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Nah. I pass by multiple churches on the way to work (I especially like the ones that are behind key coded gates...) and I feel no guilt. I actually feel sorry for the people who believe in that stuff, but that's a totally different thread in itself
I was involved with community service in my county for 11 years through my 4H club. I was a county All Star, community service leader/Jr. Leader among other projects and got to see first hand who did what in my community.
From my experience, the churches (about 1 church for every 700 people, mostly Christian, 2 or 3 Jewish temples, 1 Islamic temple) all put together did not do as much as my community service group of about 30 youths (ages 6-10). Of course, the churches did bake sales, and rummage sales, but it was rarely for the betterment of the community. Usually it was to help a fellow member (which was great, believe me...but if that person wasn't a member, they would have been turned away) or to raise money for church stuff.
We invited many church and youth groups to join us in volunteering and would usually get no word back, or a letter stating they donated to missionary/church programs only and would not be able to help. I guess telling people in Africa about Jesus was far more important than helping homeless/scared/battered women/children right here at home.
Sorry, I have no respect for the majority of churches out there.
Your unproven, subjective life experiences count for squat my friend.
Why is it wrong to post hate speech against gays and people of color and alright to bash religion and churces. Especially Catholics and the Catholic Church?
It's hate speech, pure and simple.
Many Churches still run schools that get no subsidy from the Government. Parents of these students pay their school tax and then have to pay an additional tuition to send their kids to these parochial schools. These parents get no tax break. Yet they are educated and become contributing citizens. To be fair, the government should subsidize or make allowances for all the subjects taught except Religion.
In my city there are many religious run hospitals that provide emergency care and health services; many times for free or a slight nominal fee, that is not reimbursed by the government.
My church runs a food pantry for poor folks. They help people with all sorts of related problems. They don't evangelize unless asked and yet they get nothing in return except a thanks occassionally.
Can you say that about your community group?
And you volunteered at any of these churches, how often?
So when all these do-gooder churches close their doors they can come over to you for help, right?
I did a quick google map of my town (14,000 residents) and the town near me (10,000 residents) and there are 33 churches. THIRTY THREE. Is that really necessary? I pass 9 on my 12 mile drive to work.
Not really necessary!
If we could get them all to convert to a single denomination, I'm sure a few of them could be closed.
BTW, in those two towns, how many stores are there?
Is it really necessary to have that many stores?
wouldn't just a few stores make more sense?
Your unproven, subjective life experiences count for squat my friend.
Why is it wrong to post hate speech against gays and people of color and alright to bash religion and churces. Especially Catholics and the Catholic Church?
It's hate speech, pure and simple.
Many Churches still run schools that get no subsidy from the Government. Parents of these students pay their school tax and then have to pay an additional tuition to send their kids to these parochial schools. These parents get no tax break. Yet they are educated and become contributing citizens. To be fair, the government should subsidize or make allowances for all the subjects taught except Religion.
In my city there are many religious run hospitals that provide emergency care and health services; many times for free or a slight nominal fee, that is not reimbursed by the government.
My church runs a food pantry for poor folks. They help people with all sorts of related problems. They don't evangelize unless asked and yet they get nothing in return except a thanks occassionally.
Can you say that about your community group?
And you volunteered at any of these churches, how often?
So when all these do-gooder churches close their doors they can come over to you for help, right?
Sorry the above is not "hate speech". It's just you playing the role of the perpetual victim.
In my area, there is a very large Evangelical Church that has aspirations of building to become a super mega church! They have been soliciting donations from the congregation in a big way, right smack in the middle of a recession!
Some examples of this are:
the church pressured the congregates to give their stimulus check sent out the spring of 2008,
they met with each member individually in order to "counsel" them on a personal scale of what they are able to contribute,
and finally
the good old, "if you are truly a Christian, you will give." sermon.
Nothing is in the plans of this church to feed or provide shelter for people facing hardship. Just a mega church that makes the pastor a star while the parishioners sacrifice during hard times.
And you of course don't belong to this evil church, or any church for that matter. And of course you have gone out of your way to contribute your time and money to provide shelter and food for the people facing hardship.
Right. So "separation of church and state" is a "living" phrase. For some reason that doesn't surprise me. Apparently that wall has a "liberal" key with an adjustment for its height. You don't want religious laws enacted upon you but you don't mind the state taxing and making decisions in the way they're run.
Thankfully much smarter people actually interpret law than the few anti-religious folks in here.
What does taxing churches have to do with separation of church and state?
What does taxing churches have to do with separation of church and state?
If the church comes on hard times and can't pay the taxes then it will be seized by the state. Then you have a government that's suppose to be completely apart from religious activities in ownership of a church. In other words The Church of the United States... Of course all that disregards the actual roles that churches play in local communities. For the ten or so people in here that can only seem to think of bad things they do there are thousands that more that can attest to seeing positive things that churches do for their community. Of course all that information is available and very easily found if you'd just look.
They'd be fine if they had invited all politicians to attend. It just so happens that's not the case.. It's pretty sad the first thing you see is racism though.
Last edited by BigJon3475; 12-30-2009 at 07:39 AM..
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