My aunt follows the Christian faith, and she goes to church all the time. Her church seems to like the fact that my aunt will reply " How High?" when they say "jump". She has put so much of her money in that she cant buy her own groceries. What would God do with the mortal money she keeps givin them? Doesnt God have no use for money, he is the Almighty, why should he need mortal money? Is what the church doing to my aunt Christian, or are they robbing her?
2006-09-20 15:40:39 · 42 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
First of all. That church is robbing nobody. YOUR aunt is responsible for her actions. I have seen this a lot. People will over react and give toooo much. YES..You can give TOOO much. A christian is to be a good "steward" with his money. God, may try to be giving your aunt a hint, by letting "do without", because she is NOT "wise" with her money.
Great Q*
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2006-09-20 16:16:41 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 0⤋
NO, these people are not acting in accord with the Christian faith. They may simply be using the name as a cover-up for other motives. It happens all the time!
God does not need or want your aunt's money. People want it!
Your aunt also has some responsibility in this. She is under no compulsion from Scripture to give more than she can afford to any "ministry". She should cut back on her "giving", and tell the financial "wizard" exactly why. This may be an emotional addiction for her: she may think that by all of her "sacrificial giving" that she is somehow pleasing God. It may be her religious "fix", so to speak.
In fact, if she is this bad off financially, the church is supposed to be taking care of her!!! Scripturally, THAT IS WHAT SUCH COLLECTIONS WERE FOR: TO TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER'S NEEDS.
If you aren't comfortable talking to your aunt about this, maybe you can drop her pastor an anonymous note, explaining the situation. It is possible that the ministerial staff have no clue about what your aunt is doing to herself. This reflects badly on them also, so they have a vested interest in making it stop.
2006-09-20 15:55:06 · answer #2 · answered by MamaBear 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Lady Mouse Witch.....yes a person SHOULD be run by faith. But a faith in Jesus Christ our Savior, not a faith in a church.
What this group of people is doing to your aunt is horrible. A Christian should give, because while God doesn't need money, other Christians who are trying to do God's work DO need money. But if they're using that money to buy sound systems, carpet, chandeliers..........that's NOT using it for God. They should be using it to feed the hungry, fund homeless shelters, spread the Gospel.
A church also has to pay its bills.........lights, water, gas, possibly phones. It has to pay the pastor if he's doing his work full-time, though many are not, and could easily get jobs. I don't think one should be paid to do the work of God, but they should have their necessities supplied. They shouldn't be living in million dollar homes, driving $100,000 cars, dressing in $500 suits. Our church pays half of the parsonage's (pastor's house) electricity, water, etc. They also pay him a small salary, but if he can't be satisfied with that, he has to go find a job elsewhere. Most pastors these days don't spend all week on their sermon anyway, just a few hours on Saturday. So why should they be paid for a week's work? They should be willing to pay to serve God, but many are becoming quite rich.
If you feel the church is misusing your aunt's money, do some research on the Bible, and confront the pastor with your findings about how they're doing things wrong. Or better yet, attend one Sunday, then stand up and point out the nice carpet, the fancy clothes, the chandeliers, the sound system, and ask if Jesus would have lived that way......especially if it involved starving elderly women in order to have those things. I guarantee some people will leave with their heads hung in shame.
2006-09-20 15:58:38 · answer #3 · answered by married_so_leave_me_alone1999 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well they aren't MAKING her give her money.
I don't think there is a right and wrong answer that will fit everyone. Your aunt may be able to share with you why she does this .... just ask her.
God doesn't need our money, but He does say to tithe, and give offerings, and He will bless that. It's our faithfullness and obedience is what He needs.
Maybe the Lord is putting on her heart to give (x amount) and that He has a blessing in store for her she can't even imagine... she may be doing it out of faith.
Or, she could be a little out of line, and maybe needs someone to talk to her and maybe by even asking her, would get her to see that she needs to have her bills paid and food to eat. That although God says to give, He isn't all that picky either, she can give her time at the church, her talent or many other things besides money. And God honors that!
2006-09-20 16:04:16 · answer #4 · answered by addicted2stamping 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Some Christian churches can get corrupt because they aren't following what God really wants. It is important to realize that not all Christian religions are like that. Mine isn't.
No, God doesn't use mortal money for himself. However, humans use it to do his will....by helping the poor, etc. That is what charity is.
Your aunt shouldn't be giving so much money away that she can't support herself. If money is a tight issue, she can offer herself in different ways. She could offer her time by helping in soup kitchens, etc. If her church doesn't recognize this something could really be the matter and she should probably switch churchs or christians religions.
2006-09-20 15:53:22 · answer #5 · answered by Natalya 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If your aunt is truly giving away that much money to the church so that she can't buy groceries, she is giving the church too much money. Churches DO NOT want people giving them so much money that they are paupers. However...a church is a body of people, as well as a building. Just as the gym you belong to needs to charge you a monthly fee, a church needs money to operate (electric bills, sewer bills, water bills, etc.) God Himself does not need money, but churches need money to cover operating costs, paying the pastor, administrative costs (copier machines, computers, etc.) and money for mission work (sending people out into the world). Your aunt needs to curb her giving. The church should not be pleased to know she is giving so much she can't buy food. But churches need money, just like any other organization needs money. This is one reason why people like to bash Christians - like we think God comes down and takes the money from the operating plates. Ha. But the church needs funds to operate and to do the good that they do. Sure, some churches are going to be corrupt...but so are some doctors...insurance agencies...etc. Most Christian churches are GOOD, doing the work God wants them to do. PLEASE don't lump all Christian churches under the umbrella of a few that are operating under shady circumstances. There are always a few that will take a good thing and make it bad and then it casts all Christians in a bad light. This is just not fair!!!
2006-09-20 15:49:33 · answer #6 · answered by Ann 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
God does not need anyone’s money he is just testing how greedy a person is. I am not sure if the church is robbing your aunt. Is your aunt gives the money willingly? At my church we are thought to give God 10% of our income and the church does not verify who pays and who does not. I think that was one of the Moses law. But when you become a real Christian your heart changes and it is easy to give money to God. But if one studies the history of Christianity he will find that priests did rob the members of the church.
2006-09-20 16:01:44 · answer #7 · answered by Wind203 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Go to the Church and let them know she can't buy her own groceries. God asks for 10% of your money. Some people think they can buy their way into Heaven. Some Church's get greedy. In that case they will have to answer to a higher power,why they did it.
2006-09-20 15:51:36 · answer #8 · answered by whataboutme 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Tithing is 10 %, this is what God asks of us to give to help each other out here on earth. He needs nothing but we need esach other. In giving we do not personally take credit for it, This is the only time in the Bible that God says test Me, in doing so freely and with a good heart it will be given back 10 times over. How do you ever get a harvest if you never plant a seed
2006-09-20 15:46:00 · answer #9 · answered by denise f 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Well, probably robbing her. Some churches say you have to pay your dues to GOD like 10% of your money, so that will make you holy. Its a scam. JESUS was poor and homeless. There's nothing to give GOD that he wants.. He's GOD. The church is just ripping your aunt off.
2006-09-20 15:45:24 · answer #10 · answered by PROLADY 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋