The movie, "The Sting," reminds me of the illusions created and used by religion to gain monetary benefit. One of the scenes in the movie has the following dialog:
Gondorf: It's not like playing winos. You can't outrun Lonnegan.
Hooker: I don't play for winos.
Gondorf: You've got to keep his con after you take his money. He can't know you took him.
Profound logic.
When they ask you to "tithe" who gets the money?
Do these "megachurches" and their corporate execs live lives of poverty and good deeds?
I wrote a poem years ago when Jimmy Swaggart was caught in his little episode with prostitutes. The title was "Leap of Faith." It asked a similar question.
The answer is often, no. They live in mansions with servants, gardeners, gold faucets and elaborate dog houses.
Maybe there is something wrong with the system...
Do you give to your favorite church? Do you tithe the requested 10% or more to seek the favor of GOD or whatever entity it is supposed to serve?
Think about this: Religion in the United States exists tax free. They pay no property taxes, income taxes, corporate business taxes or any other taxes which benefit the American economy. If you look at median US income on Wikipedia you will find this statistic: Household income is measured in various ways. One key measure is the real median level, meaning half of households have income above that level and half below, adjusted for inflation. According to the Federal Reserve, this measure was $51,939 in 2013, below the 1999 peak of around $57,000.[1] The Census Bureau estimated real median household income at $53,657 for 2014 and $54,462 in 2015. Household income varies by race, with Asians the highest in 2014 at over $74,000 and African Americans the lowest around $35,000.
According to the Tax Foundation the following is true for the average American: The Average U.S. Worker Pays over $16,000 in Income and Payroll Taxes June 23, 2014 By Andrew Lundeen The average U.S. worker faces a tax burden of 31.3 percent. This includes both income taxes and payrolls taxes. Between these two types of taxes, the average U.S. workers pays over $16,000 in taxes on their labor. The tax burden is a combination of income taxes at the federal, state, and local levels as well as the employee and the employer payroll taxes. Of the 31.3 percent tax burden, 15.4 percent is due to income taxes and 15.9 percent is due to payroll taxes, over half of which is paid by the employer on the employee’s behalf. (Workers pay the cost of the employer-side payroll taxes through lower wages.) In total, the average worker pays $8,196 in income taxes and $8,462 in payroll taxes, which are meant to fund programs such as Social Security and Medicare. In the absence of the $16,658 in taxes and any benefits they provide, the average worker would take home $53,223 in income, as opposed to the current after-tax income of $36,564 for the average worker. Add to this property taxes, sales taxes, fuel taxes and all the rest and it's a heavy burden for an average person or family.
Now, think about the churches. Lets not focus on the "megachurches." that would involve astronomical numbers. Lets assume you attend a small, local church with 100 members. If every member averages $30,000 income (below the average in our country) and "tithes" 10%, that's $300,000 tax free. Multiply that by thousands and you have the TV evangelists and "megachurches."
Does anyone else see a problem with this system? Wouldn't taxing the religious organizations give more help to the hungry, homeless and poverty stricken in our society? It would add billions to the country's programs for the poor. And isn't that what most of these religious folks say when they shamelessly ask you to "tithe?"
I expect a little heat for this blog. After all, there are thirteen or fourteen million people in this country who think Donald Trump should be president. But there are more of us I think who see the "Wizard" behind the curtain. Too many movie references? Then I'll say it like I did in my "Leap of Faith" poem. There are charlatans and con men in religion today as there always have been. They say "send the money to Jesus but make the check out to me."
I say it's time for a change.
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As a Bible-thumping, Holy Spirit fire-filled Christian, this may come as a surprise to you and perhaps other readers, but I generally agree with your religious dissertation, but not for the reasons you stated.
Unfortunately, tens of thousands of mostly good-intended people went to seminaries or Bible colleges, to start a church to do "God's" work. During this time of their academia, they learned the Bible, but never quite understood it. Big Difference!
For one thing, tithing was instituted by God to the Jewish people in the Old Testament. Only farmers and husbandry (animal raisers) were to tithe 10% of their abundance. The farmers would usually leave a section of crops and fruit trees each year or more often to the poor to come and harvest. The husbandry would often provide animals for sacrifice at the synagogue or for personal use. Never were the Gentiles (non-Jewish) to take part. The Old Testament is obsolete now, except for the still orthodox Jews who refuse to accept Jesus as their Messiah.
Any religious leader today who states his or her followers are supposed to tithe 10% or more of their income is simply tricking them into religious abuse. This doesn't mean they can't ask their followers for donations or offerings to help pay the light bill or whatever.
However, Jesus never told anyone to start a religion. He never stated they should go to a seminary or religious college. He said that He would send His spirit to individually teach and guide (disciple) us into all truth.
This is our personal responsibility, to seek God with all of our inner beings until He reveals Himself to us. Then repent, ask Him to save us, and be baptized in his Holy Spirit of fire to receive whatever spiritual gifts He gives us. Then go into the world and exercise them according to how He directs us.
The religious leaders who are hoarding the two mites from the widow woman have received their rewards in this life, but not the next. After all, Jesus didn't come to beat up on the IRS of His day, but the Jewish religious leaders in the synagogues and temple, because they were taxing the poor into greater poverty and starvation. People today just need to follow Jesus and actually read what the Bible says, and not follow the religious ilk who distort the Bible for their personal gain.
On the other hand, churches hold some of the best and most expensive urban property in the land. While it is wonderful to see an ancient little church hold off Trump like skyscrapers from taking its building in the mega-city, these churches also have some of the richest patrons who own those skyscrapers in their flocks. Some reasonable property tax could be leveled on those valuable holdings.
Whether it be satire or the gospel truth, I won't fault an article like this that pokes holes in life's strange little anomalies.
Ron
At best, most of us take a leap of faith on a daily basis, be it monetary or otherwise.
Your well-written article should invite more spirited discussion.