Of CHC's fund raising for the 6 accused.

From AsiaOne

City Harvest Church warned over fund raising for accused 

Singapore's Commissioner of Charities (COC) has warned City Harvest Church about its employees' efforts to raise funds to pay the legal fees of the church's leaders facing criminal charges in court.

At issue is a donation form which surfaced this month seeking funds as a "personal gift" to the six people charged so far.

Commissioner of Charities' response

"The Commissioner of Charities' (COC) office had earlier issued a Restriction Order to the Board of City Harvest Church (CHC) to restrict CHC from paying the legal fees of the six accused persons and entering into transactions relating to payment of services to the suspended individuals and their related entities, without the approval of the COC.

The COC has informed CHC that the church and/or its employees should not be involved in raising funds for the legal expenses or setting up a specific fund for this purpose."
 

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Is this a good call by the Commissioner of Charities to stop CHC members for raising funds for the lawsuit? We cannot decide. Members will simply route their funds to a fellow member who is not part of the 6 accused. This "personal gift" is a major loophole. At the same time, it does seem that CHC has forgotten why they are in embroiled in a lawsuit in the first place. Seems like CHC is pretty recalcitrant.

What is even more disgusting, disappointing and appalling is this: CHC actually puts itself up as a recipient for donations in kind. NTUC FairPrice and the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) have a collaboration so that people who would like to donate food items or basic necessities to voluntary welfare organizations (VWOs) may do so via FairPrice's website. CHC is one of the VWOs listed.

 

How is this appropriate when church members are busy raising funds for their already very rich pastors and senior members of the church and leaving the needy people in their care to the public? Surely they should know where their priorities lie? Is giving to the needy less prosperous then giving to the pastors, you believers of the prosperity gospel?

This is not an attempt to penalize the needy. This is an indication that CHC members rather tithe upwards to pastors who can live in luxury appartments instead of giving meaningfully to those who need it more. We are even more convinced that somewhere during sermons and cell group sessions, CHC has not been sharing the right message.

Regardless of religion, God helps those who help themselves.