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What is the point of church?

Most, if not all religions preach and teach unselfishness. If that is true, why do they spend a lot of money on building a church? They can use that money to give to people around the world that are DYING from simple things like diarrhea. But the reality is that even religious people are too selfish too accept going to perhaps an open field... or ANYWHERE that doesn't cost a penny to worship God.
 

Eliot Wild

Irreverent Agnostic Jerk
If you don't have a church to collect money from your congregation, how in the world are you going to build your religious theme park? Duh.
 

TEXASBULL

Member
The head of EVERY religious organization around the world has plenty of money to spend. That should speak volumes about the true nature of all religions. Follow the money to the top. all churches take up the so called " collection". The sheep give, and the wolves have the money, power , and influence.

Sure, a small portion of these funds go to " good works". They have to keep up appearances you know, but the key figures at the top eat steak dinners and ride in limos. They have doors opened for them and great mansions.

The truth is in plain sight, but the followers do not want to see it. Religion pulls at your emotional heart strings and it makes it easy to pull out your checkbook.
 

waitasec

Veteran Member
Churches need to candy coat the truth so their clientele will came back again and again week after week. They get to enjoy the fruits of their labor for providing entertainment. Think about it, while the congregation sit in comfortable chairs in a beautiful setting listening to someone (who they revere as someone who knows more abut the word and has more faith than they do) standing there before everyone spewing out their intolerance and their opinions as if it were the actual word of god while acting like a comedian by telling jokes. It’s not funny. You know why, they don't pay taxes...pastors pay taxes on their "salary" I wonder how much the practice of embezzling money occurs in these institutions. Pastors write books, become TV evangelists, and travel the world to spread the word. Why not? They’ve found a profitable niche for themselves. Haven't they?
 

fallingblood

Agnostic Theist
The fact is, people want to go to a place that is appealing. Why do hospitals spend so much money in making their facilities pleasant when they could be spending that money on other things to help mankind?

The fact is, Churches give billions of dollars to charities. They may not give it all to good works, but neither do charities, hospitals, etc.

Also, I would love to see you go to an open field, in places where there are no open fields, or where the whether gets to be 30 below zero.
 

Breathe

Hostis humani generis
If that is true, why do they spend a lot of money on building a church?
The vast majority (I hope all) of churches (by church, I mean religious buildings in general here) do give to the needy, and it's somewhere for them to congregate when the weather is harsh, and they are usually beautiful inside and places where one can go to get away from the noise, although lavish churches kind of miss the point, I do enjoy visiting old churches and such. They're pretty.

Would you want to stare at ugly, cracking mouldy walls for an hour and a half a week, if you were a believer.

But the reality is that even religious people are too selfish too accept going to perhaps an open field... or ANYWHERE that doesn't cost a penny to worship God.
Speak for yourself. I worship outdoors and indoors.
 

Thief

Rogue Theologian
Setting the money issue aside.....

I gave up on congregation a long time ago.
Too much head nodding...

One guy nods his head because he wants to go to heaven, and needs to 'fit in'.
Another guy nods his head and, he didn't think about the consequence.

Another guy nods his head...trying to stay awake.

How do you think it would go...if God Himself was at the pulpit?
 
A

angellous_evangellous

Guest
Pastors write books, become TV evangelists, and travel the world to spread the word. Why not? They’ve found a profitable niche for themselves. Haven't they?

Pastoring as a get-rich-quick scheme. :biglaugh:

Most churches can barely afford to pay their mortgage and or utilities, provide their clergy a meagar wage, and give a portion of their donations to the poor. Every year it's a tough decision which ministries will continue and which will receive less funding, because utilities inflate faster than incomes.

The median income for pastors is less than $50k. Most are $36k and below. Only idiots would get into this for the money.
 

waitasec

Veteran Member
Setting the money issue aside.....

I gave up on congregation a long time ago.
Too much head nodding...

One guy nods his head because he wants to go to heaven, and needs to 'fit in'.
Another guy nods his head and, he didn't think about the consequence.

Another guy nods his head...trying to stay awake.

How do you think it would go...if God Himself was at the pulpit?

:clap

my respect for you went up a notch, or 2;)
 

waitasec

Veteran Member
Pastoring as a get-rich-quick scheme. :biglaugh:

Most churches can barely afford to pay their mortgage and or utilities, provide their clergy a meagar wage, and give a portion of their donations to the poor. Every year it's a tough decision which ministries will continue and which will receive less funding, because utilities inflate faster than incomes.

The median income for pastors is less than $50k. Most are $36k and below. Only idiots would get into this for the money.

i don't think the idiots are successful. to me the successful pastors are the vile ones

we are not talking about little churches, are denying megachurches don't exist

check out this article in forbes;
In Pictures: America's 10 Biggest Megachurches - Forbes.com
 

sojourner

Annoyingly Progressive Since 2006
Most, if not all religions preach and teach unselfishness. If that is true, why do they spend a lot of money on building a church? They can use that money to give to people around the world that are DYING from simple things like diarrhea. But the reality is that even religious people are too selfish too accept going to perhaps an open field... or ANYWHERE that doesn't cost a penny to worship God.
Even Jesus paid his temple tax and worshiped there...

You're completely discounting the importance of sacred space.
 

sojourner

Annoyingly Progressive Since 2006
The head of EVERY religious organization around the world has plenty of money to spend. That should speak volumes about the true nature of all religions. Follow the money to the top. all churches take up the so called " collection". The sheep give, and the wolves have the money, power , and influence.

Sure, a small portion of these funds go to " good works". They have to keep up appearances you know, but the key figures at the top eat steak dinners and ride in limos. They have doors opened for them and great mansions.

The truth is in plain sight, but the followers do not want to see it. Religion pulls at your emotional heart strings and it makes it easy to pull out your checkbook.
Hmmm...
My denomination doesn't have a "head." That's because we're not hierarchical. Nor do our leaders get to wield undue influence. Our leaders have very little authority.
I see no similarity between by denomination and what you describe. Therefore, your statement here is patently false.:ignore:
 

TEXASBULL

Member
Hmmm...
My denomination doesn't have a "head." That's because we're not hierarchical. Nor do our leaders get to wield undue influence. Our leaders have very little authority.
I see no similarity between by denomination and what you describe. Therefore, your statement here is patently false.:ignore:


And your denomination is?
 

sojourner

Annoyingly Progressive Since 2006
Churches need to candy coat the truth so their clientele will came back again and again week after week.
We don't "candy coat" anything. We deal in truths that, many times, are extremely difficult.
They get to enjoy the fruits of their labor for providing entertainment.
Entertainment is the furthest thing from our minds.
Think about it, while the congregation sit in comfortable chairs in a beautiful setting listening to someone (who they revere as someone who knows more abut the word and has more faith than they do) standing there before everyone spewing out their intolerance and their opinions as if it were the actual word of god while acting like a comedian by telling jokes.
Our ministers are not "holier than thou." They are not seen as "having more faith." Further, most of our ministers are extremely tolerant and inclusive. And we try as best we can to discern God at work in our midst and help people learn to notice God. Jokes in the pulpit are largely passe.
You know why, they don't pay taxes...pastors pay taxes on their "salary" I wonder how much the practice of embezzling money occurs in these institutions.
We pay taxes at a higher rate, though...
And embezzlement is a risk in any institution, however, speaking for my own denomination, better boundary and control systems are being put in place all the time to prevent both the appearance and the instances of impropriety.
Pastors write books, become TV evangelists, and travel the world to spread the word. Why not? They’ve found a profitable niche for themselves. Haven't they?
I've never written a book -- most haven't. I don't plan on become a televangelist. Most do not. I haven't traveled the world. Most haven't. I'm living paycheck to paycheck, like many others in the work force.

Your statements are gross overgeneralizations that may describe a rare handful of people. They do not adequately describe the great preponderance of the clergy. They are designed to be provocative and argumentative.
 

TEXASBULL

Member
Pastoring as a get-rich-quick scheme. :biglaugh:

Most churches can barely afford to pay their mortgage and or utilities, provide their clergy a meagar wage, and give a portion of their donations to the poor. Every year it's a tough decision which ministries will continue and which will receive less funding, because utilities inflate faster than incomes.

The median income for pastors is less than $50k. Most are $36k and below. Only idiots would get into this for the money.


We are talking about the Head of the organizations, not the sheep and worker bees.

The priest and nuns live modest lives while the cardinals and Pope walk by million dollar paintings on the wall.
 
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