Denyoz Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 How much money did you give to the Christian Church(es)? In your lifetime. Just a rough estimate. My biggest single donation was $1000. Plus, let's say $20 a week for two years: $1000. Then 50 cents a week for 10 years: $260. Plus other donations here and there: $300. Total, around $3000. I was cheap, I know. I was Catholic and thought the church was rich enough already, they didn't need more money. But then I didn't want to look cheap when they passed the basket around, so... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thought2Much Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 I don't want to think about it. I know that I was rarely fully tithing (I don't even think my wife has given a full 10% most of the time), but it was too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator TrueFreedom Posted August 3, 2012 Moderator Share Posted August 3, 2012 at least $100,000 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator TrueFreedom Posted August 3, 2012 Moderator Share Posted August 3, 2012 I gave 10% gross to the my church plus at least 5% gross to other charities for 20 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcdaddy Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 Most was my wife but I'd say enough that would have paid a large chunk of our school debt. Maybe 50k??? Idk. I don't WANT to know. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denyoz Posted August 3, 2012 Author Share Posted August 3, 2012 at least $100,000 Most was my wife but I'd say enough that would have paid a large chunk of our school debt. Maybe 50k??? Idk. I don't WANT to know. Holy shit, I'm much cheaper than I thought. I probably would have ended up in hell. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
★ Citsonga ★ Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 God and the Easter Bunny got the same amount from me: Zilch. However, churches and Christian "charities" got well over 10% (possibly an average of 13-15%) of my gross earnings for around 15 years, not to mention all the extra money spent on Christian books and music, as well as buying gas to drive to and from church and Christain functions. I have no idea how much money I actually did waste on the myth, and I would probably break down and cry like a baby if I did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeverAgainV Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 Too much...probably $500 a month for approx. 20 years.....give or take... I get very pissed off when I think of all of the $$$$ we gave to that asshole...could have been for our children. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator TrueFreedom Posted August 3, 2012 Moderator Share Posted August 3, 2012 God and the Easter Bunny got the same amount from me: Zilch. However, churches and Christian "charities" got well over 10% (possibly an average of 13-15%) of my gross earnings for around 15 years, not to mention all the extra money spent on Christian books and music, as well as buying gas to drive to and from church and Christain functions. I have no idea how much money I actually did waste on the myth, and I would probably break down and cry like a baby if I did. I didn't even consider the extras: committing funds for new building, providing food and drinks for activities, expensive retreats... I don't regret the social stuff, but the buildings and pastor salaries kinda hurt. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habiba Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 Thankfully I never threw too much money at the church! As my family didn't have much I wasn't expected to give much. I often wondered why the creator of the universe needed our money, and why the congregation didn't just practice what the preached and "pray and wait on the Lord" for the roof to be fixed, or whatever that week's money making racket was. At the church I attended these weird money bags were passed around, and you put your contribution in with everyone watching. Latterly I would save up all my coppers (1p and 2p) and throw a handful in, making a handsome noise, weighing lots, and benefiting the church about 7p a pop! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silentknight Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 I, personally, never gave much, but my parents did even at times when we could hardily afford to pay mortgage or eat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcdaddy Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 I always thought the widows' mite story was horrible. Shouldn't the church have been giving her money, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND??? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habiba Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 I, personally, never gave much, but my parents did even at times when we could hardily afford to pay mortgage or eat. I always thought the widows' mite story was horrible. Shouldn't the church have been giving her money, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND??? I identify with that Silentknight, my mum, who is sadly still steeped in rampant fundamentalism feels compelled to give waaay above her meagre means. Worse yet, she is a widow, who if anything should be shown some charity, especially as the majority of the congregation are as rich as the blokes in the 2 mites story! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcdaddy Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 Yeah that story sounds like it would be something that was added after the church gained power, to get even the poor donating to their coffers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3DollarBill Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 Well...I was all of 18 the last time I gave any church any money, so considering that fact, I'd say my estimate is shamefully high: approximately 10 years of $1 a week plus an odd extra one every now and again: $550ish Plus 10% of the 500 I got from my grandparents on my birthday for all those years: another $500 Plus the mission trip I took after high school and paid for with graduation gifts: $2500 I'm looking at at least $3500, just me personally, all as a kid. Now I'm 25 and got a measly 10k in my retirement accounts. I guess that puts me ahead of many but I could be doing a lot better if it hadn't been for the hole in my pocket known as church. It is staggering to think of the money spent annually in the United States which winds up doing no good at all. Sure, churches fulfill some charitable functions but they do it incredibly inefficiently. The vast amount spent on the buildings, a/v equipment, etc etc is ultimately wasted, meanwhile our national infrastructure deteriorates day by day. I cannot wait until the virus of christianity disappears from this country. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike D Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 About $8. Which was a test tithe that God failed. When I was a kid I was taught that if you made sacrifices for God he would take care of you. So on a church youth group outing to a church in another city, I tithed all my dinner money having "faith" that God wouldn't let me go hungry. Well he did let me go hungry. Not only that, but when we stopped at a restaurant for dinner I ended up telling my youth group leader that I was on a diet and that's why I wasn't eating (I was too embarrassed to tell him I tithed my dinner money). So what you do think he did? He laughed at me and made fun of me for being on a diet (I didn't need to be on a diet). So I almost starved to death, and I got made fun of by my youth leader in front of everyone, because I put my faith in God. My message to god after that: "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me!" 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeCoastie Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Not much. I stopped tithing before I made any serious money. Even when I was still a Christian I knew I couldn't afford it. I guess my common sense trumped my faith. Sorry Jesus, but I've got bills to pay. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pratt Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 in the 6-7 short years with the church (3 as an undergrad, and 1st 3 years of my low paying job),,,, to church $6,000-7,000 books store and such $4,000-5000 GET CONned by the pastor : $3,000 (sob story about a sick missionary and for his son's education when he left the ministry for misappropriating the love gifts in the name for missionaries) I could have gotten a VERY niice watch with that kind of money. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcdaddy Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 About $8. Which was a test tithe that God failed. When I was a kid I was taught that if you made sacrifices for God he would take care of you. So on a church youth group outing to a church in another city, I tithed all my dinner money having "faith" that God wouldn't let me go hungry. Well he did let me go hungry. Not only that, but when we stopped at a restaurant for dinner I ended up telling my youth group leader that I was on a diet and that's why I wasn't eating (I was too embarrassed to tell him I tithed my dinner money). So what you do think he did? He laughed at me and made fun of me for being on a diet (I didn't need to be on a diet). So I almost starved to death, and I got made fun of by my youth leader in front of everyone, because I put my faith in God. My message to god after that: "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me!" Sorry, but THAT'S SUM FUNNY SHEET RIGHT THERE! lulz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eugene39 Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 I couldn't even begin to speculate. As a kid growing up, I was taught that if someone paid me a dollar for helping them do something, I was to put a dime in the offering. Then I paid tithe off the gross income because of "Which do you want God to bless you off of - the gross or the net?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jblueep Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Enough to buy a house, two cars, boat, swimming pool and a gaggle and a half of concubines 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denyoz Posted August 4, 2012 Author Share Posted August 4, 2012 Enough to buy a house, two cars, boat, swimming pool and a gaggle and a half of concubines Would be nice if we could get a refund. "Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silentknight Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Enough to buy a house, two cars, boat, swimming pool and a gaggle and a half of concubines Would be nice if we could get a refund. "Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back." God's quote is "satisfaction guaranteed or you go to hell because its your fault you're not satisfied you ungrateful peon." 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetourist Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 After being raised by Christians and attending church my entire life, I'm really glad I got the hell out of dodge in college before I made significant cash. My parents do pretty well for themselves and it's depressing to think of how much money they've given to their church and what sort of positive and useful things could've been done with it instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AuthenticMe Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 10% of gross income every week for 25 years. 5% when I was younger and broke. I have a friend who sold her house on the California market during the boom, bought a house in Texas and tithed $40,000 in one fell swoop. I don't mind the money so much because we were always part of churches that had food closets, free medical clinics, orphanages in India or Haiti, and community resources for underserved families. We also went to the churches with open books that printed their expenses and income in the bulletin, had open business meetings, low cost overhead and fairly honest money handling. I would be upset if all my money was going to the pastor's new car, new shoes, and crazy business trips. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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