Funny.
Modern church discipline is a form letter. Who knew?
It’s all about $$$. Why? Because it always is...
James 2:14-26
New King James Version (NKJV)
Faith Without Works Is Dead
14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your[a] works, and I will show you my faith by my[b] works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?[c] 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”[d] And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
I’m sorry, but is there actually something about Christianity with either side?
It seems like your average Mosque is more Christian these days than these worship warehouses.
Interesting. Have to think about this one a bit.
So, if you tossed a few bucks into the basket without signing your name then you’re donation wasn’t needed.
I'm not going to judge beyond saying that there is a surplus of nearly empty churches who ask little or nothing from their parishoners and a shortage of crowded churches which do ask something.
The megachurch form of worship is not for me. But they do a lot of people a lot of good. Our voting precinct is at a megachurch. Don't care for the style of worship, but they are nice people. They've always got an information table near the exit and invite departing voters to partake of muffins, cookies and/or coffee when they depart.
Once in a blue moon, I'll even attend a service and leave a couple of bucks in the collection basket out of appreciation for their niceness.
Just another business, none of this, “You received free, give free”, stuff.
At first I thought their Bishops weren’t going to let them attend their temple unless they proved they were tithing 10%.
Then I realized this was a joke. No one in their right mind would give a bishop the power to deny a church member access to their church’s most holy place. That is between the believer and God.
I'm not saying all mega churches are bad, just my experience with the ones I've attended left me feeling like an outsider, very impersonal behavior from supposed Christians.
More like lampooning the whole mega church phenomena.
I prefer how my pastor handled this issue, by teaching!
http://www.legacychurchnm.com/index.cfm/pageid/2532/index.html#la=loaded&h=860&w=1040
I need to think about this one for a while to figure out what spirit this is done with before I could have an opinion to go with my initial reaction.
In the families I grew up in, you were to contribute, not be a burden. Not pulling your own way was definitely a sin in those family situations, as was waiting to be told to do something you saw needed to be done.
I realize that this is satire. But there is an element of truth. For example, no local synagogue will let you be a member unless you tithe. There are reductions for single parents, etc., but no freeloaders.
Good Satire.
Kick out the old, poor and the lame. that is not a good deed.