Why does it bother people that Christians like to give financially?

Question

People on here get so upset and rant and rave about Christians being duped out of their money. We like to give to God's work, why does that bother non-christians??

Answer 1

Because we are not giving it to them to finance their sin?

Answer 2

I have never gotten the least bit upset about that. I do, however, take offense to your implication that Christians are the main ones who give financially to worthy causes.

I would put some serious money on the odds that non-christians by and large give a LOT more to good causes than Christians do.

A prime example of this is my sister, a christian, who raises over five thousand dollars a year so she can go to Rwanda for a week and work on a church. The five thousand covers her own travel costs and food and a small portion goes to building supplies but most of those are donated.

I find it extremely arrogant and not too charitable to use that kind of money just to push your own religion and get feel good vibes when the five thousand could do so much more to help starvation and medical costs.

Atheists would just go to help, feed and educate the poor people, not try to convince them that their own religious heritage is flawed.

Answer 3

It is a combination of several things. There are some preachers that abuse the fact that people give to the church. They pocket the cash and then go on their way and live in huge houses and drive fancy cars. That isn't giving to help God's work at all. Also, some pastors preach nothing more than about money. They focus too much on that and people get annoyed when people forget to preach the rest of the gospel. Also, some non-Christians get the wrong idea. They believe that churches are out there on the streets begging for money and that is the only thing they want out of people. I do think there are some people that do that, and they give the rest of us Christians a bad name.

Answer 4

I have not heard of anyone rant and rave about this either but I know some people have problems with the 10% some churches ask for. I personally believe in giving only according to ones heart like it says in the Bible. I myself actually wish I had more to give to my church. For those that haven't experienced a close family knit church they wouldn't understand why we'd want to invest in the health of the church.

Diane

Answer 5

Because it is like what Jesus said,"Choose this day whom ye will serve. You cannot serve both God and money" and because spiritual things are considered "foolishness" to the world. Also because when one person in a church falls into temptation and sin for the love of money and takes from others what belongs to God, people assume that every church and every organization is a thief. To them, you are giving your money away to people to buy cars and fancy clothes with, which some public figures have done.

So even when it is genuine and used to spread the Gospel and to do the Lord's work, they don't don't believe it because they don't understand what God's work is, as they are in the world and don't 'believe', and because they love their own money and material things too much to "give it away", which makes no sense to them. Some people believe that money makes the world go round and that money & riches buys happiness.

Answer 6

Hmmm I think they are worried we are being shammed and possibly worried that we will judge them for not giving.

However, I would just like to say here that there are statistics (recent) which state that in the United States, church-goers are more generous financially than other people - generous to many diverse causes, not just to churches.

So I guess that means in a good sense that we value things other than money and view money more as a tool to help others, not a goal to get it for ourselves.

That being said, it is still important that we give with discernment.

And I can't help but add here that there are many media preachers who undermine this giving message. They do ask for a lot of money for their own cause and often collect as oppose to share. And they do tell us to give with the express goal to get. To be honest, imho that is just poop.

I hope and pray that there are more St. Francis-type Christians in our world, than money-hogger Christians. Unfortunately, we all make mistakes and sometimes go to inappropriate extremes either way and judge others not like ourselves.

And of course the world loves to judge Christians. Every time we fall, they forget that they fall themselves.

May there be great Grace to all who have fallen and gotten up again, who seek to live in generosity and love! :-)

PS I didn't really agree with Falwell and even opposed him at times, however did you know that he was known for regularly emptying out his pocket for the needy person that asked him for help? And that he used his own money to start many ministries to help the down-and-out, prisoners, homeless, etc etc? Make sure you check out the facts before you believe all that people say about others.

Answer 7

It takes money for God's work to go On. We also just love to give>>>>God Loves A cheerful Giver, and We Have Learned that WE Can not " Out-give" God!! IT IS MORE BLESSED TO GIVE THAN TO RECEIVE! People Will Never Know Until They GIVE.

Answer 8

When someone sends money to an evangelical program to "feed the poor" or clothe the homeless", and the evangelical spends it on advertising, a new car, or a new mistress, I'd say that the giver was duped, wouldn't you?

Falwell, Robertson, and their ilk are all personally rich from people's donations. People who give money to them or their organizations are filling their bank accounts, with only a minor percentage going to any useful charities. Catholic churches have no accountability whatsoever to the people who give money to them.

And you think you're not being duped?

Answer 9

Doesn't bother me in the least; it's your money you can do what you want with it.

I give to charity too, however some christians think just because I'm an agnostic that it isn't as good as what they do. To each their own.

Answer 10

Because you are giving your money to support a religion that is completely hipocritical. If you really followed Jesus, he would want you to use that money to help your fellow man with basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter. Not a new marquee to anounce the bible verse of the week or the new sanctuary that outdoes the other church down the street.

Answer 11

I could care less how much they give to charity - they shouldn't yap about it, though. It makes them look like they're doing it for praise. I also don't like the assumption that non-believers do not give charitably, which happens here a lot.

As for tithing - why does the church need money? Why should someone in debt tithe? Does God need money? If it wasn't in the bible that people should tithe, how many would actually do it?