When Money Comes Into Religion...

[gnomon]

How evasive.

(I'm done here now.
Frankly it doesn't interest me enough
to be worth all the time I'm putting into it.
I really don't care how people spend their money.
I like the stories of people giving one another a hand up though.
weather it involves money or not.)

Aaah! You posted right after my edit.

 

[Don Penguinoini]

He actually started a thread in his own forum for that.

Besides, your stealing my fire and thunder!:drool:

I've already built up enough ill will for myself I'll be ingratiating myself for a month.

Did i even mention Christianity in the OP?

No. So this means this thread hasn't exclusively been addressed to Christians.

Its been addressed to religion. So i do not see the reasoning in turning this into "christian"

 

[cardero]

gnomon writes: My overall point is not about money, religion...or AA. It's about how we think. Categorizing entire groups of people based on one particular part of the group or without any knowledge at all.

My overall point is how religions are making people think. If religion A, B, C feels they have the authority to say that Christ fed the hungry, cured the sick, and sheltered the homeless and that everyone should follow his example and do everything in our power to imitate Him to the best of their ability, I say fine, good, that is a respectable belief. Now we have a nation of Christs, who may not be able to express the miraculous feats that Jesus did but do have the means, the resources, the manpower, the desire to make even more of a tremendous impact on society than Jesus did (and you may quote me on this).



Now what is this?

This looks like it took a great deal of money, time , talent, manpower and attention to detail. Has starvation, sickness and poverty been abolished to the point that every brand of religion can afford such a emaculate structure? Sure it’s nice place but who is it for?

Is it for the hungry? How does this help the hungry? Is there a food warehouse somewhere in the basement? Is the airport that ships the food worldwide to starving nations located somewhere outside where we cannot see it?

Is this place for the sick? How does this help the sick? Is there a pharmacy department located somewhere in the back? Where are the doctors, nurses and the recovery rooms? If people come here will they be cured of whatever ails them?

What about the homeless and the impoverished? Is this place for the homeless? Can homeless people grab a pew and lay down and take a load off their feet? Can they help themselves to the offering box and take whatever money they need to survive the day? Does the church stock those dazzling clergy robes in a wide variety of sizes?

No, instead this place houses faith, beliefs and hope. If one finds themselves short or running out on beliefs, faith or hope this is the plaza to go to.

Gnomon writes: It also comes to my frustration as to what I perceive as an apparent increase on this forum in doing such a thing against Christianity in particular.

One’s religious denomination doesn’t impress me. I will always approach someone at human value because we both share the same thing in common; A planet that still contains starvation, sickness and poverty. There is no religion that ever required my assistance in pointing out their misunderstandings or shortcomings, they are quite adept at doing this themselves.

Gnomon writes: It's become more of put Christians on the spot and make them defend their belief primarily by individuals, to be quite honest, who offer nothing more than vague belief systems of their own.

The belief that Christians (or any other religious sect) can overcome and defeat starvation, sickeness and poverty is the same belief that I have.

But this power to do so does not come from extravagant temples or any holy rituals.

It will not be delivered from above.

The power does not come from whatever religious denomination one is affiliated with.

It will not come from our faith and hope or from reciting primitive entreaties.

The answer will not come from an understanding of religious history.

The power and ability comes from today’s humanity, our current care and respect for it and our present accumulative resources.
And you are absolutely correct, one does not have to be religious to contain and utilize this power but like I mentioned to Katzpur, some religions just happen to be proclaiming a monoply on it. I say fine, let’s play.

 

[ChristineES]

Penguino did write the OP, but he is right. He talked of his own faith of Hinduism in the OP. It was others who changed to a Christian thread.

 

[cardero]

The more this thread goes on, the more I can’t help wondering that the opportunity for “religion advisor” is a wide-open field. This is the man or woman who is hired to visit the many different religions to make sure they are fulfilling their goals and purposes according to the will of their lords, gods and deities. They would cut and manage costs, examine expenses, adjust tithing percentages, redirect misappropriated funds where they are needed and fire potential belief abusers. A faith inspector.

 

[Kcnorwood]

The pastors of Churches aren't always paid that much. Every pastor I ever had had to work at a regular job as well as being a pastor. Then again, I prefer smaller, more intimate places of congregation.

We were watching HGTV tonight & we watched a show called Whats my house worth?

This one pastor had a home worth $650.000 sure like to know what kind of jon he's got!

 

[Aasimar]

One of Jesus commands was to "feed the hungry and clothe the naked". He also said to take care of widows and orphans. I think that would be the most important way to spend money.

Jesus was a communist?

 

[gnomon]

Penguino did write the OP, but he is right. He talked of his own faith of Hinduism in the OP. It was others who changed to a Christian thread.

Bingo! Another person who can read. I'll frubal you. All penguino did was ask an open question with an example of Hinduism.

Others, as we can plainly read, did nothing more than generalize religion and that generalization was based on Western Christianity. I don't see how religious members deal with such stupid generalizations.

My patience is gone.

 

[Don Penguinoini]

Doesent mean to say Christians spend extravagant amount of money. My local church jsut throws money at the statue of jesus.

I did not ask for a generalisation, neither did i want, doesent mean to say that the point still remains.

 

[Storm]

Bingo! Another person who can read. I'll frubal you. All penguino did was ask an open question with an example of Hinduism.

Others, as we can plainly read, did nothing more than generalize religion and that generalization was based on Western Christianity. I don't see how religious members deal with such stupid generalizations.

My patience is gone.

I'm sorry gnomon, I read a certain post as you blaming penguino.

 

[gnomon]

My overall point is how religions are making people think. If religion A, B, C feels they have the authority to say that Christ fed the hungry, cured the sick, and sheltered the homeless and that everyone should follow his example and do everything in our power to imitate Him to the best of their ability, I say fine, good, that is a respectable belief. Now we have a nation of Christs, who may not be able to express the miraculous feats that Jesus did but do have the means, the resources, the manpower, the desire to make even more of a tremendous impact on society than Jesus did (and you may quote me on this).



Now what is this?

This looks like it took a great deal of money, time , talent, manpower and attention to detail. Has starvation, sickness and poverty been abolished to the point that every brand of religion can afford such a emaculate structure? Sure it’s nice place but who is it for?

Is it for the hungry? How does this help the hungry? Is there a food warehouse somewhere in the basement? Is the airport that ships the food worldwide to starving nations located somewhere outside where we cannot see it?

Is this place for the sick? How does this help the sick? Is there a pharmacy department located somewhere in the back? Where are the doctors, nurses and the recovery rooms? If people come here will they be cured of whatever ails them?

What about the homeless and the impoverished? Is this place for the homeless? Can homeless people grab a pew and lay down and take a load off their feet? Can they help themselves to the offering box and take whatever money they need to survive the day? Does the church stock those dazzling clergy robes in a wide variety of sizes?

No, instead this place houses faith, beliefs and hope. If one finds themselves short or running out on beliefs, faith or hope this is the plaza to go to.



One’s religious denomination doesn’t impress me. I will always approach someone at human value because we both share the same thing in common; A planet that still contains starvation, sickness and poverty. There is no religion that ever required my assistance in pointing out their misunderstandings or shortcomings, they are quite adept at doing this themselves.



The belief that Christians (or any other religious sect) can overcome and defeat starvation, sickeness and poverty is the same belief that I have.

But this power to do so does not come from extravagant temples or any holy rituals.

It will not be delivered from above.

The power does not come from whatever religious denomination one is affiliated with.

It will not come from our faith and hope or from reciting primitive entreaties.

The answer will not come from an understanding of religious history.

The power and ability comes from today’s humanity, our current care and respect for it and our present accumulative resources.
And you are absolutely correct, one does not have to be religious to contain and utilize this power but like I mentioned to Katzpur, some religions just happen to be proclaiming a monoply on it. I say fine, let’s play.

You do not have the slightest clue as to what I was talking about. I only assume you read a part of the post and go from there. Why try to show me the interior of a Cathedral, without any sourcing so I don't know where or when it was built, when I already gave you prime examples of two prominent religious figures wasting money.

How stupid are you?

Who cares about old Cathedrals. Should we demolish them? Like the Buddhist statues were demolished? They were old and impractical. Whoever built them completely wasted their time. Except Cathedrals actually provide a practical function.

Is it for the hungry? How does this help the hungry? Is there a food warehouse somewhere in the basement? Is the airport that ships the food worldwide to starving nations located somewhere outside where we cannot see it?

Is that it's purpose? No. Now you are just being ignorant.

How many Christian charity programs are there? Do you know. Have you counted them. I don't think so.

How many religious functions are there around the world which engage in aiding the poor, feeding the hungry...do you know?

Once again, I gave you two examples of individuals out there today using the concept of faith and religion to take in large amounts of money for no other purpose than greed. They are not representative of religion. Hardly so.

Now we have a nation of Christs, who may not be able to express the miraculous feats that Jesus did but do have the means, the resources, the manpower, the desire to make even more of a tremendous impact on society than Jesus did (and you may quote me on this).

Do we. The Western world got its *** kicked out of Somalia. What power do we have?

Actually, do you bother to research anything you try to talk about or just make it all up out of a cartoon.

No one is asserting that money is not wasted by religious groups. They are human. It would be expected. How boring.

 

[Don Penguinoini]

Well, i reckon if religious groups got less money, they would not spend it on so much extragant churches, mandirs and mosques etc.

 

[ChristineES]

Jesus was a communist?

I think we had a thread a while back about Jesus being a communist. Or maybe it was another forum.

 

[Jistyr]

I agree with the OP here.

I believe there are a good number of instances in which money is wasted in religion. Take for example the elaborate Catholic cathedrals that cost millions of dollars. It seems, even by Christian teaching, that the money would be much better spent on helping the poor than a place of worship.

 

[cardero]

How stupid are you?

Who cares about old Cathedrals. Should we demolish them?

Actually, I was going to suggest trying to sell them.

 

[Francine]

I believe there are a good number of instances in which money is wasted in religion. Take for example the elaborate Catholic cathedrals that cost millions of dollars. It seems, even by Christian teaching, that the money would be much better spent on helping the poor than a place of worship.

The poor you will always have with you, but it's not every
day you can build a Taj Mahony:

 

[cardero]

The poor you will always have with you, but it's not every
day you can build a Taj Mahony:

That's the spirit!!

 

[blackout]

I think we had a thread a while back about Jesus being a communist. Or maybe it was another forum.

Jesus was a (TRUE) Magician and Sourcer(er).
He didn't need any "stuff"...
or any "systems"...
He just REACHED INTO LIFE...
and there it was. Voila!

Life lived out beyond the improbable possibility.

Now that's what I'm talkin' about.:rainbow1:
(I THINK that's what HE was talkin' about too)

 

[Popeyesays]

The Baha`i Faith accepts NO money from those who are not registered Baha`i's. No outside money whatsoever.

What we do with it is of concern to us who are allowed to give.

Regards,
Scott

 

[gnomon]

Actually, I was going to suggest trying to sell them.

This is completely off topic but I was reminded of this cathedral converted into a bookstore. Pretty neat.

Church Converted into Bookshop : TreeHugger