waktu di singapur sempet diajak orang sono ke night safari park. sepanjang jalan dia bangga bener nyeritain night safari nya singapur itu. dia bilang ini adalah the first night safari park in the world. saya manggut2 aja, sambil penasaran juga kayak gimana sih taman safari malem yg dia promosiin itu.
pas nyampe sana.. langsung melongo sendiri.. haaa??? yg beginian namanya safari park??? areanya kecil, binatangnya terbatas, ngga jelas lagi (malem2 sih). waktu itu liat2 binatangnya pake semacam kereta listrik. entah ada jalur mobil seperti safari di afrika itu atau ngga. pantesan yg dipromosiin night safarinya, kalo siang2 kayaknya bakalan bikin bete tuh safari park, udah udaranya panas (di singpur mana ada area sejuk selain di mall) binatangnya juga ngga ada yg aneh. saya pikir, kalo gini caranya sih orang singapur bisa nangis ter kagum2 liat taman safari cisarua bogor yg luasnya aujubilah itu. areanya luas, udaranya sejuk, semua binatang ada. dari siamang sampe sikimhook. (hook, inget ye ke taman safari cisarua kudu pake mobil. itupun mobilnya kudu sehat bener. sebaiknya jangan yg berumur diatas 5 thn. terakhir gua ke tsi cisarua itu nemuiin 2-3 mobil tua yg mogok. untung ngga mogok di kandang macan). --- In [email protected], "pinpinyuliansyah" <pinpinyuliansyah@...> wrote: > > Sayah sempet tinggal cukup lama di Jurong East Ave. Di rumah pak haji. Itu > pendeta kayaknya demen main di gey lang ... :-0 > > heu heu :-) > > --- In [email protected], "johny_indon" <johny_indon@> wrote: > > > > > > > > gereja city harvest ini ampir tiap hari gua lewatin waktu > > gua tinggal di singapur karena lokasinya di jurong west deket kampus ntu. > > ngga nyangka ternyata pendetanya tukang tilep duit jema'at. > > ngga tanngung2, duit yg ditilep sampe SGD 23 juta atau sekitar 172 miliar > > perak. > > > > haleluya! > > > > oh iya sampe lupa, city harvest ini gereja kresten protestan > > aliran karismatik/pantekosta tempat si bleki ngadu...eh...jadi domba. > > > > (si bleki pasti pura2 kelilipan matanya baca fakta ini). > > > > --- In [email protected], holy uncle <holyuncle@> wrote: > > > > > > ***In a religious setting, people tend less to be on their guard and can > > > be more easily persuaded to part with their money. > > > > > > ***âYou may be poor today, but you will not be poor all your lifeâ. > > > > > > An analysis into the wealth of City Harvest Church > > > > > > Posted by temasektimes on June 27, 2012 > > > > > > Although I am aware that City Harvest is one of the richest churches in > > > Singapore, I am still shocked that it is rich enough to pay $310 million > > > dollars for a stake in Suntec City. Nevertheless, an entity which is able > > > to amass such wealth is certainly worth studying. I was determined to > > > understand the secrets to the churchâs wealth. > > > > > > I apologize upfront if the points raised give offense to loyal followers > > > of City Harvest Church. Please regard this article as a business analysis > > > of the factors that contribute to the wealth of City Harvest Church, not > > > as an insinuation that the Church got rich through questionable means. > > > The fact is that CHC is very rich and this makes for a fascinating > > > academic exercise to examine its sources of wealth. Just treat it as a > > > business case study. I have tried my best to stick to the facts. Please > > > correct me if there are factual mistakes. However, if there are > > > differences in opinions, please disagree with courtesy. > > > > > > 1. Clever packaging of Sunday services > > > > > > The income of a church is dependent on the tithes collected (10% of > > > income from church-members). Therefore, the earning power of a church is > > > highly dependent on its ability to retain its existing church members and > > > attract new ones. The larger the church membership, the greater its > > > earnings. > > > > > > I watched a sample of CHC weekend service on its website. Compared to the > > > boring Sunday classes I attended as a kid, CHC church service was most > > > refreshing (Watch âThe 10 Laws Of The Harvestâ). The beginning part > > > resembles a rock concert with good singing and enthusiastic audience. It > > > is an entertaining way to enjoy your Sunday mornings. Going to church > > > becomes a weekly event to look forward to rather than a chore to attend > > > to. > > > > > > With church services so well packaged for its customers, its customer > > > retention rate and new customer acquisition figures should look good. > > > > > > 2. Extra revenue in the form of advertisements, sales of CDs > > > > > > This church is unlike the other churches I know. It generates extra > > > revenue through advertisements during its Sunday service (watch the > > > videos). It sells audio CDs on its website. There is an online shopping > > > cart for convenience to those who want to buy online. > > > > > > 3. Efficient collection of tithes > > > > > > Church-members can pay their tithe online via credit card, eNets or even > > > Giro!! Once members started donating using Giro, the earnings quality of > > > the church improves. Donation collected via Giro tend to be more stable. > > > > > > With a globalised economy, people travel round the world a lot and may > > > miss Sunday services. In the past, the churches will lose income when > > > these members fail to turn up to pay their tithe. Now, with online > > > payment, they can continue collecting the tithe even when the > > > church-member is working overseas for an extended period of time. With > > > Giro, the church can continue collecting tithes for a few more months > > > even when the member leaves the church as people have a habit of > > > forgetting what they pay on Giro. > > > > > > 4. 30-fold, 60-fold, 100-fold returns on your church donations > > > > > > This is where the genius of CHC lies and the secret to its superior > > > earning power. In fact, I have yet to encounter any public-listed company > > > on SGX, HKSE, NYSE, Nasdaq that demonstrates better potential. > > > > > > The pastor preaches that God will give 30-fold, 60-fold, 100-fold returns > > > on your tithe. But, you have to be generous in your donations first so > > > that you will receive in harvest proportions. I guess that is the origin > > > of the name City Harvest. Please watch the video âThe 10 Laws Of The > > > Harvestâ yourself in its entirety and interpret for yourself. > > > > > > It is a message that cleverly uses an astute understanding of human > > > nature to maximize profits. If I were a CHC member, I will be tempted to > > > increase my tithe as much as possible. Not mincing my words, I am doing > > > it out of pure greed. I do not think I will be alone. It is perfectly > > > fine if members of CHC strongly disagree and thinks that I am not > > > representative for most of them. After all, I can only speak for myself. > > > > > > 5. Quality of customers > > > > > > With the 100-fold return message, the kind of church members attracted > > > will be most conducive to profit-making. Money-minded people will be > > > attracted to the church. These money-minded people tend to be ambitious > > > and have a great desire to make lots of money. Millionaire minds have a > > > higher chance to become rich. Hence, the quality of customers that CHC > > > attracts are of the highest quality. The richer the church-member, the > > > higher is the churchâs tithe per member. > > > > > > Customer quality will be enhanced through the passage of time due to > > > survivor bias. Suppose out of this pool of Millionaire-Mind Christians, > > > 50% become satisfactorily rich and the remaining 50% still > > > unsatisfactorily middle-class. The 50% who got rich will donate even more > > > because they think their source of wealth comes from their donations. It > > > is most unlikely they will cut back on their tithes because they will be > > > afraid God will punish them by cutting back the returns. If they are not > > > afraid, the church will be there to warn them not to do so. The remaining > > > 50% who did not get rich will be disillusioned and probably leave the > > > church. The loss is of little significance to the church. These people > > > are not rich and their tithes will not amount to much. > > > > > > Many Christians will be disgusted with the concept of using tithes to get > > > rich. These people will probably leave the church after attending a few > > > Sunday services. Again, the loss is of little significance to CHC. These > > > people will not be highly profitable to the church even if they are rich > > > because they are not going to tithe as much as the others who believe > > > their tithes is the way to wealth. > > > > > > To the credit of the Pastor, I think he has devised a wonderful process > > > of filtering out non-profitable customers and sucking in the lucrative > > > ones. There is only so much physical space that a church can have to > > > service its church-members. To maximize profits, the church has to ensure > > > that each unit of space is used for servicing lucrative customers. > > > > > > 6. Kill off competition > > > > > > CHC has tremendous economic moat that kills off competition. In the video > > > âThe 10 Laws of The Harvestâ, the Pastor cited Law #5 âYour Seed > > > must be planted in Good Groundâ which is an effective weapon in killing > > > off his competition â" the smaller churches. Many Christians feel that > > > they ought to donate to the needy, smaller churches rather than rich > > > mega-churches like CHC. The Pastorâs argument is that you do not get > > > good returns like 100-fold in the small churches. You have to donate to > > > mega-churches to maximize returns on your tithe because they have a track > > > record (rich church members). In other words, the seed is not planted in > > > good ground when you donate to the small churches. In his own words, âI > > > donât always give to the neediest but to the ground that will give the > > > greatest yieldâ. To illustrate his point, he used an analogy on weak > > > banks and strong banks. You do not deposit your money in a weak bank > > > because it desperately needs > > > fresh funds to survive. You deposit your money in a strong bank which > > > invests your money wisely and yields good returns. > > > > > > The church has an iron-grip on its members who believe its message. As > > > illustrated previously, its customer base is of the highest quality. This > > > is its track record. Existing church-members will definitely not move to > > > another smaller, needier church with poorer track record. > > > > > > It has a very strong economic moat as it is very hard for its competitors > > > to get its customers to switch over. > > > > > > 7. Providing a place where the rich can network > > > > > > As the Pastor said, his church provides a good ground on which you can > > > grow your riches. Rightly so, indeed. For property agents or insurance > > > agents trying to hit their sales quota, City Harvest Church will be an > > > ideal place to hunt for lucrative clients. This church concentrates > > > several rich and money-minded people into a single location. The church > > > offers a unique advantage to sell things. In a religious setting, people > > > tend less to be on their guard and can be more easily persuaded to part > > > with their money. > > > > > > Businessmen also like to network in places where there are rich and > > > powerful people who will come in handy in future. The Pastor has done a > > > good job in gathering such people in his church and it makes good sense > > > to make use of this advantage by joining the church. > > > > > > The rich will attract more rich and the gathering moss snowballs to > > > provide an ever-rising pool of donation to the church. > > > > > > 8. Preach what people like to hear. > > > > > > As a teenager, I was discouraged when I read Bible verses like Matthew > > > 19:23-24 âI tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the > > > kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go > > > through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of > > > God.â and Matthew 6:24 âNo one can serve two masters; for either he > > > will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and > > > despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.â > > > > > > It seems like if I become rich, I will be condemned to hell. > > > > > > In the video âRich God? Poor God?â, the Pastor preaches that it is > > > absolutely ok to be rich. Some prophets of God were very rich. (Abraham, > > > David, Solomon) > > > > > > There is nothing more musical to a money-minded person than to hear that > > > God is on your side in your pursuit of money. The church-members who are > > > more money-minded will love this and donate even more. > > > > > > 9. God pays for the returns, not the church. > > > > > > The church collects the money, but God pays for the returns. The church > > > does not need to pay a single cent for the 30-fold, 60-fold, 100-fold > > > returns on the donations. > > > > > > This is as good as you do the work for me, but not only do I not pay you, > > > I shall also collect your salary. You toil and sweat, but I shall eat > > > your bread. God must surely be a miracle worker and people will pay > > > handsomely for his service. I cannot think of a more advantageous > > > economic position to be in to be able to collect money rendered by a > > > miracle worker. > > > > > > 10. Social pressure to conform in church settings and ease of influence > > > > > > If everyone around you donates, it is hard not to. When everyone else > > > makes sacrifice, the one who does not will look like an outcast. There is > > > tremendous pressure to conform in such a herd setting. > > > > > > 11. Tremendous future earning power > > > > > > Take a look at the congregation and you will notice the large number of > > > young people. The income growth of young people is the fastest in the > > > population. In the Pastorâs words, âYou may be poor today, but you > > > will not be poor all your lifeâ. That is a long-term business plan in > > > cultivating its customers. > > > > > > Therefore, if CHC can be viewed as a growth stock, its prospects are very > > > bright as its young customers will accelerate its earnings. > > > > > > 12. Stable earnings in times of depression > > > > > > Besides being a growth stock, CHC can also be viewed as a defensive and > > > safe stock. People pray hardest when they fall in hard times. Strangely, > > > some people have an urge to tithe when they are in financial troubles. > > > > > > In fact, in the video (The 10 Laws Of The Harvest), a couple came on > > > stage. They talked about the dire straits they were in when they started > > > out. Things change when God challenged them to GIVE themselves out of > > > poverty (exact words from the speaker). Despite not having any money, > > > they still pledged $250 to the building fund. In his own words again, > > > âwe often emptied our savings to give to the House of God knowing that > > > this will be the answer to our financial problemsâ. Hence, not only > > > will the church earnings be stable in times of depression, it may even > > > grow. > > > > > > 13. Using Prosperity as a theme to appeal to customers > > > > > > The Pastor preaches Prosperity Gospel which resolves around money. His > > > business genius lies in choosing this theme for his church. Money has > > > universal appeal. Everyone worships money regardless of race, culture, > > > age, gender, sexual orientation. In one fell swoop, he has enlarged his > > > market to cover the entire world. It is much easier to convert people to > > > your belief by dangling money and promising great prosperity. After all, > > > who does not love money? > > > > > > By enlarging his potential market catchment with a greater chance of > > > increasing membership, more donations will flow in. > > > > > > 14. Tax benefits as church is registered as a charity > > > > > > This creates a huge, unfair advantage compared to all other businesses. > > > This is what landed CHC in controversy. Enough has been said. > > > > > > If one day the Pastor switches to become a businessman, I will definitely > > > consider investing in the company that he heads and founds. > > > > > > If City Harvest Church is listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange, I will > > > certainly buy it. It will be one stock that I am confident of hitting a > > > return of 30-fold, 60-fold, 100-fold returns. > > > > > > PS: People tend not to question critically when it comes to religion. A > > > charming smooth talker can easily sway minds with his interpretation of > > > the Bible. In the final analysis, Faith is about simply believing. You > > > cannot approach it scientifically because there is no way to test > > > religious theories using the scientific method. We will only know the > > > real truth when judgment day comes. > > > > > > The danger is that there is no accountability on the part of the preacher > > > on whether his teachings are true or not. Even he himself cannot be sure > > > that his interpretations is 100% correct. Given human nature, the > > > interpretations will tend to be self-serving. In fact, it is not only > > > dangerous to the students but to the teacher as well. People will believe > > > their own lies if it yields tempting benefits. That was how Wall Street > > > drank its own Kool-Aid. > > > > > > While I respect the Pastor for his business savvy, I cannot agree with > > > his interpretations of the Bible. I pray for good health, peace and > > > harmony for my family. Money-minded as I am, I am not comfortable with > > > commercializing my relationship with God by asking for money. The > > > Christian God that I know from my own reading of the Bible is not > > > è´¢ç¥ç·. Of course, if God wants to drop money from heaven on me, I > > > will be more than happy to embrace it. > > > > > > *The above article was contributed to us by the writer and was first > > > published in 2010 here > > > > > > http://temasektimes.wordpress.com/2012/ ... st-church/ > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > ------------------------------------ Post message: [email protected] Subscribe : [email protected] Unsubscribe : [email protected] List owner : [email protected] Homepage : http://proletar.8m.com/Yahoo! 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