News Video, Parishioner Donates $3 Million Dollar Lottery Ticket to Long Island Church. (churches, beliefs)

[John1960]

"Unless God drops a couple million on us..."

Breitbart.tv » Parishioner Donates $3 Million Dollar Lottery Ticket to Long Island Church

[CelticLady1]

Nope, I don't think so. I have family and friends to share with, and charities I'd like to give to, (and bills to pay, dang it!). The church is on it's own.

[studedude]

Originally Posted by CelticLady1

Nope, I don't think so. I have family and friends to share with, and charities I'd like to give to, (and bills to pay, dang it!). The church is on it's own.

Let me preface this by saying if it's your money you can do with it what you wish. Your statement that "the church is on it's own" interests me. Where do you think the church gets money to pay utility bills, staff salaries etc? Please do not take this as an attack on your beliefs. I am genuinely curious.

[CelticLady1]

Originally Posted by studedude

Let me preface this by saying if it's your money you can do with it what you wish. Your statement that "the church is on it's own" interests me. Where do you think the church gets money to pay utility bills, staff salaries etc? Please do not take this as an attack on your beliefs. I am genuinely curious.

For one thing, I stopped going to church some years ago, and have no further use for it, so I was speaking in generalities. Secondly, even if I were still going, and even if I decided to donate money, I certainly wouldn't give that amount, (and, by the way, I've been in some churches who say they wouldn't take such "sinful" money, because it came from gambling, 'though I have my doubts that they would hold to such highflung standards, when it comes to such large amounts. I guess I'm a little cynical). And, any amount I gave would be specifically ear-marked for particular ministries that I believed would best benefit, such as a food pantry, pregnancy crisis center, etc., (which, by the way, I can do regardless of whether I am a member of any church). Personally, I think the church is run too much like a business, and money is wasted, right and left, (fancy buildings, eye-catching steeples that reach to the heavens, cushy pews, plush carpet, paid staff, the list goes on). Of course, this is all just my opinion. Everyone is entitled to do as they wish.

[Fundamentalist]

Originally Posted by CelticLady1

For one thing, I stopped going to church some years ago, and have no further use for it, so I was speaking in generalities. Secondly, even if I were still going, and even if I decided to donate money, I certainly wouldn't give that amount, (and, by the way, I've been in some churches who say they wouldn't take such "sinful" money, because it came from gambling, 'though I have my doubts that they would hold to such highflung standards, when it comes to such large amounts. I guess I'm a little cynical). And, any amount I gave would be specifically ear-marked for particular ministries that I believed would best benefit, such as a food pantry, pregnancy crisis center, etc., (which, by the way, I can do regardless of whether I am a member of any church). Personally, I think the church is run too much like a business, and money is wasted, right and left, (fancy buildings, eye-catching steeples that reach to the heavens, cushy pews, plush carpet, paid staff, the list goes on). Of course, this is all just my opinion. Everyone is entitled to do as they wish.

I am sadden to read that you think that way about the church

Acts 2:42; Hebrews 10:25
The Bible tells us that we need to attend church so we can worship God with other believers and be taught His Word for our spiritual growth.

1 Corinthians 12:27
When a person trusts Jesus Christ for salvation, he or she is made a member of the Body of Christ

1 Corinthians 12:14-20
For a church body to function properly, all of its "body parts" need to be present

1 Corinthians 12:21-26
a believer will never reach full spiritual maturity without the assistance and encouragement of other believers

You should go to church even if its a home based church but you must ALWAYS go to church.

[CelticLady1]

Originally Posted by Reformed Liberal

I am sadden to read that you think that way about the church

Acts 2:42; Hebrews 10:25
The Bible tells us that we need to attend church so we can worship God with other believers and be taught His Word for our spiritual growth.

1 Corinthians 12:27
When a person trusts Jesus Christ for salvation, he or she is made a member of the Body of Christ

1 Corinthians 12:14-20
For a church body to function properly, all of its "body parts" need to be present

1 Corinthians 12:21-26
a believer will never reach full spiritual maturity without the assistance and encouragement of other believers

You should go to church even if its a home based church but you must ALWAYS go to church.

Well, I appreciate your sentiment, and I respect your views, but I long since gave up on the notion that I "must ALWAYS go to church", home-based or otherwise. I spent over 35 years in the church, and although it obviously wasn't all bad, when I weigh the good with the bad, the scales don't balance out especially well. I haven't found it to be much of an impediment to my relationship with my Creator, being outside the church walls. I'm not much of a "people person", anyway, and I'm not particularly comfortable trying interact with very many people, on a close, personal, level. There aren't many people to whom I would give permission, if you will, to give me "assistance" in my spiritual growth. And, the church seems to be doing just fine without this particular "body part".