My Ex Wants Money

[mymistake]

No, not an ex-wife or ex-lover. My ex-church wants my money. They sent me a letter and I can't stop laughing.

 

Some highlights:

 

Blah blah blah " . . . to help every member and attendee understand our church's financial position."

 

"Unfortunately Tithes & Offering are also coming in under our budgeted amount."

 

"The shortfall in both Tithes & Offerings and in giving toward our mortgage has strained the church's cash flow this year."

 

The entire staff has not had a raise since 2007

 

The pastoral staff has "voluntarily decreased their compensation packages"

 

The "ministterial" budget has been suspended.

 

They want everybody to pray to remind God to do the right thing or maybe change His mind.

 

And to top it all off they remind us of the story of the widow who gave two small coins out of her own need, out of faith. (They never mention that if that widow had been real she would have died of starvation. We're not supose to think about that part.)

 

 

 

These people know I don't go there anymore. It sounds desperate to me. Clearly they sent this out to every address they have ever heard of. But God was right there guiding you guys with every financial decision . . . right? Where is your god now?

 

I think it's hallarious.

[pratt]

send them 2 nickels since they need the 2 coins so much,,,,,,

 

or better, ask them to fish and see if they can get enough money from the fish,,,,,

[florduh]

"The Lord has laid it upon my heart to inform you that your financial difficulties stem from the fact that you are one of the apostate churches. Neither God nor I will tolerate false teachings."

[Guest end3]

I'm willing to bet that church has helped more people than you ever will. I don't know that I would be glad at it's potential death. But that's your new will...go for it.

 

What a lovely new person you've become.

[Thought2Much]

I'm willing to bet that church has helped more people than you ever will. I don't know that I would be glad at it's potential death. But that's your new will...go for it.

 

What a lovely new person you've become.

 

If it's anything like any church I've ever been to, they probably don't do jack shit to actually help anyone with the money they receive. After paying for their mortgage, the pastor's salary, a lease for the pastor's car, the parsonage, the pastor's secretary's salary, the youth pastor's salary, plus the building fund, parking lot repaving fund, new baptismal fund, new sound system fund, and new carpet fund, there's not a damn thing left to actually help anyone in any way except by praying for them. Which isn't any help at all.

 

But I'm sure that every single church that I didn't go to is totally different, and helps people far more than the ones I went to. I'm sure of it.

[Thought2Much]

Oh, and I have been in the room when people have called up the church office to ask for help getting food, and heard the pastors tell them to come to a service first, and then they would talk.

 

Yeah, those verses about feeding and clothing "the least of these" were never to be taken literally, I guess. I mean, that was just something that Jesus said, and all. I'm sure it wasn't all that important, or anything. Nowhere near as important as making sure the building fund was getting topped off, at any rate.

[Guest end3]

Oh, and I have been in the room when people have called up the church office to ask for help getting food, and heard the pastors tell them to come to a service first, and then they would talk.

 

Yeah, those verses about feeding and clothing "the least of these" were never to be taken literally, I guess. I mean, they were just something that Jesus said, and all.

 

You don't strike me as too bright. Look, even in our small church after bills, we manage 500 bucks to our small food bank per month. So do you cut at 500 per month check by yourself? I highly doubt it. 6000 bucks a year to feed those that can't do it themselves. And we pray too. And captain, I highly doubt that if you had the cash, you would cut the check. But that's ok, your new belief allows you to be selfish....and be ok with it.

[Thought2Much]

You don't strike me as too bright.

 

There you go, showing the love of Christ, again. Are you going to tell a pointless story about sacrificing puppies, now?

[Zephie]

I got one of those letters from a church I no longer attended actually telling me what I owed them. I had pledged 5 a month when a prophet was in town. They filmed everyone's pledges...only to be told when I pledged that I didn't like myself. In front of everyone, I was humiliated. All because I pledged what I could give. I felt so guilty that I gave my entire CD collection to those asshats. Yeah. When I recieved the letter, I told my parents (they had left too) and they said not to worry about it since they have recieved one too and wouldn't be giving to a church that not only did they no longer attend but that had called them covenant breakers and literally shunned them for leaving and going to another church.

[Guest end3]

You don't strike me as too bright.

 

There you go, showing the love of Christ, again. Are you going to tell a pointless story about sacrificing puppies, now?

 

I had to dumb it down in hope you might get the meaning.

[Thought2Much]

You don't strike me as too bright.

 

Okay, rant on:

 

You are the little fucker that makes nonsensical dipshit arguments and comparisons at every turn, derailing thread after thread with your fucktarded, lameass, tapdancing defense of Christianity, who then whines and moans at every fucking turn about how fucking persecuted you are, and how nobody understands what you're saying when you're such a simple, simple man, and you whine about how everybody that points out that the things you say are retarded is making ad hominem attacks against you. Then, you pull shit like this little statement from out of fucking nowhere like the total douchenozzle you actually are.

 

That is the very definition of ad hominem. You aren't attacking any argument. You're just attacking the person.

 

If you're an example of Christianity, then I am fucking glad I left. I hope Jesus and God see how fucking big of an asshole you are, and send you straight to fucking hell for turning people away from Christianity, you useless fuckwit.

[Guest end3]

You don't strike me as too bright.

 

Okay, rant on:

 

You are the little fucker that makes nonsensical dipshit arguments and comparisons at every turn, derailing thread after thread with your fucktarded, lameass, tapdancing defense of Christianity, who then whines and moans at every fucking turn about how fucking persecuted you are, and how nobody understands what you're saying when you're such a simple, simple man, and you whine about how everybody that points out that the things you say are retarded is making ad hominem attacks against you. Then, you pull shit like this little statement from out of fucking nowhere like the total douchenozzle you actually are.

 

That is the very definition of ad hominem. You aren't attacking any argument. You're just attacking the person.

 

If you're an example of Christianity, then I am fucking glad I left. I hope Jesus and God see how fucking big of an asshole you are, and send you straight to fucking hell for turning people away from Christianity, you useless fuckwit.

 

Just step back and look at the decision this man has made. The small contributions of many towards a goal vs. hoping that entity dies. Do you really advocate this? Because if you do, you need to accept the facts that go with it.

 

Edit: and the title: dumbass

[Thought2Much]

Just step back and look at the decision this man has made. The small contributions of many towards a goal vs. hoping that entity dies. Do you really advocate this? Because if you do, you need to accept the facts that go with it.

 

Edit: and the title: dumbass

 

Go fuck yourself.

[Guest end3]

Just step back and look at the decision this man has made. The small contributions of many towards a goal vs. hoping that entity dies. Do you really advocate this? Because if you do, you need to accept the facts that go with it.

 

Edit: and the title: dumbass

 

Go fuck yourself.

 

Is this all your brain can muster towards an intelligent defense?

 

It sounds like nonsense.

[Thought2Much]

I have just put end3 on my ignore list.

 

You can attack my arguments all you want. I'm actually very thick-skinned that way. However, I don't tolerate pointless ad hominems from anyone, especially someone that has never posted anything resembling a rational thought or a straight answer to simple questions.

 

And once again: go fuck yourself.

[Guest end3]

I have just put end3 on my ignore list.

 

You can attack my arguments all you want. I'm actually very thick-skinned that way. However, I don't tolerate pointless ad hominems from anyone, especially someone that has never posted anything resembling a rational thought or a straight answer to simple questions.

 

And once again: go fuck yourself.

 

No, this is not only a Biblical concept, it's a natural one too......many parts contributing to the whole. But you sir, are too fucking stupid to understand. And obviously mymistake is too....making light of the principle. It's just facts. The rest is nonsense. Facts are what matter.

[Thought2Much]

I think it would be a good thing if everyone put end3 on their ignore lists. Let the douchebag talk to himself for a while. It's one thing when he spends all of his time not making sense, but when that turns to being just straight-up insulting for no reason, he doesn't deserve to be heard by anyone.

[Positivist]

Gawd, T2M, you kill me! And end3, get the offering plate outta your ass.

 

Back on topic, one problem with churches (doctrine and delusion aside) is that there is so much stuff to pay for. How many parking lots, pews, and renovations have I personally funded? I thought the church was about the people.

[mymistake]

I'm willing to bet that church has helped more people than you ever will. I don't know that I would be glad at it's potential death. But that's your new will...go for it.

 

What a lovely new person you've become.

 

Wow. Are you going to place this bet on the entire organization or just on my local chapter? Even if you are just talking about the local chapter it's still a thousand people.

 

So could a thousand people help more than just one could? That would be a very safe bet.

 

As for this tight spot they got themselves into . . . I warned them about it five years ago. (And back then I was a fundamentalist Christian.) The moment I did a woman raised her hand and declared "I don't agree with him". Then another person and another said they didn't agree with me. It was the spirit of something leading them all into financial disaster. I gave them good advise but they didn't listen. They bet against the housing crash and all the financial melt down which an all knowing God would have known was comming. I wasn't inspired by God or anything like that. I just noticed that they were taking a huge risk and leveraging themselves up to the neck.

 

I'm sure they are all telling themselves that God is testing their faith.

[mymistake]

Back on topic, one problem with churches (doctrine and delusion aside) is that there is so much stuff to pay for. How many parking lots, pews, and renovations have I personally funded? I thought the church was about the people.

 

Here is what my ex-Church did to shoot themselves in the foot:

 

Just before the housing bubble burst they built a brand new building on mostly borrowed money . . . and just to get the scale of things the stage alone on this new mega church has more square footage than my home.

 

Does my ex-Church do charity work? Sure they do a little. On Thanksgiving they have a great big feed for the less fortunate. And they took in one homeless man and got him on his feet. They do other stuff too but mostly it comes with preaching the message, which it the real motive for the charity work. They mostly do mission trips to build churches in other communities and other countries. In my opinion building more churches isn't much of a charity.

[Mike D]

Oh for fuck's sake

 

A church needs to run in a financially sound manner, just like any other business - or it will fail.

 

The math is simple: Revenues need to exceed expenses, or you can't continue to operate.

 

If the management of this church is too incompetent to figure out how to run the church in a fiscally sound manner, then either the management needs to be changed or the church needs to shut the doors. That's how it works in the real world.

 

But God could certainly save the church if he wanted to, couldn't he? I mean God can do anything, right?

 

Oh wait..... I forgot. God doesn't exist. Nevermind

[London]

I'm willing to bet that church has helped more people than you ever will. I don't know that I would be glad at it's potential death. But that's your new will...go for it.

 

What a lovely new person you've become.

 

Actually end, mymistake & T2M have helped many people just by participating in this forum. You seem to forget that this website is for EX-christians, non-believers, people who are no longer interested in being a part of any abrahamic googlie-goo. And the people who participate on a regular basis here have many lurkers who see what we all experienced in the cult, and it helps them deal with the mind games, and eventually they leave the craziness behind. Sometimes they come and join and post alongside all of us, sometimes not.

 

For all the past and current members here, we have helped many get away from the cult, and we asked nothing in return. We don't own a building or drive expensive cars, we don't make anyone believe in a myth with the threat of eternal damnation, we just come here and be supportive. And many members here actually financially support this website, it's not required, they do it because they want to.

 

One church going under will not be any loss to the world. And if you are so offended and feel that it must not perish, then you can support $$ that parish! How dare you try and make people feel bad that they are no longer supporting a church/population/belief. You have no clue what any of us do with our time and money. No one requires me to be a good person, I decide who to help, when and how. I would never give money to a church that "claims" they are helping people, most of the money never helps the people that really need it.

 

Perhaps you might try having a real conversation instead of personally attacking people at a heathen website for not supporting a church. THAT sir is the dumbest thing you could do here. Perhaps the next time you decide to utter the phrase "You don't strike me as too bright.", you might stand in front of a mirror and look forward before that comes out of your mouth again.

 

Oh and end... god's gonna be pissed at you for treating other people like you just did... just sayin'

[openpalm45]

You don't strike me as too bright. Look, even in our small church after bills, we manage 500 bucks to our small food bank per month. So do you cut at 500 per month check by yourself? I highly doubt it. 6000 bucks a year to feed those that can't do it themselves. And we pray too. And captain, I highly doubt that if you had the cash, you would cut the check. But that's ok, your new belief allows you to be selfish....and be ok with it.

End, I dont understand the need to be so rude. Maybe you're in a bad mood or something, maybe you were feeling defensive, but whatever. Being a jerk just was completely NOT warranted.

Also, you allowed yourself to judge and make a lot of assumptions about T2M. What do you know about how he spends his money? Or how much he does or does not give to help people? You have no idea! And as far as " your new belief allows you to be selfish....and be ok with it.".... I know that for me personally, now that I am not a Christian any more, I feel so much MORE responsible for other helping other people. This life may be all that we have. In the end, the poor, starving, sick, and dying may not get their justice. There may be no heaven. And if this is all we have, I want to help as many people as I can. (I also feel much better about donating STRAIGHT TO organizations that feed and clothe and help, rather than to a church where my money goes to a thousand other things. Imagine if everyone who tithed gave their money straight to different charities and organizations instead. It would do so much good!)

 

Instead of being so judgemental and rude, you could have simply stated an argument in regards to "The small contributions of many towards a goal vs. hoping that entity dies. Do you really advocate this? " and maybe you could have had a good conversation/debate about it.

[openpalm45]

No, this is not only a Biblical concept, it's a natural one too......many parts contributing to the whole. But you sir, are too fucking stupid to understand. And obviously mymistake is too....making light of the principle. It's just facts. The rest is nonsense. Facts are what matter.

I really try to be nice...

Apparently you are "too fucking stupid" as you so politely put it, to realize that that "many parts contributing to a whole" is not complicated at all, and Im sure that T2M and mymistake understand it perfectly well.

They can understand something like that and still have a different opinion than you. Open your eyes.

[JoeCoastie]

A church is not a charity. In the way of charity it is the worst middle man out there. A church exists to expand itself and take care of its preacher men. Sure they do some nice charities here and there, but that is a mere fraction. Give to a food bank, UNICEF, wounded warriors, ect if you want to help people. With the church ministry is always the top priority. As non-christians why should we care about ministry. Thus I have no problem in watching Churches die.

Lets put these old churches to proper use!