Ken Langone Shows Us Where the Church Has Gone Wrong.

Ken Langone is a billionaire. He would also have you believe he is a philanthropist, and indeed he has contributed funds to a number of worthwhile projects. But his recent remarks have made it clear those projects are nothing more than an attempt to bribe the church into delivering a message that is more friendly to those who steal the world's wealth and leave billions in poverty.

As this article points out, he has deemed Pope Francis' comments about the world's wealth inequality "exclusionary" and has threatened to stop contributing unless the message is changed.

There's only one problem: the Pope's message is directly supported by Scripture.

It will be interesting to tell if Langone can reform the Catholic church with his bribery attempt; it certainly wouldn't be without precedent. But it would be inconsistent with the message Pope Francis has preached his entire life, and it would certainly fuel a rash of extreme criticism if the church were to so blatantly demonstrate that it is open to bribery.

Pope Francis has made great strides in delivering a message that evangelicals are afraid to deliver, but one has to wonder how long his support will hold if the wealthy throw a tantrum and remove their donations until the church stops condemning them.

But it raises a larger point, one of which we need to be aware. With Langone so publicly bribing the Vatican, is it entirely inconceivable that the same level of arm twisting has gone on in the back rooms and board rooms of the mega churches? Could that be the reason that the message has shifted from the cross to the checkbook, and why financial prosperity has replaced Godly living as the purpose of many within the church?

This is pretty clearly why we were warned that we cannot serve both God and Mammon; if the Pope backs down, there is no question as to the path the church has taken. And if they refuse, somehow they are going to have to figure out how to make up the balance that they are losing when Langone takes his ball and goes home.

I am not a believer in boycotts, and will not threaten one. But I will promise to personally not send another dime in that company's doors. If Langone believes he can bribe the church, that is fine. But he will not receive another dime from my pocket!