Too many people don’t realize that giving to false teachers actually puts them under a curse, for they are blessing them in their evil work. 2 John 10-11. Do you believe that God pardons our ignorance until truth comes to light for us? He did it for me. I have also witness people who have sacrificed their time and money in the ministry to the point of exhaustion. Some have left, feeling unappreciated.

It’s happening in an environment where everyone is expected to give more w/o some degree of gratitude from the leadership. it’s absolutely sickening.

Too many people don’t realize that giving to false teachers actually puts them under a curse, for they are blessing them in their evil work. 2 John 10-11.

The first amendment protects the free expression of the opinions and beliefs of religion; but the government can clamp down on its practices when they violate even more basic human rights, such as protection from evil-doers. These con artists are practicing theft by deception against their trusting sheep. The government has every right to step in on them hard, “for they bear not the sword in vain.”

Regarding sacrificial giving, I have no qualms with that. I know that when that type of giving is done, it is helping to satisfy the practical needs of that person versus giving to an institution that is looking to enrich itself at the expense of others.

I think it’s terrible what was done to you and others you know. But perhaps it will help you all to help others who are now being fleeced.

I find, in my obeservation, that parishoners giving the most in these churches are the ones that can least afford to do so. This was evident in voluntary service in the music ministry (I have since stepped down). The majority of those that were giving tithes and offerings (and spending money for matching outfits to appear “in uniform” while singing on the platform) were, in some combination, living with other family members, working multiple low wage jobs, renting and having no vehicle and relying on public transit. In my nearly four years of service, I was the only one having any real “progress” in attaining all in what everyone here was promised and is still pursuing.

The service we “provided” was sincere, in-step with the “give-to-get teaching.” This is in the face of weekly hours’ long rehearsals and providing “live praise and worship” for four services each Sunday, across two locations in PHL and two mid-week services, again at two different locations. However, the cracks in the facade were indeed showing when people were not seeing their promised “manifestation.”

The majority of the people that stepped down from the music ministry have since left the church, after having been bled dry of their time, effort, energy, talent and money. It’s happening in an environment where everyone is expected to give more w/o some degree of gratitude from the leadership. it’s absolutely sickening.

The piece I am curious with centers on the tax deduction issue for parishoners’ financial donations to churches in general. Should the feds and the IRS move to eliminate tax exemption status for the church, not only would the institutions have to pay property and income taxes, but this could likely mean that parishoners may no longer claim financial giving to a church tax deductible.
…
…the parishoners no longer giving b/c of the likely tax deduction elimination

It would be to our benefit if the government did what you said. Because at the moment we are in violation of scripture in how we give, so we can tell government about it for an earthly reward in the form of a tax break. See: Matthew 6.

If people are giving for a sake of a take break alone, they certainly are not at all giving for the glory of God. So if the tax break being removed lowers someone’s donations on that fact alone, it shows where their heart is. Better that they keep their money till their heart is right, rather than be judged for playing God with it.

If the buildings go vacant, maybe homeless people will move in them, read the Bibles minus a pimp and be saved. Then those buildings will finally be used for some real good.