What type of evidence is admissible here? Can you just be a good person, who treats others the way he wants to be treated, helps folks who are in need etc. and pass the test? Or do you need a paper trail and a bunch of eyewitnesses to prove you're a worthy Christian?
Spotlight and corruption/abuse in the church
- Thread starter KingOfBBN
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What type of evidence is admissible here? Can you just be a good person, who treats others the way he wants to be treated, helps folks who are in need etc. and pass the test? Or do you need a paper trail and a bunch of eyewitnesses to prove you're a worthy Christian?
When would you have time? What with all the judging people and slapping your own back covering your schedule. If you're dumb enough to believe every church falls in line with God's word, you deserve the fleecing you're getting.
No, no... gotta play the game, man. Lucky for you, God's army is here to pass out order mandates and dress code.
Would the "holier than I" crowd prefer I be an outright Atheist or to mire myself in a bad church (or 4-5 in the process of finding a worthy establishment) and eventually be completely soured on God?
Just wondering. TIA.
Just wondering. TIA.
Funky, Rick Warren is one of the good guys in the financial area. After the success of his first book he stopped taking a salary from his church and gave back all they had paid him for 25 years. He says that he tithes 90% of the profits from his book sales. I understand he lives modestly.
The average church has about 75 attendees. The average attendee household gives about 3%. Not much money there to steal even if a pastor were inclined to try that (most pastors, by choice, never even see or touch the money that comes in). There are a few scoundrel pastors (the temptation is almost always in mega-churches and tv evangelism ministries) and they often get exposed, as they should.. But most pastors are good guys who serve sacrificially in terms of the salary they are paid.
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Flipping heathens. Do they not know that the word tithe means "1/10th" or 10%?
You have much work to do, it seems.
I'm more of an old gods of the forest kinda guy. They value loyalty and honor and are humble and modest. I might switch to the lord of light if John Snow turns out to be Azor Ahai reborn. The faith of the seven is for uppity bastards. And the drowned God is just dumb.
[laughing]Hell, I'd take a happy ending from a lawyer...if she was good-lookin'amirite?
Well, Shakespeare is like a Chinese keyboard. I've been forced to read it at times, as most of us have.
Three awful things we are all supposed to like - but don't:
1 The writings (or plays) of Shakespeare.
2 The movie "Citizen Kane"
3 Miles Davis' "Blue" album
"You don't like __________? Man, what's wrong with you?"
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I'll bet you have the script memorized. [laughing] Any ideas on what "Rosebud" means?
It was the name of his sled. But it was a metaphor for his childhood. Innocence. The script for Kane is significant because it was non linear. And just good writing. No one was telling stories like that at that time. Especially not in Hollywood. Studios hated him after Kane cause he changed film making forever. Most novice film goers can't see the significance of Kane because they don't know the history or cinema. The camera work in Kane was ground breaking. The shots that Welles pulled off with his camera man had never been done before. His DP would come to him and say this can't be done and Welles would prove him wrong. Welles is one of my favorite film makers ever and one of the first auteurs. People think Kane was his only claim to fame. The guy went on to win a Palm d'or for Othello. The Lady from Shanghai is brilliant. The Magnificent Ambersons, F is for fake both great pictures. And the opening to Touch of Evil stacks up against any film from any era. Sorry.
In the movie, Rosebud is supposed to represent Kane's lost childhood. Kane of course was based on the publisher William William Randolph. In real life, Rosebud was the pet name that Hearst gave to his girlfriend's clitoris. Welles really wanted to get under Hearst's skin with that movie.
Here is the owner of Rosebud (actress Marion Davies):
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I don't start threads about it. I don't claim all scientists are liars either. You just saw a chance to bash. There have some who falsified data but that doesn't I think they all do it. Can I get am amen? [winking]
Yep. When you get down to the heart of the matter.
I had never heard about the movie until it won Best Picture. And honesty I had no idea what it was about until I looked it up. I don't even remember hearing about it in theaters. But a hell of a movie. Worthy of Best Picture And what's sad is my Catholic friends refuse to watch it, like it never happened.
[laughing] I'm throwing the BS flag on that one, brother
Don't you ****ing dare...
Just think...those molesting priests are using the same bathroom as your son.
And the unfair treatment the church gets, like not paying taxes....if they took that money alone they could feed the thousands of children that God let's die of starvation a day (sorry, I meant to put when he works in mysterious ways)
And the unfair treatment the church gets, like not paying taxes....if they took that money alone they could feed the thousands of children that God let's die of starvation a day (sorry, I meant to put when he works in mysterious ways)
Christians would be great people if they actually followed Christ's teachings and didn't use the bible to promote their own bigotries and outright forget it when conveinent.
*note: this applies to SOME.....I've known some amazing christians who I strive to be 1/4th as good as.
*note: this applies to SOME.....I've known some amazing christians who I strive to be 1/4th as good as.
I am part of the pastoral staff at my church. Our senior pastor is the only paid individual in the church. His salary is a set amount stipulated by the national denomination headquarters. His council at the church approves what can be spent or not be spent. We have an outside audit firm look at our books and show where each penny goes. The CPAs report each year to the church where each cent goes.
The pastor does not lead an outlandish lifestyle. He held a second job besides the pastoral position for years. Most of the pastors that I know in my area have a second job to fund their lifestyle. There are only a handful that are solely employed by the church.
I do understand that there are churches that neglect their fundamental principals and are as crooked as can be. However that is not every church. Speaking for my church, we don't have a wealth of finances at our disposal. What we do have, we use wisely to the best of our ability. We are located near assisted living housing and get a lot of people who do not give unto the church. However, we try to feed them and minister to their needs as best we can. .
To the OP, thanks for exposing the churches muddying up the picture. I get it and am horrified by those who use the Gospel for their personal benefit. It is insulting to those who are working for the right reasons. However, I wish that sometime you would shed light on the churches that are trying their best to impact their communities.
The pastor does not lead an outlandish lifestyle. He held a second job besides the pastoral position for years. Most of the pastors that I know in my area have a second job to fund their lifestyle. There are only a handful that are solely employed by the church.
I do understand that there are churches that neglect their fundamental principals and are as crooked as can be. However that is not every church. Speaking for my church, we don't have a wealth of finances at our disposal. What we do have, we use wisely to the best of our ability. We are located near assisted living housing and get a lot of people who do not give unto the church. However, we try to feed them and minister to their needs as best we can. .
To the OP, thanks for exposing the churches muddying up the picture. I get it and am horrified by those who use the Gospel for their personal benefit. It is insulting to those who are working for the right reasons. However, I wish that sometime you would shed light on the churches that are trying their best to impact their communities.
Oh, this is not the place to have this discussion... however, I do believe/agree with global warming. I do not believe it is 100% attributable to humans (I don't think humans have the capacity to cause that much damage to a 4.5 billion-y/o entity), I do not believe the US efforts to abolish coal is enough to offset China even if it were that bad or that attributable to humans. I also believe this is an issue that is being parlayed, err, manufactured, into a crisis that isn't going to waste and is being used as an excuse for ulterior motives.
I subscribe to the truth that resides in the middle of what is constantly crammed down our throats by this admin (b/c they are all ******* LIARS!) and the scientists they federally fund (b/c they won't bite the hand that pays them)... and all the info from detractors that is immediately poo-pooed and then targeted for constant discreditation. You know, they way they treat Trump and refuse to call Hillary into question?
Same ****. Same scheme.
I agree with some of what you said. I know there are churches and pastors that are not true. That is not lost on me. Just as there are folks in the scientific community like you said. In both instances, I believe there are folks who are sincere and genuine.
SO, you vetted them?
Supposedly, so were (genuine and sincere) all the Cal-Tech Berkley-type geeks that have turned coat since. Just saying.
Although these things are characteristic of Christian behavior - they are not unique to Christians, nor do they distinguish Christians.
This does, though: This means everlasting life, their coming to know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.
So, for starters, you can read and work on gaining an understanding of the 111 verses in Matthew Chapters 5-7. That will help us to begin to understand what is involved in being a Christian.
On what planet do you live where the Catholic Church is immune from criticism? I haven't seen positive media coverage of Catholicism (regardless of the fact that they're the world's number 1 charity) in probably 15 years.