the sins of religious leaders is not a reason for non-professional believers to gloat. It may appear at first glance that the professional priests\/leaders are the ones who have gone astray. That is a short-sighted view.<\/p>\n<p>We must keep in mind that the system does not work unless the non-professionals (generally called the laity) pay the professionals (generally called the clergy) for their religious commodities and services. And because they pay for spiritual services with tithes, offerings (not as God sees tithes and offerings but as the church has taught and practiced what tithes and offerings should be), and\u00a0 fees,\u00a0 they are accomplices to the crime. To put it in terms an economist would understand, it takes a buyer and a seller to make a business deal. In summary, everyone involved in religion guilty of the sin of mixing business and religion.<\/p>\n<p>When we look at scriptures with the eyes of New Covenant disciples, we wonder how Jews and Christians could go so wrong on this issue. The history of this religious paradigm is interesting to review, but a full discussion of that history is beyond the scope of these pages. Suffice to say, it has been around for thousands of years. Here is a brief summary of our best guess of how we got to this point:<\/p>\n<table style=\"table-layout: fixed;\" border=\"0\" width=\"800\">\n<colgroup>\n<col width=\"30\" \/>\n<col width=\"600\" \/>\n<col width=\"0\" \/><\/colgroup>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>It began sometime during the first temple period when all of Israel came to Jerusalem and the temple for the annual feasts and to make the required sacrifices. Levitical priests were in charge of temple functions and received support from the community in the form of a portion of the sacrifices.<\/li>\n<li>It really began to flourish during the second temple period when the pagan rulers controlled everything in the land of Israel except the religion which was left in the hands of the temple elites (Pharisees, and Sadducees). Even though religious leaders were free to practice religion, they did so only because the rulers allowed them to do so under the terms that the rulers established. In other words, they were not totally free.(Note: This is the period during which Jesus confronted the temple leaders and money-changers).<\/li>\n<li>The second temple era ended with the destruction of the temple in 70 CE. Without a temple, there was no place for temple leaders to practice their religious business. The church grew rapidly during this period. Initially, leaders (except the traveling apostles) always functioned at the local level and people met in homes. They practiced sharing their resources with others within the community. There was no corporate religious structure that required membership or payment of tithes to higher authorities.<\/li>\n<li>Things really changed after Constantine, the ruler of Rome, made Christianity the state religion. A hierarchy of authority emerged to include a professional, priestly class that included bishops and eventually popes. Because it was the state religion, the state supported the ruling elites with property and income to keep them in power and under control.<\/li>\n<li>Even though the state supported the Catholic church, the church had its own ways of producing income through tithes and indulgences. Thus it became very wealthy doing what pagan religions had been doing for centuries by effectively charging people for religious services performed in temples that honored particular gods.<\/li>\n<li>After the fall of Rome, the religious structure continued to function. Lacking support from the state, however, the ruling elites solicited support from the common people whom they served in exchange for the religious services delivered to the people.<\/li>\n<li>The Roman Catholic church evolved out of the religious structure first established by Rome. The church had developed doctrines and rituals of religious services to which the people had become accustomed and in which they found a measure of comfort. Therefore, the people were very willing to provide financial support for the religious leaders on whom they had become dependent for spiritual well-being. Even though there was not the same relationship between the state and the religion as in the second temple period or in the Roman Empire, there was still a strong church\/state relationship that legitimized the authority of the church to operate without restriction by the state.<\/li>\n<li>The cozy church\/state relationship endured for hundreds of years but suffered under the US Constitution which provided for a clear separation. While churches had government support (financial and political), the government paid the bills. When the government stopped paying the bills, churches needed to look for new sources of revenue. Leaders looked around to see what worked in the secular community and began applying commercial principles to religion.<\/li>\n<li>After the Reformation, the actors changed, some of the doctrines changed and some of the rituals changed, and the names of the religious organizations changed, but the practice of doing religious business did not change.<\/li>\n<li>The existence of an elite religious class flourished during the industrial revolution and into the modern era along with an education system that fostered the growth of an affluent middle class with an expanded range of career opportunities. Increased incomes meant more money was available to support an increasing array of religious organizations that people might find worthwhile. With new communications and travel technologies, the scope of career religious opportunities blossomed to create a class of religious professionals unlike anything that ever existed. And, as in previous eras, the church\/state relationship persists (at least in the USA) through the state&#8217;s control over the formation of religious organizations in exchange for income tax breaks for people who financially support churches and other religious organizations.<\/li>\n<li>As church-related institutions grew in terms of adherents and financial resources, they became increasingly challenged to manage their resources (financial and human) well. So again they looked to the secular world for instruction on how to manage the business aspects of church. They did this partly because the government that authorized their existence as charitable\/religious non-profits demanded that they do their financial business according to contemporary business and accounting standards. They also did this because the people who were contributing financially to the institutions expected (demanded) that good business practices be used in managing the great wealth that they (the people) had contributed to the institution. In other words, the people who provided the money to pay the bills (people who were savvy in the ways of the business world) would not continue to support an institution that did not do a good job of managing the money given to it. The donors expected accountability, and businesslike ways of managing people and money was necessary to satisfy these business savvy donors.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>From this brief review, we see that mixing business and religion is a long-standing tradition in both the religious community and in government. Actually, if we look at the history honestly, we might conclude that religion has always had a business component &#8212; at least beginning with the first temple period <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/1-samuel\/8.html\">when Israel wanted a king and God gave clear warnings about what would happen<\/a>. These warning accurately anticipate the unholy arrangement of mixing religion and government that still exists to this day.<\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<p><strong>A SPIRITUAL STRONGHOLD<\/strong><br \/>\nThe way we see it, the system of mixing business and religion is so long standing and so entrenched that it has become a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-a-stronghold-of-wrong-thinking\">spiritual stronghold<\/a> in both Judaism and Christianity. That is bad enough, but when we consider the issue of mixing government and religion, the scope and seriousness of the problem expands greatly.<\/p>\n<p>To understand how the stronghold evolved and how it maintains it power and effectiveness, it is helpful to understand the benefits the system yields to each party. Stronghold or not, the system cannot endure or grow unless there are real benefits to the each party involved.<\/p>\n<p>The following are our perceptions of the various ways that the system of mixing religion, business and government may apply to anyone who earns his or her income in whole or in part through involvement in activities that are commonly considered to be spiritual in nature. This includes clergy (pastors, priests), itinerant teachers and preachers (prophets, apostles, evangelists), missionaries (local or overseas), providers of spiritual services (counselors), creators and sellers of spiritual products (books, musics, art, trinkets, etc.) and support staff for any of these types of ministries and organizations.<\/p>\n<p>For convenience, we will use the term &#8220;religious professional&#8221; to include people who fit into one of these categories. We do not claim that all these benefits apply to all religious professionals. We are saying, however, that some of these benefits will apply to some clergy and some apply to all religious people.<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Pride from having a title or degree that identifies you as a spiritual person.<\/li>\n<li>Pride from having people support you financially because of the spiritual work you do.<\/li>\n<li>Pride from having people do favors for you and give non-financial gifts to you because they want to be associated with you.<\/li>\n<li>Pride from having people seek you out and want to have a relationship with you because you are a spiritual person.<\/li>\n<li>Pride from the praise you receive for the good spiritual work you do.<\/li>\n<li>Pride from the public reports you make about the good spiritual work you do.<\/li>\n<li>Pride in the claim that you have a special &#8220;calling&#8221; from God that few others have.<\/li>\n<li>Income from doing &#8220;the Lord&#8217;s work&#8221; that sets you apart from others who do work that is considered &#8220;secular&#8221;.<\/li>\n<li>Pride that comes from invitations to events in which spiritual people are the main attraction.<\/li>\n<li>Pride in having certain spiritual gifts that are commonly associated with people who are more spiritual.<\/li>\n<li>Income tax exemption for an approved housing allowance for ordained clergy.<\/li>\n<li>Convenience of having a dedicated parking place at church for clergy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>The curious thing about the religious\/business\/government paradigm is that, even though it is clearly not Biblical, God allows the system to exist. Even though the system is not God&#8217;s best,\u00a0 people receive real help from religious professionals who, for whatever reasons, have violated God&#8217;s principle of not mixing religion and business. We should not be surprised at this because we know that He has chosen to use broken vessels to accomplish His work on earth. Therefore, we want to be very clear that, even though the system is broken, and even though the system uses broken individuals, God is still at work doing good through it all.<\/p>\n<p>Even though God redeems the work of misguided servants, we can&#8217;t help but wonder what God might do if His servants did not mix business and religion. For example, consider that God says about how He deals with proud people (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/matthew\/23-12.html\">Matthew 23:12<\/a>;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/1-peter\/5-5.html\">1 Peter 5:5<\/a>;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/james\/4-6.html\">James 4:6<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p>Having a measure of pride, whether a little or a lot, is common to all believers. It is also common for all believers to be deceived about what is in their hearts (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/jeremiah\/17-9.html\">Jeremiah 17:9<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p>With these truths in view, we do not criticize religious professionals for being more prideful than anyone else. They are different, however, in the fact that some of their pride comes from being in ministry and for receiving income from their ministry work.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">STUDY TIP: See <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/pride\">Pride, Arrogance, Power and Humility.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<p><strong>RELIGION OPERATES IN PUBLIC FOR PUBLIC APPROVAL<\/strong><br \/>\nObservations about pride and ministry bring to mind the following scriptures that conflict with the business model of religious institutions.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/matthew\/passage.aspx?q=matthew+6:1-4\">Matthew 6:1-4 NIV<\/a> 1 &#8220;Be careful not to do your &#8216;acts of righteousness&#8217; before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 &#8220;So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=matthew+23:1-5;+luke+20:47;+luke+21:1;+luke+16:15;+john+5:44;+john+12:43;+romans+2:29;+1-thessalonians+2:6\">Giving money in public is one activity that religious people do to earn praise from other religious people.<\/a> Perhaps their are no trumpets to announce when a religious professional (pastor, rabbi, evangelist, musician, prophet, apostle, etc.) or a lay person is about to do something religious, but there are public announcements (e.g. bulletin notices, advertisements, emails, etc,) and liturgical practices that create clear public expectations about what religious people will do and when they will do it. And churches and synagogues have well established reputations that reliably predict that religious activity is always on display there for anyone to observe.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">The business of religious professionals is to practice their <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/lexicons\/greek\/kjv\/eleemosune.html\">piety<\/a> (i.e. righteousness) publicly &#8212; not in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=matthew+6:1-6;+matthew+6:16-18;+psalm+27:5;+psalm+31:20\">secret<\/a>, out of view by others. In fact, they are paid to do their work publicly. If they are not public, no one would know that they are religious. And if the public does not know that they are religious and that they are engaged in religious activities, the religious professionals would be considered unspiritual and lose their jobs and\/or their financial support.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">Prayer is a common example of a public religious activity. The problem with public prayer is that it conflicts with <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=matthew+26:36;+mark+1:35;+mark+14:32;+matthew+14:23;+mark+6:46;+luke+5:16;+luke+9:18;+john+6:15\">Jesus&#8217; practice of going to a private place to pray. <\/a>Religious professionals\u00a0 who do not pray in public would not be valued for their religious piety.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">Other examples of religious activity include:<\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 650px;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 10px;\"><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 10px;\"><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 10px;\"><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 10px;\"><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.0667px;\"><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 467.933px;\">\n<ul>\n<li>Using religious language.<\/li>\n<li>Carrying a Bible.<\/li>\n<li>Quoting Bible verses or stories.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/thewayweseereligion.blogspot.com\/2012\/03\/religious-ornaments-and-labels.html\">Wearing religious clothing and jewelry<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Going to church or synagogue.<\/li>\n<li>Identifying yourself as belonging to a particular religious sect.<\/li>\n<li>Speaking in tongues.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\"><a id=\"definitionofpoor\"><\/a>COMMENTARY REGARDING GIVING TO THE NEEDY (POOR):\u00a0 Giving to the needy should not be interpreted to include only financial giving to those who are financially poor. This is an example of scriptures that can and should be interpreted both literally and symbolically. The preferred interpretation of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/matthew\/passage.aspx?q=matthew+6:1-4\">Matthew 6:1-4 <\/a>is to give spiritual guidance (i.e. serve as a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/true-prophets\/model-warriors\">model warrior<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/true-prophets\">true prophet<\/a> to those who are spiritually poor. But, it is also consistent with God&#8217;s heart that his people would give money and other kinds of assistance to people who are materially poor. But, anyone who provides only this kind of material assistance has missed what is perhaps the most important thing on God&#8217;s heart: People who are not able to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/how-to-hear-gods-spoken-voice\">hear his spoken voice are<\/a>, in God&#8217;s view, spiritually poor.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">People who are spiritually poor are poor because they do not have God&#8217;s <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/6#spirituallaws\">spiritual laws<\/a> written on their hearts. Having God&#8217;s laws written on the heart is the essence of the New Covenant. New Covenant disciples receive <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/deuteronomy\/passage\/?q=deuteronomy+28:1-14\">the blessings of obedience. Spiritually poor people, on the other hand, <\/a>are under the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/6#religionisacurse\">curse of religion<\/a> because they are <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-injustice-and-slavery\">slaves<\/a> to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/6#religiouslaws\">religious laws controlled by men<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY ON THE RIGHT HAND AND LEFT HAND: Hardly a thing that a religious professional does as a part of his or her profession goes unnoticed by others. Again, this is by design because those who support him or her expect these kinds of public religious displays from the people they hire or support. And, just in case no one is watching, professionals who have a website or a newsletter boldly and shamelessly report their activities to ensure that current and future supporters know something about what they have been doing to earn their support. Failure to make such reports will result in loss of support and eventual collapse of the ministry. In general, there is no secrecy for religious professionals except when confidentiality is required to protect the identity of those who receive ministry.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=matthew+6:16-18&amp;t=nas\">Matthew 6:16-18:<\/a> <span class=\"verse\"><span id=\"verse-16\">&#8220;Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.<\/span> <\/span> <span class=\"verse\"> 17 <span id=\"verse-17\">&#8220;But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face<\/span> <\/span> <span class=\"verse\"> 18 <span id=\"verse-18\">so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: Fasting is given as an example of religious activity that is practiced publicly. The rewards of fasting, along with all other religious activity, are realized when the religious activity is noticed by others. God does not reward public religious activity. Being noticed and praised for being religious is the reward.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">Fasting from food, drink and other bodily needs is not what God really wants. See <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/fourth-commandment\/sabbath-fasting-rest\">Sabbath, Fasting and Rest<\/a> for more about spiritual fasting that God recognizes.<\/p>\n<p>Also see these other scriptures about religion doing it business in the public eye:<\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 268.067px;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 10px;\"><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 10px;\"><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 202.067px;\">\n<div class=\"col-lg-6\">\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/matthew\/23.html\">Matthew 23<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"pull-left\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=luke+20:46-47&amp;t=nas\">Luke\u00a0<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=luke+20:46-47&amp;t=nas\">20:46-47<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"pull-left\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/luke\/21-1.html\">Luke 21:1<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=john+5:41-44&amp;t=nas\">John 5:41-44<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"pull-left\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=john+12:37-43&amp;t=nas\">John 12:37-43<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"pull-left\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/romans\/2-29.html\">Romans 2:29<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"pull-left\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/john\/7-18.html\">John 7:18<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>What we learn from all these scriptures is that God does not approve of religion that is practiced in public view for the benefit of religious people. To appreciate why God feels this way, it is necessary to understand that the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/place-where-god-will-place-his-name\/4\">Heart is the Place Where God Places His Name. <\/a>This is consistent with the fact that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenants-part-2\/6#godspeaksfromcloud\">God lives in a cloud<\/a> out of public view.<\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><br \/>\n<strong>THE RIGHTEOUS ALTERNATIVE TO COMMERCIAL RELIGION<\/strong><br \/>\nThink about what your life would be like if there were no professional clergy, if there were no denominations, no churches, no synagogues, no mission organizations and missionaries, no religious publications, no traveling teachers, prophets, evangelists, apostles and so on. If you are in a corporate environment (church, para-church ministry, missions, etc,) for which religion or some kind of spiritual activity or purpose is the reason for existing, you would need to find or create a new way to make a living.<\/p>\n<p>Just finding a job might be hard enough, but you might find it even harder to learn how to integrate your spiritual life with your business life. Would you still feel like you are serving GOD and fulfilling your calling to be a priest if you are not in professional ministry? Would working at a job like everyone else satisfy your need for income, ego and reputation as a spiritual person? What do you do if you feel that God has called you to some kind of full-time ministry but you are also convinced that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-commerce\">religion is commerce<\/a> and that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-sin\">religion is sin<\/a>? How do you do that without earning a living from that ministry to which you believe you are called?<\/p>\n<p>To find the righteous alternative to commercial religion we need look no further than Jesus and the apostle Paul for models. Neither of these earned their income from their ministry work. They are perfect examples of New Covenant disciples.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">STUDY TIP: See <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-commerce\/money-and-ministry\">Money and Ministry In the New Testament.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>In the case of Paul, we know that he worked as a tent-maker to earn his living. And we know that he also did much good spiritual work and considerable traveling. If God could make it all work for Paul, He can make it work for anyone.<\/p>\n<p>Before you abandon your ministry, you have no idea what that new life might look like. It is a scary thing to give up a profession and all the income and status that goes with it for the sake of who knows what. But, if you can trust God for a big thing like salvation, it should be relatively easy to trust him for a living. Right? Furthermore, it must be said that if you cannot trust God to provide for you without being in professional ministry, you should not be in ministry at all because your faith is weak. With weak faith like that, how can you possibly hope to teach anyone else to trust God?<\/p>\n<p>To that statement some will say, &#8220;Wait a minute! I trust God every day for income that comes into my ministry.&#8221; And to that we say: &#8220;That was before you knew how God felt about mixing business and ministry.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>So what does the righteous alternative to religion look like? The answer is: It is impossible to predict. That is where the faith and trust comes in.<\/p>\n<p>Whether you are in the professional clergy or a lay person, one thing that can be said about your new life is that you will go from being highly visible to invisible.<\/p>\n<p>People who recreated in God&#8217;s image will be content with the following realities of their new life:<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>In contrast to their religious life in which they were identified through religious <a href=\"http:\/\/thewayweseereligion.blogspot.com\/2012\/03\/religious-ornaments-and-labels.html\">ornaments, clothing and labels, <\/a>their spiritual life will be identified as a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/search\/?s=bibles&amp;q=soothing+aroma&amp;t=nas&amp;c=all\">soothing aroma to God<\/a> and a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=2-corinthians+2:14-16;+song+of+solomon+1:3;+philippians+4:18\">sweet aroma of life to people<\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/thewayweseereligion.blogspot.com\/2012\/03\/religious-ornaments-and-labels.html\">.<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Whereas their <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=matthew+6:1-6;+matthew+6:16;+matthew+23:1-12;+luke+20:46-47;+luke+21:1;+john+5:41-44;+john+12:40-43;+romans+2:29;+john+7:18\">religious life was always public,<\/a> their new, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=luke+24:13-31;+john+20:14;+john+21:4;+john+14:19;+acts+1:1-9\">spiritual life will be hidden from view<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Whereas their religious life earned praise and income from men, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=romans+2:29;+1-corinthians+4:5;+john+12:43;+john+5:44\">praise for New Covenant disciples comes only from God.<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Whereas their religious life was governed by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/5#religiouslaws\">religious laws<\/a>, their spiritual life is governed by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/5#spirituallaw\">spiritual laws<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>They will be invisible and live in a spiritual cloud.xxx<\/li>\n<li>They will no longer listen to false prophets but will listen to God&#8217;s voice.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u00a0STUDY TIP: See the following pages for more about commercial religion: Examples of Business and Commerce in Religion Jesus and the Money-Changers in the Temple Money and Ministry In the New Testament Money and Ministry in the Old Testament Using <span class=\"excerpt-dots\">&hellip;<\/span> <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-commerce\"><span class=\"more-msg\">Continue reading &rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":637,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2623","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2623","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2623"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2623\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14168,"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2623\/revisions\/14168"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/637"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2623"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}