A Florida church sent a delinquency notice to a new member reminding her that worshipers were expected to pay $1,000 in required fees or face possible removal.
Candace Petterson said she started attending the Greater Mount Moriah Primitive Baptist Church about six months ago after moving to a new home in the Tampa area, but she received a troubling letter last week from the church, reported WFTS-TV.
The single mother said she received what amounted to a delinquency notice from her new church asking her to contribute $50 a month, along with other assorted fees, to remain a member in good standing and vote on church matters.
The predominantly black church, which has operated for more than a century, asked her to pay a yearly $250 anniversary fee and another $150 for Mount Moriah Day – amounting to $1,000, some of which would be set aside to pay off church debt.
“What church charges you to help pay off what they’re going through?” Petterson said. “I’m not there for that.”
Actually that's exactly what she is there for, to provide the church with cash flow.
What, did she think church was about spreading the Gospel or something?
Silly Christians.
Well, she should have torn the letter up and gone to a different church the following Sunday. Not all religions or churches require such nonsense.
ReplyDeleteBeaglemom
ANd here I thought that was why churches weren't taxed - becuase they didn't have a steady income source -- time to close THAT loophole.
ReplyDeleteExactly, providing a service for a fee, clearly a taxable event.
DeleteMaybe the pastor wants a private jet like Creflo Dollar? This woman wears the same lip gloss as PayMe!!
ReplyDeleteJust leave the church people. Talk to your god on your own if you need to. Use the tithing you'd do to better yourself and others in this world as you choose, on your terms.
ReplyDeleteExactly. Why do you need a go-between?
DeleteOne Sunday we were eating at a small local restaurant when several Evangelical Christian families came in (the kind who look like the Duggars with all the women with long ugly dresses and hairdos and arrogantly stupid looking men). They sat down and took out stacks of w-2s and other paperwork, which proved to be a record of each member's giving. It sounded like every member had been given these things that day at church They sat and sorted through them, calculator in hand, figuring each person's percentage of tithing. They laid some aside, saying they needed to be talked to. Unbelievable to me that anyone would attend such a nasty church.
ReplyDeletethe oldest profession
DeleteThat's how the Palin's eat dinner also too
DeleteSo, are you saying that people who attended this church were required to give them their W-2 forms?!
DeleteI have no sympathy. GTFO and stop worrying about it. It's not compulsory. If it were compulsory, I'd back her. As it is, she needs to wake up and walk out.
ReplyDeleteIronic considering one of the main sparks for the Protestant Reformation was outrage over how the Catholic Church collected money.
ReplyDeleteLook how some churches shake down their people for donations:
http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/14/us/sunday-stickup/
5:47, you seem to have forgotten that true history is NOT something extremist christians WANT to know. You know, along with sciences such as genetics and paleontology and medicine that contradicts their hatred?
ReplyDeleteHow else does she expect to get into "HeavenTM"
ReplyDeleteI'm Jewish and have always belonged to a temple. There are yearly dues to belong, which I have always felt were right because the expenses of the temple were paid that way. Salaries of the rabbi and support staff and building maintenance. There is no "begging" for funds at weekly services, although there may be "fund raising campaigns" for upgrades, new facilities, or mostly for charities. Members can give...or not give.
ReplyDeleteMost temples and synagogs do have terms for those who cannot pay the yearly dues. All in all, I think it's a most fair system.
Our Catholic Church asked for pledges and had a form with. pledge amounts mailed annually to registered parishioners. As with temples and synagogues there were additional requests for major expenses such as a building fund. Parishioners were asked to contribute money to pay for what 6:16 detailed above.
DeleteI had no issues with the system either.
The woman in FL has a choice to attend a church that does not charge a minimum contribution annually.
In Switzerland, you pay a church tax along with your regular income taxes. It is mandatory - unless you OFFICIALLY get out of church. My dad was a teacher, so he could not 'afford' to get out, even though we never went to church. You have/had the choice to say if you wanted the money to go to the catholic or the protestant church, but had no say per se which church exactly. (I.e. you could not say "this money goes to my church here in my town", because all the churches are somehow one entity. The only way you could make sure that your money goes to the church you wanted it to go to was by attending on Sundays and then put your donation into the donation box.
ReplyDeleteBTW: A former catholic priest was once one of our teachers who took us on a lengthy, AWESOME school trip. He would say the most hilarious things about the catholic church. One of them was: Do you know what happens to the money you donate? Well, after church, the priest puts out a big blanket on the floor and throws all the donations up in the air. What stays up there, is for God. What comes down again is for the priest...
WTF is a "primitive baptist?"
ReplyDeleteGod only knows :)
DeleteWell, through this woman's experience we get to see.
DeleteA baptist that welcomes a single mother to their fold with a letter saying "More Money or No Church For You!" (In my most respectful Seinfeld "Soup Nazi" voice.)
DeleteRemember when Catholic peasants could pay indulgences fees to clergy so their sins could be forgiven? Many humans ate still stoopid but in a different way. Variations on themes.... Keep grifters grifting.
ReplyDeleteAt a Quaker meeting we used to attend, there was a basket on a table and attendees could put in whatever or not put anything in. In fact, sometimes people who needed cash took many out and replaced it when they could. The ultimate honor system.
ReplyDeleteFriends of ours in Germany explained that the government gives various genuine churches subsidies so that church attendees are under no obligation to put anything in the basket on the table at the back of the church. Taxes go towards churches. i think it is much the same in Denmark where Lutheranism is he official religion. I'm not sure whether other denominations receive government subsidies (again coming from taxes) or not or how it works.
I think that most of the faux-Christian evangelical fundamentalist churches in this country exist only as money making operations. Not much Christianity practiced in them or by their members.
Beaglemon
Beaglemom: very similar in Switzerland, as I said above. Except that people pay taxes (Unless they officially get out of church - they have to officially file papers with the county/city), and then the state gives those taxes to the churches. Each church gets more from the Sunday contributions of the practitioners.
DeletePARitioners that is...
DeleteThanks for this post, Gryphen.
ReplyDelete"Hey, do you want to pay your share of God's upkeep, or are we gonna need to send a couple of burly ushers around to your place to help you understand...?"
ReplyDeleteHey, there are down there in Tampa, close to the headquarters of the 'Church' of Scientology...that explains all!
ReplyDeleteCheck out The Underground Bunker website to learn all about it. But be forewarned you might lose hours reading stories that will leave you absolutely shocked and appalled.
Tithing was meant to be to take care of the poor in the community. Tithing has become taking real good care of the employees of the church.
ReplyDeleteSo much for their faith that God will provide. Even the churches know that is bullshit.
ReplyDeleteOh, thought it was that old hag sarah from asska.
ReplyDeleteI doubt this is the only church in the area. Not even the only Baptist church or the only predominantly black church.
ReplyDeleteShe can call them, have her name taken off the church membership and go shopping for another church that more closely meets her spiritual needs.
While I understand the need of a church of any significant size a means to make a budget based on income and to know approximately how much in donations they might expect to receive every Sunday, this goes way too far.
When I was young our pastor always gave the potato sermon when it was tithing time. You were encouraged to tithe 10% as per the bible, but people pledged more or less and no one hounded them. They certainly never sent a bill.
This woman should in the most polite and Christian way possible tell them to shove their bill and go somewhere else.
I'm no longer a member of any church, but I vaguely recall Jesus being upset, I mean royally upset, when he saw money handlers doing their business in church.
ReplyDeleteReminds me of an old joke (no offence meant to any denomination)
A Priest, A Rabbi and an Evangelical discuss what they do with the money they collect each week. The Priest says "I draw a circle, toss the money up in the air, what falls in the circle goes to me, what falls outside the circle goes to God"
The Rabbi says "I draw a circle, toss the money up in the air, what falls in the circle goes to G_d. what falls outside goes to me". The Evangelical says "I draw a circle, toss the money in the air, what stays up goes to God, what falls goes to me"
Tithing was under and is under the law with a curse for Christians seeking salvation under the law, Galatians 3:3-13, Malachi 3:1-18.When bishops, pastors and priests humbly lie by quoting tithes in Malachi 3:1-18,under the law IN OLD COVENANT which was a prime contribution for the Levite tribe and Leviticus Priesthood, how many Christians line up to be served with food when tithes and offering under the law are given? Is the storehouse pastors' and priests' house or the Church being the bride and body of Jesus Christ? Saved Christians by grace IN NEW COVENANT who are lead and taught by the Holy Spirit are not under law or in generation curse in the law. Tithes in Malachi 3:1-18 were primarily for the tribe of Levi which was not allocated land for sharing among themselves , Numbers 18:20-28 . Those who simply imply Christians are under curse for not tithing put into question about unfinished work of redemption (SALVATION) by Christ Jesus on cross of Calvary which is bought and maintained continuously in tithes paid to them. Yet Christ is not ashamed to call us brethren whom He has sanctified. Hebrew 2:9-13.We have been redeemed from the curse of the law, Jesus Christ being made a curse for us : for it is written, cursed is everyone that hangs on a tree. Galatians 3:8-13. Christians saved by grace are able ministers of the new testament born of love with exceeding glory which surpassed the glory that was in law with Moses. Offerings made in Christian Churches are for ministering the Body of Jesus Christ. We have been redeemed from the curse of the law to adoptions of sons in Royal Priesthood from the time the curtain partitioning the Holy of Holies was torn apart in into two when Jesus Christ was crucified and gave us free access to God our Father, Mathews 27:50-52.The essence of Christians righteousness in salvation by grace in the Loyal Priesthood of Jesus Christ is more falsely tied to tithes by the clergy and the bar raised often higher as they become masters of confusion in tithes falsehood teaching cover up. Even Judas Iscariot is not recorded asking for tithes. We firmly stand by the truth our mouths being boldly louder and we faint not as we manifest the truth to man’s conscience to God without honoring personality clout in uncovering tithes falsehood taught,2Corinthians 4:1-2.They keep asking what is wrong with us to be at pains on tithes forced falsehood treasured? There is nothing wrong with us and we have wronged no one except those who stumble on the plain truth who want to appease in altered falsehood. Isaih5:18-24, 18Woe unto them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as it were with a cart rope: 19That say, Let him make speed, and hasten his work, that we may see it: and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw nigh and come, that we may know it! 20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!22 Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:23 Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him. Those who want to justify doctrinal falsehood on tithes for Christians have successfully done it.
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