3 Comments:

1. Marshal Art said...
   January 30, 2012 at 10:30 AM  
   The downside to this is that it speaks only of those proponents of religions that are defective in the way they live out their faith. It paints all religion with the same brush. The result is no religious organizing in favor of personal religion which cannot result in religion of any kind surviving the secular onslaught against Christian principles.
   
   Rather than rail against religion, I would encourage people to be engaged in their churches as I encourage people to be engaged in the political process. Religious institutions don't run themselves, but need solid people of faith to guide their efforts.
   
   One rather poor understanding brought out in this rap is the notion of churches being somewhat extravagant while poverty and suffering remain outside their doors. We that feel called to tithe do not have standing to determine the use of those funds. That is to say, tithing is not an excuse for not giving to the poor. What the church does with funds collected from tithing is the church's business and if one thinks back, that which was given to the Levite priests was either consumed by them or burnt in offerings. Who could have been fed by that which was burnt? But such were to be cared for by the same people who tithed with other funds or food.
   
   The rappers main point regarding putting Jesus over the church is sound, but I really don't think most people do otherwise. Their devotion to their church or denomination isn't necessarily crowding out their devotion to Jesus, but a means by which that devotion is expressed.
   
   Religions don't start wars. Foolish people within religious denominations do.
   Eric said...
   January 30, 2012 at 11:11 AM  
   "What the church does with funds collected from tithing is the church's business..."
   
   Not so, IMO. The Church [big C] is not an "organization," it is a body of believers. The Church is not the building; the building is where the Church meets.
   
   Tithes are to be spent and used for the benefit of the "Church" (individual believers) in need first; outreach and evangelizing second. If the church (little C; corporate) is squandering the monies on items the Church (Big C; believers) disapprove of, then those believers must question whether or not their tithes can be put to better, more scriptural use, elsewhere.
   
   The Bible says to do good to the household of faith [Gal 6:10]... "especially," or first. Jesus said the world would know we are His disciples by the love we have for the 'brethren', i.e.; fellow believers [John 13:34-35]. And how can we say we love our brothers and sisters in Christ if the 'church' sends money to missions while it's members go hungry, or have their power turned off, or are evicted from their homes? The church has no right to use the money as it wants to. The Church has the say, though that's not how it is generally practiced anymore. Too many churches watch it's members go hungry and homeless while spending the monies it takes in on mission trips and new building projects. Shameful!
   
   I respectfully add that religion is not the same as faith. We are called to faith in Jesus Christ, not 'religion' in Jesus Christ...
   
   Mark 10:52
   Acts 24:24
   Galatians 2:16, 20
   Galatians 3:26
   Galatians 5:6
   Ephesians 1:15
   Ephesians 4:13
   Philippians 1:27
   Colossians 1:4
   Colossians 2:5
   1 Timothy 1:14
   1 Timothy 3:13
   2 Timothy 1:13
   2 Timothy 3:15
   
   Marshal Art said...
   February 8, 2012 at 9:30 AM  
   My point was that there is a difference between the tithe and the charitable donation. The first we give to God and to the maintenance of the church property, the adminstration of the church (to the extent it needs employees for that purpose) and providing for the minister. The latter is separate and is above and beyond the tithe.
   
   With this in mind, I have no issue with a congregation having an opulent building and property with a minister living rather largely within a community of well to do members if those members also give generously to charitable endeavors. Regular tithes from members would obviously result in a large income for the church. As I recall, there was a lot of gold in the Temple as a result of God's initial floor plans.
   
   Another aspect of my point was that the tithe itself is supposed to be for God, who doesn't really need a thing from us. That is why we don't have any room to worry about what happens to that money, because it is God's after we give it. The question then becomes what do we do with the remaining 90% of OUR money, not what becomes of the money that we tithe to the church. Do we say "We've given enough to the church. Let the church worry about the poor?" I say no. That is not what tithing if for. It is not to relieve us of our obligation to our fellow man. That comes out of our pockets after tithing.
   
   Anyway, that's the way I believe it is supposed to be.

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