My message is two fold, and you’ve only seen half of it.
One of the main reasons I fight so hard against organized religion is because of the enormous amount of wasted resources that are poured into churches every week, when there are real people out there needing our help.
I understand that some churches help the homeless and less fortunate from time to time with a ‘percentage’ of the money they receive, but I’m challenging you to take one solid month off from tithing, and put that money directly into the National Coalition for the Homeless. They accept donations as low as $10 right on their website.
To put it into perspective, if every person that read my blog over the weekend, made the minimum donation instead of dropping money into an offering plate, we could have collected nearly $2,000 for the homeless in just 3 days.
If you don’t tithe – visit the other link below, and see how else you can get involved by volunteering your time.
I am not just spreading a message of anti-religion. The other side of that coin is pro-human. We can reach out and help those that need it, even if we don’t agree with the life style they have lived to end up where they are. And we can certainly do that without judging them by religious guidelines. They are human, and so are we.
If you choose to make a donation:
http://www.nationalhomeless.org/getinvolved/donateform.html
7 comments:
Part 1
Thank you Mr. Smalley for listening in on the BlogTalkRadio Thursday night and thank you for your comments and observations as it relates to the bible and why you do not believe it is true. I've read your blog and I sense that you have a deep passion to help people in their places of distress just as I do, but we are just using different resources to accomplish our mission.
My beliefs in God weigh heavily on "plain old" faith. And it is my faith that directs me and helps me to discern the things of this life. To explain faith would be for me to explain that when I sit in a chair it will support me or do the function it was designed to do. It is my past experiences and faith with the chair that helps me to make the judgments I make. For me, it is the same with God. I have had things happen in my life that prove there is a God. And for those that don't want to acknowledge the name God, that's fine, the "I Am, that I Am" works too. To me God is everything and requires no title.
Part 2
The scriptures you highlighted in the bible and some of the reasons you do not believe in it...I can see your point. But I've learn there is a lot more than just reading the bible. I have heard some people say that atheists are not open-minded but I don't believe that to be completely true. And I say this simply because you highlighted text that gives you discouragement, which shows me that you were willing to at least look at it. The same you can say about me, that I am closed-minded but that is not true about all Christians or believers in God. I have sought to understand why atheist feel the way they feel. And the one thing that seems to be missing is faith in something bigger than yourself.
It is hard for me to assume that things exist just because. I look at how the body works, how nature works and how things operate and to just to assume it just happening, I question that. To me opening my eyes to see everything around me directs me back to a "creator" that made me and you.
Your blog highlights the corruption that happens within the realms of religion and I do not deny that; which is unfortunate for those that want to see the world in a better place. You brought to the forefront tithing and offerings, I believe, if managed as God ordained them to be used; would accomplish just as you have stated in your blog with sharing collectively and dispensing to organizations that are meeting the needs. We should be working together, but yet even some of the "churches" have taken on the behaviors of the world, which God is not pleased with.
Part 3
In closing, as it relates to some of the scriptures in the Old and New Testament you highlighted last night. It is my belief you must not only read the bible but also pray in order to see the revelation and partially understand why God does what He does. You mention women in the bible and much of those scriptures that refer to women being silent in the church deals with questions they had during church. Women were literally talking during the time the speaker was presenting, and has nothing to do with sharing God's Word publicly. Other scriptures show proof women were and still should be very active in the witness. (Book of Judges 4).
Without prayer and revelation, many times you will see things at face value and will always look for evidence on why? Can you really explain how your heart works? Can you really explain gravity? Can your really explain why we have the seasons and the way they change at certain times? Where did it all come from? How did it all happen? The Bible says we only know in part but one day will know the whole truth. I pray you will find peace on your journey and thanks for your time.
Minister Tee
What a wonderful comment and a very nice read as it was unjudgemental and fair.
I started going to church in January because I thought it would bring me closer to God. It turns out that the church I attended for 3 weeks seemed to be more about church activities and singing and greeting and I got nothing from it. So I made the decision to find what I was looking for on my own by reading my bible everyday when I get home from work.
In doing so I remember why I put the bible down in the first place and that was because the more I read the more I became afraid as it seemed that my destination to hell was already set. Yet Christ said that all will be forgiven through Him for the asking. It is extremely confusing and scary and I can now understand why people doubt and turn away from its teaching.
An example is in Genesis 28:2-4 it was not only acceptable to marry a family member but it was ordered to Jacob to do so as he was sent to his uncle Laban to marry one of his daughters. Yet in Leviticus 18:6-17 it is ordered to not do this as it brings shame and disgrace on the family.
In addition as you, David have pointed out, the Ten Commandments states thou shalt not kill yet it was ordered that adultery and homeasexualality were reasons to be put to death.
What I would like for you to understand is that none of us have the answers to why things were as they were.Even bible scholars who have spent most of their lives studying the bible can't answer questions like these because its not time for us to know.
I grew up being told (and still hear it to this day) that God can't make a mistake. Yet in Genesis 6:5-7 He admitted that He regretted making the people as they were full of evil and wickedness.So he wiped them out with the great flood.
I've also been told that we are not to question God's actions but this isn't true either as in just one of several examples the bible gives is in Exodus 32:11-14 when God was going to consume the Israelites because of their sins but Moses question His actions and ask Him to remember His promise to Abraham and not do it and God relented.
My point in all of this is that it is my belief that you as a non-believer and we as believers are to do just as we are doing and look for as many answers to as many questions as we can possibly find. While we won't have all our questions answered until He is ready, I believe He expects and wants us to search and find as best we can.But once we find what we are looking for, we must accept that answer whether we like it or not and not deny Him just because we didn't get what we wanted.
As for tithing to a church that may spend the money wrecklessly and for self gain, it is the same as the lady that I told you about who had more groceries in her cart than I did. As she was loading them into her trunk she asked me for one dollar. When I asked her what was wrong as I thought I might be able to help her, she answered "huh"? "I want to go to the store". As she pointed she smiled and when I ignored her she asked me if that was a no. I said it was a no.
You told me I should have given her that dollar as it didn't matter what she was going to do with it but it was that I was giving it to her and a dollar would'nt have been an issue. And you were right. But it wasn't the dollar. It was the unease and distrust about why she wanted it and what was she going to do with all the dollars she intended to collect as I saw her as I was leaving stop an elderly lady. Was she collecting for next weeks groceries or was she collecting for drugs or was she just scamming people and taking advantage of their generousity?
I'm sure I will never know, yet for some reason I don't regret not giving her the dollar. I'm a giving person and I like helping people. I just didn't feel like thats what I would've been doing. Maybe it wasn't my place to decide but I didn't feel it was going to go for good.
Like you feel about tithing to some churches.
I understand your reason for the way you feel about that giving prior reputations of some churches. You have to feel good about your donation otherwise whats the point. We could just find a rich man and give him more money or find a druggie and support his cause.
I would love to find a homeless person who was really trying to better their life and doing everything they can to get off the streets but can't suceed without help. However, I don't want to give to a homeless person who has made this a life choice and is just too lazy and irresponsible to be a productive contribution to society so they set back and live off of the compassion of others.
I didn't intend for my comment to be so long so let me end this by saying that I too have had things happen for me when in desperation and nowhere to turn I dropped to my knees and turned to Him. While I was ashamed that I had ignored Him until I needed Him, He was there. He heard me and He helped me. I knew the instant I got up that I didn't have to worry anymore because the fear had left me. And it proved true and I never forgot Him again. I make a point to just thank Him every single day for all He has given me including my two children that I am so very proud of.
Minister Tee and Anonymous,
You both touched on something very important. The admission exists that essentially, we can't trust the Holy Bible. By that, I mean we really don't 'know' what parts of the Bible are true and which are false; which stories are literal, and which are metaphors or parables; which rules should be followed and which are outdated. These types of discrepancies are why there have been so many schisms in religions. It all boils down to interpretations and accountability of humans.
The question I am asked most often is "Where do you get your morals if there is no god?" That's very simple; the sample place you do.
You can bring up any major controversially moral or ethical conflict, and you will find Christians on both sides of the argument. This reveals that you have no 'absolute source' for morality either. You have basic humanistic principles to live by, that you think come from your god, but ultimately you choose what feels best to you, not what your god wants.
Minister, I want you to know that I appreciate your comment on Atheists; but I assure you, I do much more than read specific scriptures that give me discouragement. I study the Bible as much as you would like your congregation to. From that, I have learned that you, along with every other Christian, Preacher, Priest, Minister, Deacon, theist, follower, churchgoer, etc (‘Anonymous included’) are basically living your own religion, picking and choosing which rules you think apply to you, or that you feel ‘God’ is most focused on. As for the rest, you just repent and hope your apology is enough to be graciously accepted.
The best debate I’ve ever heard was not with an Atheist and Theist, but rather a Baptist and Catholic; because they were both right! They quoted their respective sources and it just happened to be the same book.
With this in mind, and reflecting back on my point of distrust for the Holy Bible, we simply have a difference of perception and approach to problem solving. When I notice multiple discrepancies, suppression of women, the murder of innocence and the sacrificing of animals, I question the validity of the source – and wonder, “if we can’t trust those stories, how can we trust the concept of god altogether which came from this same book?” You on the other hand, think “Well, it’s from God, so it can’t be wrong. Let’s do what we can to make sense of it, and hopefully he will reveal the answers when he’s ready.” That is what’s known as a confirmatory bias in the world of psychology. You have your mind made up of what the answer is, so you only seek facts that support it instead of truly testing it. If any evidence is found refuting your claim, you reject it and become defensive.
In reality, that’s just giving up on yourself and laying your entire life and problems in a god’s hands; because you’ve been told all your life that you’re not strong enough to correct these things on your own. Religion has always been utilized to suppress and control; and I see it continues.
It saddens me to witness it.
I randomly happened upon this blog. I probably won't read it at all, but just know, that tithing is a personal thing between someone who believes in God and God Himself. A strong faith allows a person to tithe responsibly and without guilt. Those who are not strong in their faith or those who do not know God personally may not be able to understand the significance of tithing. The Bible talks more about money than most other subjects. Please don't close on the Bible simply because you don't "get it". You are picking and choosing what you want to be true based on what? You don't even know God personally or even believe in Him apparently. Logically, how can you pretend to understand His written word? Why even try without that first step of faith? I don't start blogs on how I think the physics of time travel is incorrect and that anyone who believes in it is wrong and I cetainly don't petition the goverment to not allow physists on school property because they believe in a science that is unproven. What is truly saddening, is that mankind continues to believe only in himself. Because we are so perfect and we make correct decisions every day. We're infallible and do not make mistakes. I submit to you quite the opposite.
The biggest thing (God is not a thing by my measurement) in this universe is the vacuum of empty space. The space between planets, stars, solar systems, and galaxies. You can't see it, touch it, feel it....but it exists. God exists and is real.
Not only do I tithe, but I give charitably whenever I can. I would suggest that your test can be run successfully while people tithe as well.
Best Regards!!!!
@Minister Tee
Lets assume for a minute that there is a creator. Who are you, or better yet, who are we to know what this creator wants for us if anything at all? People of faith are assuming they know what this "creator" wants when in fact you have no way of knowing or proving that whatsoever.
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