is it against the law for churches to help the needy, either giving them money or lending them money ?

Question

I recently heard a pastor say that it is against the law for churches to give money to the needy if they don't have a benevelonce fund specifically set up for this. I thought that according to the bible that states bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse that there may be meat in mine hiuse malachi 3:10

Answer 1

There may be some law that says that isn't allowed. Anti-panhandling laws may actually cover the handing out of money that is not set up as a donation center.

Answer 2

No, it is not against the law, if the law is properly followed. Churches used to be the ones that helped the poor, along with the general population of the community. Now, neither the churches or the community help the poor, so the poor get poorer, while the churches get bigger and bigger and add television cameras and big orchestras and coffee shops and bowling alleys and retreat camps and so on and so on--money spent on social activities for the social church goers while the poor down the street die in their homes from the heat (nearly 40 in Oklahoma this past month) or freeze in the winter. Of course, many of the really big churches, at least in OK and Texas, move quickly out of the low income areas where they originated to the suburbs so they can ignore the poor and have room to build their massive palatial church buildings.

Answer 3

The Bible also states that you may sell your son into slavery for only so long.

Many things theology agrees on does not hold water with today's multicultural society.

This particular law is probably in place to protect against embezzlement, fraud, or quid pro quo situations to extort the needy. In other words, the books need to be totally opened (hence forming a formal fund) for any money to change hands.

Hope this helps.

-Daniel

Answer 4

No it's not illegal for churches to give money to the poor. Now, if you are doing this for tax breaks you need to go thru legal channels and set up your status as a charity. Malachi is right.

Answer 5

Not only that (and this is something you may totally agree with your government) but it seems that now the needy has to prove how holy he or she is, because helping an illegal may send you to jail.
Jesus was lucky. He forgave a thief and died a few minutes later. Imagine that crucifixion taking place in California!

Answer 6

In the past, its always been the pastors money, not the congergations. so perhaps setting up the fund is smart, but he is lying about it being against the law. Anybody can give money to another, anybody.

Answer 7

genuine church homes are required by applying regulation to publicize their funds, and genuine Christians comprehend they're sinners. genuine Christians do no longer visit church to be good Christians, they visit church to be greater perfect human beings. appropriate human beings do no longer could visit church. some human beings are needy because of the fact they're lonely and scared, yet have different money. i think of it extremely is time you grew up and stopped observing Christianity like a voyuerist.

Answer 8

yep they can crucifiy the preacher and rape the decons if they get caught
So now they store all ye tithes in a bankhouse that there may be money in thine pastors pockets Fred 4:12

Answer 9

Churches are supposed to help the needy and poor. Whomever said it was illegal should be audited.

Answer 10

who knows what all churches do with the money that the devout give,,, the expenses for the church have to be deducted, the pastors salary, his expenses, whatever is left I suppose is on their books,, but then again,, a lot of it is CASH,,, who knows,,