It's Just Wrong...

[JJ_BPK]

My cousin posted this pic from her visit to her place of worship, yesterday...

It is wrong on so many levels and they don't take American Express...

A simple and fast way to remain faithful

[glebo]

I find it odd, that it's ALWAYS about the $$$$$$$


give some bucks....save your soul....yeah...got it..

Only time I go to Church....is when I drive by one.

My own way, in my own house...that's my place of worship..

[Wiseman]

The wording on the machine give this kind of message

"Jesus loves you....only after you give X amount of money"

Donations are supposed to be done so that one can contribute to the maintenance of the church and not for showing faith. You show whether you have faith by the way you conduct yourself everyday.

[kimberly]

Organized religion is man-made. So are ATMs. I'll stick to non-religion. I'll stick to finding God in the mountains and streams, and the goodness in humanity.

[Dad]

Everything is for sale now.

[Susa]

How else is the pastor going to be able to afford his mortgage for his home in the toney part of town? Do you know what is costs to fuel up a private jet these days?

[glebo]

Originally Posted by kimberly

Organized religion is man-made. So are ATMs. I'll stick to non-religion. I'll stick to finding God in the mountains and streams, and the goodness in humanity.

I think you'll find the Mtns and streams alot quicker....than the "goodness" of humanity..

And quoting good 'ol Richard..."so it goes"...

It is....what it is...

[Golf1echo]

Originally Posted by kimberly

Organized religion is man-made. So are ATMs. I'll stick to non-religion. I'll stick to finding God in the mountains and streams, and the goodness in humanity.

This is the way I feel too but I understand not everyone feels the same. Through out history offerings, payments and support has been given to various churches for various works. Should that include the 3-7% for processing fees and the now 21 cents for debit card swipes, possible machine fees, let alone accounting fees?

[Drusagas]

Song from my favorite band, speaks to this situation exactly.

S.M.C. by Project 86

"Big business ain’t easy
I’m sure you’d agree
Especially when the product is eternity-
To stay one step ahead we must achieve
And turn this holy temple
Into a factory
Is there anywhere you can run
To hide from these thieves? -
Cause eternity’s on sale today for a fee

Faith is buying me a way
Buying me a way
To convert the masses into little servants
Faith is buying me away
Buying me a way
Buying me into your home (soul)

Our sanctuary of this high-rise
Our steeples, our billboards
Our slogans, our converts
Oh don’t forget to buy this T-shirt
As you leave
And open up the offering box
And give until it hurts
Show me an open heart and we’ll steal it away
Cause eternity’s on up for sale for a small fee today
You Know

This altar is a stage
Our sponsor must be paid
And maybe even make the front page"

Edit* To explain further, this is a Christian band. I consider myself "religious," though the connotations of that word are ambiguous at times. This song is pointing out the corruption that happens in churches today and how it seems that those who give more are more likely to be saved; as if you're paying a "pre-mortgage" on a house in Heaven when that is something no man can buy (etymology of the word "simony"). Another example, in my opinion, of this is, recently, a mega-church in the Ft. Worth, TX area begin broadcasting their services to their overflow rooms in 3D. IMHO, I believe that is an improper use of tithes and offerings and also that a "tithe machine" has no place in a house of worship. But these are my opinions.

[Richard]

As far as the ATM shown in the first post goes - IMO it's nothing personal or anything to get worked up over, it's just business as usual.

And as far as the relief efforts in Joplin go, PR is a powerful recruiting tool and I suspect not everybody who was pitching in during such a trying time was as committed to overtly advertising who they are and what they may believe as some may have been doing.

http://www.komu.com/news/how-to-help...s-for-joplin1/

And so it goes...

Richard

[chance]

And people look at me stupid when I say I don't believe.

[alelks]

Originally Posted by glebo

I find it odd, that it's ALWAYS about the $$$$$$$


give some bucks....save your soul....yeah...got it..

Only time I go to Church....is when I drive by one.

My own way, in my own house...that's my place of worship..

Same here brother. I've traveled all over the world and have seen many religions. In the US the Baptist talk about the Catholics, the Catholics talk about the Mormons, the Mormons talk about ...... You get the idea. A church is just a building and there are people that need a structured/orchestrated setting in order to feel better I guess but not me. Most churches I attended in the past were just a microcosm of society and had their own clicks, everyone was a good christian in their own minds.

My dad was of a religion that didn't believe in churches, the women didn't believe in cutting their hair and only wore dresses. They didn't believe in TV or jewelry. It was sort of a cross between a Quaker and a Mennonite I guess. They held services at members houses. When I was young we were out back shelling some peas under the pecan tree and he told me I should go to his church as they were the only ones going to heaven. Well you guessed it as I went off on him and let him know that only one person gets to make that decision and he was not that person.

My feeling is that as long as I live my life the best I can helping people along the way and ask the almighty for guidance and forgiveness I'm good to go.

[craigepo]

I find this thread interesting.

I recently went out to help with relief work in Joplin, Mo., a few days after the tornado had hit the town. I was amazed by the number of church buses that were parked everywhere; churches in the region had loaded up bus after bus, and the congregation members were all over the stricken area, doing what they could. The US government was not helping dig bodies out of the rubble---it was a region's worth of churches. People taking time off work, away from their own lives, to just come help.

On the periphery of the stricken area, various Christian organizations had set up tractor trailers for relief stuff. Food, clothing, shelter, everything was provided by organizations like the Convoy of Hope. Churches in the region donated so much stuff that those who had suffered from the tornado were taken care of almost immediately.

The Scottish Rite cathedral was packed with Masons from several states. They spent their time cooking and taking meals from the cathedral to the people working in the stricken area. One Mason brought a smoker and cooked 500 lbs of pork butts per day for the workers.

Interestingly, I did not see one atheist organization in Joplin helping dig through rubble. Also, I didn't see any trucks from an "I worship in my own way" organization handing out food or clothing. It was entirely donated from "Believers'" treasuries and labor.

I realize that it is easy to heckle "Christians", preachers, "the Church", and the notion of a congregation giving money to a church. Indeed, like every human endeavor, humans occasionally screw religion up. But, you might want to go out and get some ground truth before you anonymously deride these organizations from the comfort of your keyboard.

[alelks]

Originally Posted by craigepo

Interestingly, I did not see one atheist organization in Joplin helping dig through rubble. Also, I didn't see any trucks from an "I worship in my own way" organization handing out food or clothing. It was entirely donated from "Believers'" treasuries and labor.
.

And here is as perfect example of why I don't belong to an organized religion.

According to this statement if I don't belong to an organized religion then I am not a "Believer". Unfortunately too many religious institutions believe this for some reason. Sorry, once again you don't get to make that judgment. I'll defer to the almighty for that. A church is just that "a church" and that doesn't mean everyone who enters it a christian. A church just like any other group of people is a microcosm of society. You have good people and bad people. I can worship, praise, thank, ask guidance from the almighty from anywhere.

I have absolutely have no problem with people who like organized religion as if that is what it takes for them to fulfill their needs. I'm a loner by nature and don't need to belong to a group to feel good about myself personally. Not saying that is what organized religion is but rather that's my personality. What I have a problem with is those individuals that push the "if you don't go to church, if you don't give enough to the church or of you don't believe what I believe you are going to hell" on me.

[Pete]

Originally Posted by alelks

............I have absolutely have no problem with people who like organized religion as if that is what it takes for them to fulfill their needs. I'm a loner by nature and don't need to belong to a group to feel good about myself personally. .........

I think you fired right past craigepo - and missed.

As he pointed out - in major disasters, aside from government, you have the Red Cross and then major local Christian relief agencies that flood in and provide services and food kitchens.

The Baptists in most southeastern states have pretty well organized field kitchen services.

You don't see many "I don't believe the way you believe" agencies flooding in to help.

It's not all about money.