since i'm born i seem to be a member of some Dutch Church. )I'm Dutch, sorry, i really don't know the english translation for the brand of the church, in Dutch it's called "Nederlands Hervormd"
I never asked to be a member of that religion.
Every year they send me their bill, something with tithing.
Each year, and i've been doing this for 9 years now, i donate 1 eurocent to them, with the message to please remove me from their mailing list.
But each year again they spend 35 cents on a stamp to collect my 1 cent.
Churches these days are really that desperate? Or is it, that God hates science so much, that Math is forbidden in churches?
2006-06-24 14:08:03 · 15 answers · asked by Thinx 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
God is all-powerful, but lousy at managing money. (George Carlin)
2006-06-24 14:12:23 · answer #1 · answered by ? 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
well it is spelled out in the Bible that a tithe of all the first fruits be given back to God. the church sends you a "Bill" as a request that you fallow the word by giving to God what is due the 35 cent stamp would mean nothing to the church for it is a nonprofit association you giving to the house of God is of greater importance for you than the cost of a stamp
2006-06-24 14:42:58 · answer #2 · answered by TIM J 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have no idea. I don't go to a church that sends bills. Giving is voluntary and a private matter. No one keeps track of who gives what.
Our building is nice enough, but not flashy - no stained glass windows or steeple. Our preacher gets paid, but it's a moderate sum. Probably average for our congregation. We have some members that are engineers (civil and chemical), but we have construction workers as well.
We don't belong to a hierarchy, though. Maybe when churches become affiliated with other churches and governed by people who are not in the local congregations you start to have bureaucracy? That is pretty ironic.
2006-06-24 14:41:34 · answer #3 · answered by Contemplative Chanteuse IDK TIRH 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Religions are businesses and worshippers/parishioners are their customers, partaking of the service offered. All businesses have overhead costs which must be covered. There are building costs and upkeep, staff, utilities, and the priests/ministers etc. need to eat and wear clothes and drive places and live like human beings too. All this costs money and it is up to the customers to pay for all of the overhead that goes into the services that they are using.
And, why should people who dedicate their lives to the spiritual in any form, make less money than say, the average person, or even sports superstars or movie stars? Why do we put so little value on jobs that are supposedly "good" and reward the bad or useless? I think that our priorities in this regard are all mixed up.
2006-06-24 14:17:55 · answer #4 · answered by LindaLou 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Naw-I think you got a bad one. I don't think there are any good churches in Europe. The churches there went too ultramodern in the 1950's. Almost no one in a European church believes in the Bible. Very few believe in God. There are some American transplants over there trying to evangelize, but they say it is hopeless. They don't expect there to be any churches in Europe by 2040. That is sad. All of Europe will be Islamic.
2006-06-24 14:20:50 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Churches are desperate to get the good news out and help people on mission trips. They usually use the majority of their money on church events, paying the bills for the church, Mission trips and helping people in need. The money that you donate is not just going to that church it is going to people in need.
2006-06-24 14:15:55 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Send them a note (or call them) explaining that, to you, their requests for money are just another form of junk mail that deserves to be thrown in the garbage, and if they are that desperate for money, they should pray to God for it, not mail out requests. Tell them that you will not send them money ever again, that you have no interest in their religion and you never asked to be a part of it and to quit sending you their UNASKED-FOR solicitations for cash. These idiots obviously don't understand hints, so you will have to be firm with them and not take "NO" for an answer.
2006-06-24 14:24:44 · answer #7 · answered by Antique Silver Buttons 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
just like everything else there is bad and good, tithing is a GOD thing, a lot of churches are doing there own thing, and blaming GOD for it,first of all it is supposed to be a freewill thing from the heart, check it out in the BIBLE, GOD does not hate science GOD created it, poor stewardship is mans fault, My advice is stop sending them your penny and get in a GOD church and learn to tithe with your heart.
2006-06-24 14:24:34 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not all churches are like that and I don't think God gave them your address. I have been to alot of different churches and alot of different religions and I have never been sent a bill.
2006-06-24 14:21:32 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
the men who preach on television are millioniares.
that's a quote! The least paid earns millions per year.
Live better than most Kings use to.
Some churches probably not so good. But still they are big business.
2006-06-24 14:13:14 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dood.. it's a business. That's all it is. Like any other business, if you quit giving them money they will eventually stop sending you catalogs and sale papers.
2006-06-24 14:12:28 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋