A Ponzi scheme of Biblical Proportion?

bic_cherry SG

Disclaimer, the following information is based upon my understanding from the reading of Biblical texts and accounts in my free time, and it is accurate to the extent of my understanding. All objections, if any, should also be posted under the post of the same title on my blog accessible here, anyone reading this post/ a copy of this post, should also check for updates/ objections at the same blog address so any disagreements/ errors of interpretation observed by other readers in respect of this article can be quickly highlighted. This article is written in the spirit of promoting better and more holistic Bible interpretation. Thank you for your kind understanding.

Kong Hee's 'Kong Hee 30,60 100 fold return.mp4' sermon is I believe, is a misrepresentation of:
Matthew 13:8: "⁸Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."
Matthew 13:23: "²³But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.""

Despite both verses giving the same account, I shall discuss verses 18- 23 as it is Jesus's repeat explanation of the 'Parable of the Sower' . (Mark4:2-8 is another version of 'Parable of the Sower').Matthew13 in all established versions/ languages may be accessed from here. Like any exegesis, the Holy Bible should be taken in its totality however due to space constraint, only Verses 18- 23 from the New International Version are appended as follows:

This paragraph, and several internal equivalents can with little effort but careful reading lead to the necessary exegesis of the passage. 'Sower' being the equivalent of the Church, or anyone understanding the "message about the kingdom" and speaking about it; 'seed'/ 'the word' being 'message about the kingdom'; 'ground'/ 'soil' understood as the 'heart' of the person being informed (and in accordance- its corresponding state, as described by surfaces such as 'path'/ 'rocky places'/ 'thorns'/ 'good soil'); 'fruitful'/ 'crop' (and its corresponding quantities- 30, 60, 100) being the degree of response of individual's 'heart'; or, from the perspective of the 'sower' the degree to which the individual from receiving the 'message about the kingdom' understands and continues spreading the 'message about the kingdom'.
The multiples of "hundred, sixty or thirty times" in these verses thus clearly refers specifically and only to the ability of an individual who 'understands the message' to 'sow' the 'message about the kingdom'- it does NOT reflect any particular return or reward for such 'understanding'.
It is not to my knowledge anywhere else in the Holy Bible that there exist any reference of term '30, 60, 100x' as a measure of 'reward' from God.

By way of logic, anyone not anyone not adequately "learned in the 'message about the kingdom'" ought to have no business spreading it. The office bears of the Church, whose qualities are defined here also ought ensure that.

Pastor Kong Hee's inappropriate application of the terms 'thirty, sixty, a hundred' are thus an inappropriate misrepresentation of ; an audience adduced to believing in promises of up to 100x returns, aggravated by inappropriate physical example portrayed during sermons- of an individual being presented on stage with cash amounting to 100x of what he gave, are ought to be misled into pledging large sums of money in the misplaced faith of subsequent significant gain. [pls see bottom for real life analogy]

This undesirable situation has in effect a similar outcome as that of a 'Ponzi scheme', defined by the Merriam-Webster Online dictionary as: "an investment swindle in which some early investors are paid off with money put up by later ones in order to encourage more and bigger risks- Etymology: Charles Ponzi †1949 American (Ital.-born) swindler"

Given to the fact the multiples of "30, 60, 100x" specifically refer to none other then one's ability to spread the 'message about the kingdom', the problem of having to keep up the semblance of prosperity amongst the congregation is ought become increasingly difficult and costly. The ultimate collapse of such a 'church', not to mention the fallout effects upon society, are then expected to be as great as the very blasphemy it was so concocted to be.

1 Timothy 3:1-13 (New International Version) refers to the qualities expected of Church Overseers and Deacons.

A Poor Saviour Kong Hee.mp4 : another toxic dose of heretical teachings of the 'prosperity bible'.

Real life analogy for the a/m scenario [and it's real life similarities] would be:
'P' starts a 'Charity' 'tuition agency (TA)' [church] proclaiming to provide free tuition for needy kids [Charity]. For which the TA is granted 'Charity status/ tax exemption' by the relevant agencies [COC].
'P' hires 10 teachers and each is able to teach for 100hrs/ month (25hrs/week).
To the donors to his 'charity', 'P' makes 2 unfounded claims:
1) His is the best TA/ charity in Singapore since his teachers yield 100times return: i.e. 1 teacher teaching 100hrs/ month equals 100x return according to 'P'; to aggravate that, 'P' also makes unfounded claims such as that MOE would give the 10 highest parent donors a free Pr1 placing in ANY school of their choice.
Mean while, the TA invest much of its monies in other 'investments' purported to enhance the 'productivity' of the said 'TA'.

If 'P' isn't a criminal, then what is?

As romanista2001 SG

the only colwn making 100 times returns on his ''investment'' is none other than the pastor himself.

angel7030 SG

Last time, there was alots of monks stories, now alots of pastors stories...haiz, these religious peoples are taking peoples for a ride, and yet peoples still believe and listen to them, God must be crying.