Fweethawt Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 I found this at another site with the caption, 'My church going friend just received this in the mail.' http://i.imgur.com/NL9Ol22.jpg This doesn't surprise me. My grandmother got a similar letter after her husband died and she quit going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwc Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 Why do so many people who use the accounting services of "Jesus and Friends" go broke? I thought Jews were good with money? mwc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yunea Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 Right, nice. *squints* they ask to see college grades? What, why? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwc Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 Right, nice. *squints* they ask to see college grades? What, why? If you're still in college you can keep your youth status and pay less. Otherwise you've got to pay the adult admission to heaven. mwc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yunea Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 Right, nice. *squints* they ask to see college grades? What, why? If you're still in college you can keep your youth status and pay less. Otherwise you've got to pay the adult admission to heaven. mwc Okay..but why the grades? Here you can get an official paper saying just that you are a student, for situations that demand you prove it. No need to tell anyone how good a student you are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PurpleStarGirl Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 It sounds like a form of extortion to me. "Pay us some money or else loose your spiritual status!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travi Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 Pay up or burn in hell. Your choice really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragonman73 Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 This is one of the reasons I started doubting religion and the Bible in general. The preacher got up on the pulpit one morning and starting a sermon on tithing. He said my money belonged to God and I owed the Church 10% of my gross monthly income, not what I have leftover but 10% off the top before taxes, bills, and so forth. He said God didn't care about that stuff. Started quoting scriptures out of the old testament to back his claims that it was Gods money and going on from there. Keep in mind the Church was doing fairly good at the time because the Preacher was making good enough of a salary that the Church paid for his Doctorate, he built a REALLY nice home on land outside of town (no neighbors), wife didn't have to work, and he sent his daughter to a private Christian school. The Church also furnished them with iMac computers and little things like that. He was doing well enough that he got paid $72,000 a year + church paid his med insurance for his family and a stipend towards his home since he didn't live in the parsonage. Def doing better than me and a lot of other folks in the church lol. Because of this, I started doing some research on tithing and it snowballed from there. I started realizing ALL this crap is BS lol. I still go to this Church because it's my wife's home church since she was 2 years old, but I am proud to say that I haven't given those Jokers any of my money since 2011. The only thing I give is my time, but have managed to distance myself from a lot of that too. I haven't sat in a Church service in two years and do children's church instead with my wife. This is nothing more than babysitting, but it keeps her somewhat happy and the in-laws off my back. That Preacher that I was talking about left this church soon after and took a job in another town at a mega-church. He said he was being led in view of a call.......yeah right, money called him. The same reason most of us quit jobs and move on so there's no reason to sugar coat it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwc Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 Okay..but why the grades? Here you can get an official paper saying just that you are a student, for situations that demand you prove it. No need to tell anyone how good a student you are. Oh, I see what you're saying. I would think that would work too. Usually people have their latest grades on-hand so they don't have to get an official document. But now that I'm talking about it I think you're right that it's strange that it doesn't say they accept something like student ID cards or other proof of enrollment as well. I guess they want to snoop. What church doesn't? mwc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HolyGoat Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 Aw, HEEEEEEEEELL NO! I woulda dropped that shit l8ke the plague! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qadeshet Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 For the "free gift" of Christianity you are expected to give ten percent of your money for life, or burn in Hell. How is this any different from the classic Protection Racket? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironhorse Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 The New Testament nowhere commands, or even recommends, that Christians submit to a legalistic tithe system. The New Testament nowhere designates a percentage of income a person should set aside, but only says gifts should be “in keeping with income” (1 Corinthians 16:2). Many Christians have taken the 10 percent figure from the Old Testament tithe and applied it as a “recommended minimum” for Christians in their giving. That, I think, is a good idea. At times, Christians might give more. I give, not because it is required or concerns my salvation, but because I want to help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yunea Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 Hi Ironhorse! Many Christians have taken the 10 percent figure from the Old Testament tithe and applied it as a “recommended minimum” for Christians in their giving. That, I think, is a good idea. At times, Christians might give more. How is this a good idea, exactly? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qadeshet Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 Acts 5 Skeptic's Annotated Bible Ananias and his wife Sapphira were struck dead because they withheld some money from the Church. We used to get this sermon all the time. Sure doesn't sound voluntary to me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mymistake Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 Many Christians have taken the 10 percent figure from the Old Testament tithe and applied it as a “recommended minimum” for Christians in their giving. That, I think, is a good idea. At times, Christians might give more. I give, not because it is required or concerns my salvation, but because I want to help. Why is giving money to a scam artist a good idea? Ever? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraphicsGuy Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 Jesus Christ....I wouldn't have blacked out that whoring place's name had I been the one to take the photo. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironhorse Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 The first few chapters Acts records the time when the early Christians banded together and sold all their property to help the struggling church. Ananias and wife lied when they presented the money as being all the money. Question about what good does my gifts do. I am a member of a small Baptist church. -We give money and food to a local food bank -We have given money to help families who are struggling -We have given clothing and toys -Our offerings pay our pastor's modest salary. He works 40 plus hours a week driving a bread delivery truck -We give money to support missionaries and overseas charities a few things my church does Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mymistake Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 The first few chapters Acts records the time when the early Christians banded together and sold all their property to help the struggling church. The first few chapters of Acts are fiction, just like the rest of Acts. It's fiction, get it? That crap didn't actually happen. It's made up. Ananias and wife lied when they presented the money as being all the money. And you never lie to a mafia don about the money you owe him. Because the mafia don (or the Holy Spirit) will kill you for it. Question about what good does my gifts do. I am a member of a small Baptist church. -We give money and food to a local food bank Your church is led by a scam artist who takes a huge cut right off the top. If you gave directly to the food bank 100% of your money would reach the food bank instead of the pastor taking the lion's share to pay for his lifestyle and to pay for the building that scam artists uses to get more money out of people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midniterider Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 I found this at another site with the caption, 'My church going friend just received this in the mail.' http://i.imgur.com/NL9Ol22.jpg This doesn't surprise me. My grandmother got a similar letter after her husband died and she quit going. That's crazy. The worst I ever heard in my church was from a parishioner that declared, "10% of your money absolutely does not belong to you!" , blah blah blah. We were strongly urged as 'members' to begin tithing but never given a fucking bill. lol. "This is God's attempt to collect a debt. Any information will be used for that purpose." - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midniterider Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 Right, nice. *squints* they ask to see college grades? What, why? If you're still in college you can keep your youth status and pay less. Otherwise you've got to pay the adult admission to heaven. mwc Okay..but why the grades? Here you can get an official paper saying just that you are a student, for situations that demand you prove it. No need to tell anyone how good a student you are. To exert their false authority over you. Churches bully their members. Or try. Churches are businesses. Have you ever wondered if a pastor is put through a criminal background check, a polygraph, a pre-employment drug screening or a mental evaluation prior to being hired? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ironhorse Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 mymistake, My church is led by a scam artist? You don't even know my pastor. Do you think what my church does is bad? I don't mind discussing things. I don't mind you disagreeing with anything I post, but can we be at least be fair? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator florduh Posted July 14, 2015 Super Moderator Share Posted July 14, 2015 My former pastor lives rather modestly. There was no pressure for tithes at my old church. I still admire and respect the old preacher, I can just no longer share his belief. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duderonomy Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 As for the OP, any church that sent a letter like that to me would get nothing out of me but bad press. Churches like that are the reason people make fun of churches. As for Ironhorse, I have to say he's right in that the A&S story in Acts is about lying, not about any certain amount of money. I don't believe the whole story anymore, it was probably written to strike fear in the hearts of the converts, but let's not make the Bible say something it doesn't. I've accused him of trollish behavior as much as anybody else, and he is guilty of acting that way. Some people though can't or don't have the time to go all Bruce Lee with nunchucks and take on seventeen people at once. If he wants to be fair and discuss, I say let's do it. (Note that I said if) He's also pretty spot on about what the NT says about tithing, and how it came from the OT. There's no better way to get to what the Bible really is than discussing it, is there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HolyGoat Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 I dunno, when I was a christian, i always saw givimg to the church as supporting services you utilized. I mean if you spend time going, listen to the pastor, drink their coffee, use their building, use the childcare, etc. it makes sense to throw some money their way for upkeep, etc. That being said, I would FREAK the fuck out if I received a letter like that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bornagainathiest Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 The New Testament nowhere commands, or even recommends, that Christians submit to a legalistic tithe system. The New Testament nowhere designates a percentage of income a person should set aside, but only says gifts should be “in keeping with income” (1 Corinthians 16:2). Many Christians have taken the 10 percent figure from the Old Testament tithe and applied it as a “recommended minimum” for Christians in their giving. That, I think, is a good idea. At times, Christians might give more. I give, not because it is required or concerns my salvation, but because I want to help. Shouldn't you give up ALL your worldly goods and follow Jesus by faith, just as he commands you to, Ironhorse? There are Ex-Christians on this site who have done exactly this. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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