{"id":3462,"date":"2017-06-10T05:43:20","date_gmt":"2017-06-10T10:43:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/?page_id=3462"},"modified":"2024-02-13T08:35:56","modified_gmt":"2024-02-13T14:35:56","slug":"using-money-to-buy-religious-authority","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-commerce\/using-money-to-buy-religious-authority","title":{"rendered":"Using Money to Buy Religious Authority ***"},"content":{"rendered":"

In addition to the Devil, there are only a few Biblical characters that are thoroughly despised: Balaam<\/a>, Judas<\/a> and Simon the Sorcerer. We have discussed Balaam and Judas elsewhere in this website. We will discuss Simon the Sorcerer’s connection to clergy in this page. We will begin by making comments on parts of the scripture in which his story is found.<\/p>\n

Acts 8:9-25 KJV<\/a> But<\/span> there was a certain<\/span> man,<\/span> called<\/span> Simon,<\/a> which before time<\/span> in<\/span> the same city<\/span> used sorcery<\/a> , and<\/span> bewitched<\/a> the people<\/span> of Samaria,<\/span> giving out<\/span> that himself<\/span> was<\/span> some<\/a> great one:<\/a> <\/span> 10<\/span> To whom<\/span> they all<\/span> gave heed<\/a> , from<\/span> the least<\/a> to<\/span> the greatest,<\/a> saying<\/span> , This man<\/span> is<\/span> the great<\/a> power<\/a> of God.<\/a> <\/span> 11<\/span> And<\/span> to him<\/span> they had regard<\/a> , because<\/span> that of long<\/span> time<\/span> he had bewitched<\/a> them<\/span> with sorceries.<\/a> <\/span> 12<\/span> But<\/span> when<\/span> they believed<\/span> Philip<\/span> preaching<\/span> the things concerning<\/span> the kingdom<\/span> of God,<\/span> and<\/span> the name<\/span> of Jesus<\/span> Christ,<\/span> they were baptized<\/span> , both<\/span> men<\/span> and<\/span> women<\/span>.<\/a> <\/span> 13<\/span> Then<\/span> Simon<\/span> himself<\/span> believed also:<\/span> and<\/span> when he was baptized<\/span> , he continued<\/span> *<\/span> with Philip,<\/span> and<\/span> wondered<\/a> , beholding<\/a> the miracles<\/a><\/a> and<\/span> signs<\/a> which<\/span> were done<\/span> . <\/span> 14<\/span> Now<\/span> when the apostles<\/span> which<\/span> were at<\/span> Jerusalem<\/span> heard<\/span> that<\/span> Samaria<\/span> had received<\/span> the word<\/span> of God,<\/span> they sent<\/span> unto<\/span> them<\/span> Peter<\/span> and<\/span> John:<\/span> <\/span> 15<\/span> Who,<\/span> when they were come down<\/span> , prayed<\/span> for<\/span> them,<\/span> that<\/span> they might receive<\/span> the Holy<\/span> Ghost:<\/span> <\/span> 16<\/span> (For as yet<\/span> he was<\/span> fallen<\/span> upon<\/span> none<\/span> of them:<\/span> only<\/span> they<\/span> were<\/span> baptized<\/span> in<\/span> the name<\/span> of the Lord<\/span> Jesus.) <\/span> 17<\/span> Then<\/span> laid they<\/span> their hands<\/span> on<\/span> them,<\/span> and<\/span> they received<\/span> the Holy<\/span> Ghost.<\/span> <\/span> 18<\/span> And<\/span> when Simon<\/span> saw<\/span> that<\/span> through<\/span> laying on<\/span> of the apostles’<\/span> hands<\/a> the Holy<\/span> Ghost<\/span> was given , he offered<\/a> them<\/span> money,<\/a> <\/span> 19<\/span> Saying<\/span> , Give me also<\/span> this<\/a> power, that<\/span> on<\/span> whomsoever<\/span> I<\/span> lay hands,<\/a> he may receive the Holy<\/span> Ghost.<\/span> <\/span> 20<\/span> But<\/span> Peter<\/span> said<\/span> unto<\/span> him,<\/span> Thy<\/span> money perish * with<\/span> thee,<\/span> because<\/span> thou hast thought<\/span> that the gift of God<\/span> may be purchased with<\/span> money.<\/a> <\/span> 21<\/span> Thou<\/span> hast<\/span> neither<\/span> part<\/span> nor<\/span> lot<\/span> in<\/span> this<\/span> matter:<\/span> for<\/span> thy<\/span> heart<\/span> is<\/span> not right in the sight of God<\/span>.<\/a> <\/span> 22<\/span> Repent therefore<\/span> of<\/span> this<\/span> thy<\/span> wickedness, and<\/span> pray<\/span> God,<\/span> if<\/span> perhaps<\/span> the thought of thine<\/span> heart<\/span> may be forgiven thee. <\/span> 23<\/span> For<\/span> I perceive<\/span> that thou<\/span> art<\/span> in<\/span> the gall of bitterness, and<\/span> in the bond of iniquity. <\/span> 24<\/span> Then<\/span> answered<\/span> Simon,<\/span> and said<\/span> , Pray<\/span> ye<\/span> to<\/span> the Lord<\/span> for<\/span> me,<\/span> that<\/span> none of these things<\/span> which<\/span> ye have spoken<\/span> come<\/span> upon<\/span> me.<\/span> <\/span> 25<\/span> And they, when<\/span> they<\/span> had testified<\/span> and<\/span> preached<\/span> the word<\/span> of the Lord,<\/span> returned<\/span> to<\/span> Jerusalem,<\/span> and<\/span> preached the gospel<\/span> in many<\/span> villages<\/span> of the Samaritans.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In addition to the Devil, there are only a few Biblical characters that are thoroughly despised: Balaam, Judas and Simon the Sorcerer. We have discussed Balaam and Judas elsewhere in this website. We will discuss Simon the Sorcerer’s connection to …<\/span> Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":2623,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3462","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3462","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=3462"}],"version-history":[{"count":29,"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3462\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12571,"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3462\/revisions\/12571"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2623"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3462"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}