How do i know i'm ready?

[Ahanit]

If you do not want to pay, you are free to leave. There is no need to be within ToS to call yourself Setian. It is your Choose to be within or not.

It is the same like Daelach said with the Chess Club. You are free to be within and pay or to leave and save the money for other things. The question you have to answer what brings more for your growing.

For example buy Clothes for this 80 $ or to give to a Chess Club or an Organisation like ToS...

Excuse me But in the second you can choose you are free where to give the money, and I and others choose to give it ToS Instead of Buying Clothes or Electronic or something else you do not really need to be Individual.

So I can not see what is your Prob with the fee.

 

[I.S.L.A.M617]

My only problem with the fee is that it's required. If you choose to give 80 dollars or any amount of money, that should be entirely up to you, there shouldn't be a cover charge to be able to get into the temple and build with people who share your same beliefs. Even the greedy religions like Christianity allow you to go to church for free.

 

[Daelach]

Hm, the costs are certain, but the income not? And again, in a football or chess club, youwill not pay less, rather more. IMO, your misunderstanding is that you pay for the "knowledge" - but instead, you pay for being able to use the infrastructure.

And btw, church membership is not for free where I live.

 

[Kori Houghton]

The Temple of Set is completely honest and upfront about the fees. The voluntary chip-in-what-you-like principle works with a handful of people. Once you gather more than a few dozen individuals, a small, reasonable, and fair fee structure is the most efficient way to go.

$80 isn't much money. That would be like filling my gas tank twice...although with the amount of driving I do, that would last me 4 months.

There is no comparison between the small fees to cover expenses of application or annual membership in the TOS and the outrageous amounts of money you pay for "initiation" in Scientology.

 

[EtuMalku]

There is also a psychology behind 'paying' for something. You tend to take it more seriously, you expect something in return, and your effort to come up with the cash strengthens your commitment to the venture.

 

[Ahanit]

Here in Germany the Christian Main Churches get a regular Tax (Yes a Tax and the Goverment is collecting it for them, not a Fee) from their beliefers, which can be much more than 80$

Equal if they are really going to church or not.... They pay because it may be that at a time in the future they want to marry in Church or want to have a Chriest funeral, or anything like that... Or they pay because it is a Bureaucratic issue to get out of it.

 

[I.S.L.A.M617]

I've never heard of churches charging membership fees (except for Scientology); they don't do it where I live. All the money the church makes is given voluntarily.

 

[Ahanit]

The first Emigrants reaching America have left Europe because of Religious Suppression. So the Law of America is written in a form where every religion is free to exist. Every one has the right to follow the path they like.

That also means that the State has no right to Interfere in Religious Beliefs and that means that all Religious groups have to look where to get their money from..

Here in Europe the Historical Connections between State and Christ Religion is much stronger. France is one of the few with strict separation but most other countrys have strong connections represented in their Law.

Like Daelach and I said See it like a "Club" where you have to pay for taking part. And EtuMalku give an other good point, when you choose freely to pay a fee, you are looking for getting something back And In ToS you can get something back if you want