Addressed to: Distribution list (see below)
"Raymond" <rwknapp[-no-scam]@hotmail.com> Fri, 19 Dec 2003 00:19:35 +0800
Excuse me Midwinter, shan't be but a moment, really.
"Midwinter" <solstice688@TAKEYOURSPAMANDhotmail.com> wrote in message
news:Xns945599F25440solstice688TAKEYOURS@217.32.252.50...
David Vestal <someoggetridofthis@mailcity.com> wrote :
Tithes are one subject on which the Bible is fairly clear. They don'=
t
apply. Not that the Bible does either.
Agreed. Voluntary donations to support your church are one thing.
Tithing
as an obligation is nonsense. Any Christian with any sense of honesty
would be forced to admit that Jesus does not ask his followers to pay f=
or
salvation. That is the idea of humans trying, as always, to make a qui=
ck
buck out of religion.
How much would you see that a person that has a family and enjoys the chu=
rch
services, and attends the meetings, should pay to support their church?
None, if their god can't support it, why should anyone else. In the states =
they are tax
exepmt businesses, in Europe, they are frequently ssupported by deductions =
collected from
the wages by the Govt. [Germany still does this last I heard], in Scandinav=
ia, ther is still
the quaint custom of you being a member of the church, whether you want to =
be or not, &
being obliged to support the church. I have been given to understand that h=
old is being broken
& people can officially quit the church [Lutheren & Catholic] if they want =
& no longer be
forced to **donate** money for the upkeep of the church.
I know my mother never said anything about tithes, but would always send =
in
her Dues as she called it, even years later and when she could no longer
walk to the church. The church has bills to pay, and expenses to meet, t=
o
do the work of the Lord, as does any business that provides a place to co=
ol
Indeed, & their god can't stop that problem? Why not? If it is all powerful=
[that's one
official rumor], why not. Why not stop leeching off of people that can ill =
afford to give
up one dollar, for they don't have any to spare. Can't this god provide bet=
ter for its
church? Apparently not, at least, not in the states.
off or keep warm in. Music and entertainment at times. I know some will=
go
to a movie and spend fifty dollars or more for a few tickets and some pop
corn etc. Should the membership be made to pay a charge? How can the ba=
nk
get the loan money back they loan the church so it could be built back? =
I
been in Churches and seen people for fifty years, still dropping in a one
dollar bill in the offering.
That's nice, but all it does is verify that the gods of thart church aren't=
doing a very
impressive job of taking care of their own.
A Sunday newspaper in many places cost more then that, they sit for a hou=
r
or so, in a Air Con building, go out and stop to eat, and spend twenty or
more on a good meal. What do they think that money grows on trees, or Go=
d
dumps in gold coins for each one dollar bill given? The tithe does commi=
t a
The tithe is a way of perpetauting the myth, & a guilt trip for those that =
don't do it.
After all, you can't make a slave out of a free man & expect rall co-operat=
ion. But you
can make a slave out of a man that feels guilty about something, & get more=
than your
moneys worth.
person to a small percentage of their income, and if they are honest and
true to their giving they may give more. The Church can be sure of an
amount of money because of the promised tithes, so they can budget and if
not enough let people know. I have to wonder why there are so many empt=
y
church buildings up for rent, or sale, because the bank foreclosed on the=
m.
That should not be.
Indicates their gods didn't much care about them. Sadly, in the Dakota's, a=
lot of
historical churches are closeing, & being torn down. No loss to me mind you=
, but
the history that is being lost is something else.
What I see is folks that do not want to commit to the cost of the church
they are the ones trying to make the quick buck out of religion. They fe=
el
good about dropping in a twenty dollar bill when you know the heating bil=
l
in the winter is over a thousand dollars and there is no way that a few
hundred folks giving a dollar or a five is going to meet that bill. Sham=
e
on them that will not commit even a tenth. Again what do you think it co=
st
and how much do you think comes in to a church that has a few hundred
members is?
Does the pastor received a salary? The members go to work and they do, w=
hy
If so, he is not doing the work of his gods with a free & cheerful charity.=
Now,
try to find a pastor that doesn't get a salary, either in cash or in kind. =
Even
circuit riders expect recompensation for their time.
should a pastor have to work more then one job and part time it at church=
?
If his god can't spare the energy to insure that he doesn't need to, & he d=
oesn't want
to starve, seems like a good idea to me.
Just so he can do what the Church wants, and hope to feed his family. Sh=
ame
on them that steal from God and the Church, so they can make a few quick
bucks from religion, and tell others how cheap they are in public.
If one does not tithe, I sure hope they give more so the bills can be met=
on
time, and the name of the Church seen by all as really a house of God.
A house of gods gthat the gods are not willing to tend to, so the believers=
must?
No thanks,
Ahone would never be that cruel, & Wanka, no way. Tate? Nope, Inktomie, now=
there
is a thought. Coyote might for a laugh, but he has a tendency to help human=
s. Now Na'pi,
there is a possability if anyobne were stupid enough to build a building & =
dedicate it to him,
but we are not.
& the xians, do their gods not neglect their meetinghouses as well? It appe=
ars so.
Midwinter
walksalone who is turning this back over to Midwinter, Raymond doesn't ofte=
n have
much to say but it is possible that he will say something worth hearing on =
rare occasion.
.
