Should priests, pastors and other "clergy" get real jobs and stop living off community welfare?

Answer 1

They could run for office in Idaho (or Florida, or Texas, or Colorado, or...)

Answer 2

Many denominations have lay pastors, which means they don't get paid by the church. They have "real jobs" and do the clergy-ing on a volunteer basis.

Other denominations have paid ministers, but they're typically salaried and the church organization has decided to pay them.

I'm sure your question was meant to be humorous, but actually it just shows off how ignorant you are. You should educate yourself on how it works. Then you can make jokes about it where the facts behind the jokes are accurate, and they might even be funny. To wit:

A priest, a pastor, and a rabbi were discussing how they got paid. The priest said, "I draw a circle on the ground. Then I throw all the collection money up in the air, and what lands inside the circle is God's, and what lands outside the circle is mine."

The pastor said, "I do something similar! I draw a line on the ground. I throw everything up in the air and what lands on the near side is God's, and what lands on the far side is mine."

They looked at the rabbi. He said, "I do something similar, too. I throw it all up in the air...and what he wants, he keeps."

Answer 3

Televangelists have jobs. It is called milking the flock. Normal priests, ministers, rabbis and other people of the cloth are paid or not depending on the customs of their particular religion. Some clergy have "real jobs". Those are some of the protestant clergy who either volunteer or who must work at another job because the ministry doesn't pay enough to raise a family or support them and their family. You should go and talk to some of those people you criticize about how they are paid and what they do. You would be surprised and might actually learn something.

Answer 4

"I agree" Even Paul made tents, therefore he was an enterpriser, sometimes he was real busy and received help from "other churches" but they should "sub" their income". Then, they can pay a "tithe" back into the church and take some of the "crunch" off the "poor" of the congregation whom they make "feel bad" when $ is tight, so they don't have to eat "dog food" to sit in a pew! If they did some of the "work" around the church, like cleaning and such, they wouldn't have to spend the peoples $ again on stupid stuff and beg them for more,complaining about the expenditures of the "church" etc. especially when prices a soring and $ is not, seems like they would have a "little heart" towards their "flock"....pathetic isn't it?

Answer 5

i think if they are at the church 24/7 and are always available to help the people - talk and just help them with things they need- i do not see the need to have another job and i think a decent salary is permissable -

now if they are only available sundays and wednesdays - and are never there on youth night - and dont do a lot of things and arent on call 24/7 ( ok so yeah they need sleep too ) and dont devote all their time then i dont think they should be paid for their services - if they have other means of money - i would think they would preach from there heart to spread the word - where as the one above is doing nothing but spreading the word and must still pay his bills -

Answer 6

no pastors and priests have specific duties as it pertains to the flock. they are the ones you see most when you are in the hospital, need counseling, and generally run the day to day business of the church. thinking the only thing they do is prepare a message on Sunday morning would lead me to believe you should join a good church and take a voluntary role or work towards a leadership position in the church and see what it takes to run a successful church. they earn every penny they get.

Answer 7

Well, if their parishioners decide to pay for their clergy's homes and other forms of upkeep, that's their right. At least the clergy isn't being paid by our tax money!

Answer 8

Hey at least those people who give to the church volunteer to do so, the church decides how much pastors are paid as well.

Unlike our government where we dont decide how much they make and we are forced to give them our money.

Cheers and have a nice day

Answer 9

They should go to Iraq and counsel the families of the war dead that they helped support the bombing and death of 100's of thousands of innocent Iraqies. Leave some here to explain to the families of the 3,000 + Us dead why they supported a war that took their childrens lives and for what?

When they get through with all that, tell me about the ten commandments one more time.

Answer 10

They do have real jobs, at least according to their parishoners and they are paid through their church's funds from contributions, not community welfare.

Answer 11

They work for what little money the make plus, they do not collect income from the government which means only those that receive their services are asked to pay.
The church is the private sector.