How much money does your religion sucker from you each year?

Question

According to a Chicago Tribune article Christianity is "a more than $4 billion a year religious entertainment industry, including amusement parks, music, books, movies and wrestling matches."
... and that is but a part of it.
I contend that religions are right up there with the "Enron"s of the world.
There is a hierarchy that lives very well off of believers flow of cash. Some
like Reverend Haggard even managed to enjoy contributors cash at his both ends.
As I understand Christian history, in biblical days congregants met in
believers homes and the service leader had another job to supply his income.
What a change from todays mega churches.
Can you be honest with yourselves as to why you shell out hard earned
cash to commune with your God?
Is calling you a sucker appropriate or is there something else in that
edifice you call a church, mosque or synagog that you are really paying for?

Answer 1

Yes, but without the money they wouldn't feel they had the power to tell people how to live there lives, whom to love, and how to twist words to suit there cause in the name of God. It apparently takes a great deal of money to be able to say we are all God's children and at the same time with a straight face tell those same children of God they may be granted the privilege of walking the earth on the terms they have decided is correct and proper. And even more of that money has to go to cover the expense of being able to do what they say only God can do; stand in judgement of anyone and everyone who they feel are sinners and are decidedly beneath them socially. The spare change is divided equally to cover hand lotion to sooth the roughness they all have from patting themselves on the back.

Answer 2

Sucker? Don't think so. Pastor lives in a modest home with 5 kids. Church is a small, more like a metal post building than bricks and mortar. The Church has electric bills, rent, other utilities. This month our Church
1) Fed 4 homeless families and housed them for a week. There was not preaching or converting involved.
2)Sent dozens of Christmas gifts overseas
3) Helped cleaned a trailer (someones home) because they're too ill to do it themselves.
4) Collected food for the local pantries
5) Found a man a job who's been struggling with alcohol issues, he's doing great, found a job.
6) Our Pastor's salary is less than the average office assistant

Now, who in the heck do you think you are for your ridiculous comments. Look around at the good things happening. I'd "shell out" all my money again and then some if I could. What have you done this month in the name of anything that has accomplished good. How selfishly have you used your money and comments this day.

Answer 3

I come from a very small church. Yes, our minister is paid but not a lot. These mega churches are not teh average church you know. There are many more small churches out there. I give money to my church because if the members of the church did not, we would have to close our doors. The grounds need to be up to code and the bills need to be paid. The work our minister does is a full time job. Our minister does visitation, sermons, and helps in various church programs. When would our minister get time to have a paying job if we did not pay? In the Bible the Levites were priests and that's what they did. They did not go out doing other work. The people of the church provided for them. It's the same thing today.

Answer 4

I don't shell out money to "commune with" my God. I do give offering to my church, whatever I can afford, because I understand why they need money (they have bills, and we are not tax exempt!). The pastor at my church gets a "love offering" for driving 30+ miles to come preach, but he doesn't get paid per se.
I don't think I would ever go to a "mega church" where the preacher drives a Mercedes. Of course, over here, it's not unusual for ANYONE to drive a BMW (I'm in Germany, my husband is in the Army), lol.
I won't deny that I sometimes buy Christian CD's (that's not all I listen to, though), and I read some Christian books, but why would I need all the rest of that stuff?
When it comes down to it, though, nearly every belief system is a business. There are Darwin's books and other evolutionist theories to supplement atheism, books about Islam, books about satanism...
What about Republican books, Democrat books, CD's and movies by artists who support the Republican party or the Democratic party.
Everything is a business. What do you expect?
But I don't NEED that stuff to worship God. It just strengthens my relationship with Him to have it.

Answer 5

Religion doesn't sucker anything out of me. I freely give. Enron had to do with utilities, of which there isn't much choice. But I am free to give my tithe and offering if I want and to whom I want. I believe if you study Acts, you will find that the Apostles had other workers, so they could devote their time to ministry and that people sold things and brought the money so all needs were met. Paul did work, but he was also sent money.

The money is used for instruction (teaching), paying medical costs for those that can't afford it, repairing widows homes, and for food for the needy. The church should be doing what the government is doing in caring for people.

Answer 6

You also forgot missions works, charities (feed the children) and such like that. How many of you folks suckered the governement out of money when you didn't want to work? If you are trying to make some inane point might as well judge al, right.

Answer 7

At the Kingdom Hall where I attend meetings, no plate is ever passed, no money is ever asked for and any money which is given is accounted for. We donate to help produce Christian literature and further the preaching work but our elders do not receive a salary and they support themselves and their families with secular employment. All their time is given free because the scriptures say, "You received free, give free."

Answer 8

The bottom line is that God sees the heart. There are lots of "Christian scams" my friend, but if someone gives to things like that with a pure heart, God sees it and thats all that counts. As for the people making money out of those who give, they will be accountable to God Himself for making His name into a money-making racket.

Answer 9

I estimate that I give approximately 8% of my AGI to my Church, and to send my children to Catholic schools.

That might be a bit low, if you include all the little extras, but in my mind it's well worth it.

Answer 10

It is my money and i choose to give on my own accord. I do not think how i spend my money should be of any concern to you. I feel happy in making a positive contribution towards God work .Maybe you are simply jealous that you are not receiving the money for yourself .