The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God was founded by Edir Macedo in Brazil in 1977. Before proclaiming himself 'Bishop' Macedo worked as a cashier for the state lottery of Rio de Janeiro.
At 20 he abandoned Catholicism and converted to Pentecostalism, entering the church called Nova Vida. He remained there for 10 years before leaving, according said by 'elitist'. In l977, with a group of friends opened a small shop in a slum in Rio de Janeiro. It said 'Bishop' and founded the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God. In the early days barely surviving financially until a parishioner sold some land and donated the money. At that time bought 10 minutes per day in the Rio metropolitan radio. Success began.
In l980 he had several hours of radio and television time on Channel Rio Tupi. Opened a store in the city of San Pablo and in l982 he bought the first radio station - Copacabana Rio -. His charisma, lack of boundaries and the use of manipulation techniques produced an explosion in his church and unstoppable growth.
What we believe.
The Universal Church is similar to other evangelical Pentecostals. For example believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, the Trinity, the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ and salvation by grace through faith.
However, Macedo added new elements to the doctrine that have little to do with the Bible. To heal sell 'stones of the tomb of Jesus',' the holy water of the Jordan River, "" the rose miracle ',' salt blessed by the Holy Spirit. " Also invite the faithful to attend meetings and 'eat the blessed bread to cure diseases. "
There are currently over 2,000 churches in Brazil, with an average of 6 million members.
The central doctrine of "bishop" Macedo is the fight against the demons and the theology of prosperity. The Universal Church practice the release of demons in the faithful. In all the temples we pray for the liberation of spirits, such as witchcraft, adultery, fornication, jealousy, strife, envy, drunkenness, etc.
In one of his books says Bishop Macedo " There are some illnesses that possession (by the devil): neurosis, constant headaches, insomnia, fear, fainting, or seizures, suicidal desires, diseases the doctores no pueden descubrir, vicios y depresión ". Además culpa al demonio por la homosexualidad y el SIDA.
Desde un principio Edir Macedo copió de los predicadores norteamericanos la llamada teología de la prosperidad, es decir, que los fieles deben entregar sus diezmos para no ser conducidos a las garras de Satanás.
En la Iglesia Universal las reuniones duran aproximadamente dos horas con la mitad del tiempo dedicada a la Biblia y la otra mitad a recaudar dinero. Los seguidores de Macedo tienen que adherirse a las siguientes normas:
•Si quieres salir de la miseria, si quieres obtener un empleo, si quieres sanarte de una enfermedad debes aportar tu diezmo.
•Dios dijo: Bring the tithes. When you give your tithe, God opens the windows of heaven and pour out blessings.
• Tithing is not just the salaries, other retirement or pension.
• If you contribute your tithing money is disappearing because the devil has entered eater.
• Remove all the coins you have. I will not get a dime. That does not exist. I want all the coins because they represent the misery. • If you get
tithe work. Tithing is not a donation is a return. Honor God with your wealth. Collections
millions.
The issue of raising money has become the best business Macedo. Unlike other cults Pentecostal faithful promise their happiness in the 'beyond', Macedo says that God will give the rewards of the faithful here on Earth. Hence, if one pays more money will be more likely to be rich in this life.
Various organizations, including the Brazilian Evangelical Association, have denounced Macedo to use manipulation as methods to make money.
economic supplements in Brazilian newspapers can be read such news: "The Universal Church bill more than Autolatina: In a year the Church had a profit of 735 million dollars while Autolatina only 337 million, being the best company country's private. "
Within 20 years, Edir Macedo became a small rented space in a poor neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil's largest multinational.
Today the Universal Church has 6 million members and 1.000 million annual income it produces, free of taxes, has 3,000 temples in Brazil and mainly distributed in 46 countries around the world.
The universal church has in its temples, more than 2,000 alone in Brazil, with five daily worship where the faithful are encouraged to donate their tithe. Macedo has organized its business as a pyramid, he is the owner, it follows a select group of bishops, who discussed twice a year policies has followed, and over 7,000 pastors who are paid a salary of $ 700, get a house and a car as more of a church pastor. What is said a windfall.
Some people linked to Macedo say their dream is to turn Brazil into a religious state and ruling with an iron fist and messianic.
The power of the media and politics.
addition to concentrating capital in the expansion of its temples, another of the obsessions of Macedo is more important to own media. Actually owns the two newspapers with more than one million copies of 30 radio stations and the second largest television network Brazil.
In l989 he bought a traditional television channel TV Record with 25 repeaters around the country. At first the TV network became a pulpit for 24 hours, shortly ero contract independent news service, acquired the best films in the United States and obtained the rights to televise matches, club San Pablo, one of the teams most popular soccer. Currently the station has become a rival of the famous network Globo. Also bought abroad and contracted stations in Portugal, Mozambique and Argentina.
Another area of \u200b\u200binterest and power of Macedo encuenta in partisan politics. His
involvement began in l986 when it sponsored several legislative candidates who promised benefits to the Church. Today the universal Church has its own candidate and won the last elections of 34 deputies income. For
Alexandre Fonseca Brazilian sociologist there are several reasons for the faithful do not hesitate to vote for candidates of the universal church, but especially the idea that stands out are persecuted. Embezzlement
.
mid-1990 the Brazilian Justice began investigating the Bishop Macedo and business of the Church Universal. In 1992 he ended up imprisoned for 12 days on charges of fraud and embezzlement and your bank account had accumulated more than $ 100 million. At the end of his lawyers obtained the acquittal at trial.
In l995, Carlos Magno de Miranda, a dissident bishop of the universal church, said that Colombian drug traffickers had given in l989 several million dollars for the purchase of TV Record, the broadcaster, that the Church Macedo used for washing money from the Cali cartel and using a double accounting to evade the taxes.
Justice Macedo began investigating tax fraud, extortion faithful for contributions and ties to drug trafficking. Judge William Calmon raided 12 premises of the sect and ordered lift banking secrecy and business leaders of the church universal.
In these circumstances, the Globo television network took advantage and showed on the screen, again and again, images of Bishop Macedo teaching his pastors to ask for money.
Globo network obtained a video which shows the scene of a church to a pastor of the universal church of the kingdom of God kicking and breaking up the figure of Brazil's patron saint, Our Lady of Aparecida.
Given the serious situation that angered millions of Brazilian Catholics, the National Confederation of Bishops (CNBB) asked the faithful not only respond to attacks and acts of reparation the patron saint of Brazil. Invasion
AL Macedo
The sect is present in over 40 countries (throughout Latin America, in some U.S. cities, Europe, Africa and Asia). They have, only in Brazil, a bank, two newspapers, a magazine, 30 radio and TV Record TV network with 25 repeaters around the country. For several years, Justice and the Brazilian government leaders investigated for alleged links with the Cali cartel and money laundering.
installed in 1990 the first church in Argentina. Today they have expanded throughout the country and have acquired several radio spaces throughout Argentina. The sect came
Argentina in l990. Initially settled more active inside the country, especially in the northern provinces and the capital of Córdoba. When it began an aggressive activity consolidated in Capital and Greater Buenos Aires with the opening of large number of temples.
From massive growth in the country bought 24 hours of radio programming Argentina, an AM with arrival in the entire country. The radio has a similar format to the Brazilian stations which promote the activities of the Universal Church.
Source: ACI Prensa.
"The Phenomenon of the Sects and NMR." SPES Foundation
Archbishop of Buenos Aires.
Ave Maria and Ahead ...!
De Colores ...!
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