Ray Comfort's Ungodly Riches

A commenter asks Ray:

But really now, what exactly have hypocrites done to Christianity?
Isn't it really the case that all Christians, especially evangelists living the good life in the USA are hypocrites to a large degree?

You talk incessantly about sin and salvation, but conveniently ignore the command to "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

To which Ray responds:

Ben...how do you know that we didn't sell everything we had, came the the U.S., and gave to the poor (there are no 'poor' in New Zealand)?

Good question, Ray. How do we know? Our very own Raytractor, TheAceOfClubz, does a little web sleuthing to find out.

The expenditures for 2006 list fund raising receiving 1.2%, program services receiving 24.5%, and managerial and general receiving 74.1% of the 3 million spent. IMHO, if you are running a nonprofit and only 24% of your expenditures are going to the programs and services the org was created to address, and 74% are going to Managerial and General expenses, you're doin' it wrong.

Perhaps TheAceOfClubz could point out where they're doin' it wrong...

In 2006 Ray was compensated with $119,784. 120k!! I am working my ass off in college to become a chemical engineer. The average salary for a 20 yr veteran chem. eng. is only 100k. I can't believe that some mustached schmuck, hocking bible tracts marked up 137%, is earning more than I prospectively ever will.

But surely Ray needs that sort of compensation. After all, he has posted several times he lives in Bellflower, CA:

Ray lives in Bellflower, CA, a suburb of LA. By visiting LA's county assessor website I found out that Ray's house has been valued at a quarter of a million dollars. Additionally, I visited the LA Times real estate section and looked at some of the going rates for houses in his neighborhood. Even if he doesn't own the best house in town, he certainly lives in a nice neighborhood. I can only wonder, as I sit in my shabby 1 room apartment, where a man owning a 250k dollar 4 bedroom house can get the gall to act as though he is suffering for his faith.

Well, I guess you're right, Ray, for now. We don't know if you sold everything you had and then came here. But we can safely say that you aren't giving to the poor. A few nickels don't count when you have that sort of house. Jesus explained how you should give; I suggest you read your Bible, Ray.

I can't remember quite how it goes, but it's something along the lines of practicing what you're preaching...