Obviously, he meant Maronite Christianity, which is the only^tm^ true^tm^ christianity^tm^
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... As a Christian, I approve.
The idea that the government should run off of some merciless view that the principles of free market capitalism dictate who eats and who doesn't is completely bizarre.
I have nothing against capitalist Christians who think that the principles of capitalism are generally fine and that, otherwise, we have an obligation as Christians to feed the poor and it just so happens to not be the role of government, but any explicitly Christian state has to feed the poor.
Narrator:
They didn’t
No, no this is the part of Christianity where we convert heretics. With heavy automatic weaponry
Jesus didn't use taxes to heal anyone. Why can't we use divine magic? It still has the benefit of being free for all; but it also works better and faster.
He also didn't FORCE anyone to give to the poor, he only recommended it.
Why can’t we use divine magic?
Apparently, there was a balance patch that made all clerics' gods quit their interference with mortal matters.
The government is going to force all women to have abortions to prove they’ve been faithful
Jesus' version or Roman version?
Obviously spanish version.
Acts 4:34-36
"For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales and lay them at the apostles’ feet, and they would be distributed to each as any had need."
They mean this Christianity, right???
“From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.” – sounds familiar 🤔
Oh yeah there’s a reason a chunk of early communists were Christian pacifists
Somehow that translates to you have to give 10% of your income to Pastor Brian. Any other form of charity is great but you should still give Pastor Brian his 10% because he's doing a lot by telling you to give him 10% of your income.
The vast majority of pastors are volunteers or bi-vocational. And yes there are abuses. But also lots of them giving their time and resources to care for the under-resourced. My church''s sr. pastor is going from full time to bi-vocational this year because inflation hit the church and his family. But our church distributed 12 million pounds of food since covid
The vast majority of religious workers are akin to workers at a scam call centre. Selling you "thoughts and prayers" and guilt tripping you to give them money. Basically fooling you into something non-existent.
Scammers also give a lot of their time and resource and work full-time. I guess they deserve a living wage too, huh?
The only thing they need is run a pretend-charity, community service and food drives?
You sure seem to like your make-belief system where you think they are net-positive to the community. I'm sure a you would feel the same about scam call centres, if only they could upgrade their PR with some charity. All that without all the violent history.
But oh no, they're brown people in a third-world shithole… so that's a pass. I love my own pretend-charity cult with supreme people.
Ok? So now he's earned 10% of my income?
The tithe doesn't go to a pastor, it goes to fund the whole ministry. People working full time deserve a living wage, he's no different. Most Christians don't tithe anyway, it's usually 15% of the people giving 85% of the funds.
Our church distributed those millions of pounds of food on a $350k total budget each year which includes still paying mortgage on an under-maintained property. The total payroll and benefits for two full time and four part time staff was $165k last year. I don't think they're robbing people who chose to support that.
I really not sure your point. Does acts tell you that God requires you to give 10% of your income?
Your church sounds like an outlier. Many of the church I've seen have been seeded by larger churches and ministries which they are then indebted to. Most of which would not be so forthcoming with their financials.
Thats not the question though. Why is it a church would say that tithing 10% of your income is a requirement?
Because it's a tradition from the old testament that some (by no means all) churches use. It's nowhere near as universal as your own anecdotal references seem to imply.
Yours is the only ethical church.
Maybe try researching church finances instead of going by the assumption that they're greedy because they're asking for money and look like your enemy.
EDIT: Sorry, I forgot it's a not-good to ask someone to do research without demonstrating my own. Unfortunately, I have other things I should be doing than research right now.
Lol.
This is funny and it makes me feel good. But you know as well as I do, that it doesn't matter what any religious text says is right or wrong. Fascism and capitalism will take control and health care will be a personal problem.
Not THAT Christianity. The war hungry, blood thirsty, brown people hating, brainwashing Christianity!
Ah, yes, the Crusaders. Using religion to further the state since the HRE.
Exactly! People keep confusing Christianity with the bible but the former is a patriotic American religion and the latter is middle eastern leftist propaganda
which does all of it's atrocities out of love
Love for only those that are worthy .... everyone else is an animal that is working for Satan and should be killed in the name of God
In many historical societies including ancient Christian, Jewish, and Islamic societies, usury meant the charging of interest of any kind, and was considered wrong, or was made illegal.[3]
BTW chrishitery should be the next capitalist McCarthyism. Muhh! red hats!
- Deuteronomy 23:19-20 – “^19^ You shall not charge interest to your countrymen: interest on money, food, or anything that may be loaned at interest. ^20^ You may charge interest to a foreigner, but to your countrymen you shall not charge interest, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all that you undertake in the land which you are about to enter to possess.”
- Exodus 22:25 – “^25^ If you lend money to My people, to the poor among you, you are not to act as a creditor to him; you shall not charge him interest.”
- Deuteronomy 15:1-3 – “^1^ At the end of every seven years you shall grant a release of debts. ^2^ And this is the regulation for the release of debts: every creditor is to forgive what he has loaned to his neighbor; he shall not require it of his neighbor and his brother, because the Lord’s release has been proclaimed. ^3^ From a foreigner you may require it, but your hand shall forgive whatever of yours is with your brother.”
This sounds good in theory, but is relatively bad in practice. Without interest, no one will loan the government money. Municipalities would need to rely on huge tax increases to fund large projects, instead of bonds funded by small tax increases over time.
No one will loan money to businesses either, and you are not getting any money to buy a house. It would favor those who already own established businesses, as they can just use profits from one to invest in another one.
You realise that the government can (and does) just make new money? There is no need for the government to borrow any money (but it does it anyways for other more complex reasons). And if done in moderation the resulting inflation is in effect identical to taxes, except that it automatically "taxes" the rich more and incurages further investments.
And with sufficient inflation, businesses will have no problem to attract investments as people will want to have investments that retain their value, no interest needed.
Similarly, investing money in houses is sound business when inflation is relatively high, both individually and for housing companies.
But the real problem is anyways not basic interest, but compound interest that forces the borrower to repay the lend amount many times over and still be in debt afterwards.
I think the idea is that you give loans to the needy, and do so out of generosity, hoping to get your money back but not relying on it. It's one of those things where the law does not work without the spirit.
That would mean rich donors end up "lending" money to the government for "no interest". I'm sure in return they would receive zero favors or benefits of any kind.
Like a lot of things in the Bible, it may work for goat herders lost in the Bronze Age desert. But it definitely doesn't literally work today. It didn't even work under the Romans during Jesus's time.
He was like "not a word shall be changed", but also don't worry about tiny details. Regarding keeping Kosher He said, "it's not what goes into your mouth that defiles you, but what comes out." The point is to keep yourself clean, not details about shellfish.
That would mean rich donors end up “lending” money to the government for “no interest”. I’m sure in return they would receive zero favors or benefits of any kind.
That can happen under just about any system.
Yes, but you don't want to make it a primary source for government funding.
Exactly, and no it can't "just happen under any system". Right now the US government is giving out 5.1% interest on risk free Treasury Bills. There's literally no way to bribe the Treasury with free money because everyone and their dog is rushing to lend the government money at those rates.
Right, that's what taxes are for.
I don’t think anyone is saying this is sound economic theory, just that Christianity has a lot of kooky shit that modern Christians are ignorant of and are contradictory to the theocracy they envision.