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Are churches leaches to impoverished communities? Or do you think they still serve a positive purpose? Like cementing a community together or something?

StevenMichael 5 July 29
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19 comments

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0

I think so, but churches will argue they offer a valuable service. People don't have to give them money though. It's like the people who sit there watching HSN buying stuff they don't need. A lot of people are easily led. So I think they are predatory, but I also think that people need to take responsibility and recognize when they are being hoodwinked. I know it's not always that easy to tell though.

1

Yes they are leeches. They do offer some benefits to communities, but they often outweighed by the harm they inflict. I always found it morbidly amusing how faith institutions flock to suffering, like flies to a corpse.

1

It made me sick passing through communities in central Idaho where there were few jobs, and what work there was didn't pay much, but there was a top of the line Mormon church sitting in the middle of poverty. I have done construction on those buildings and every piece gets approved worthy or not. To see the followers living how they do, and to give tithe while they go without.....

1

Many are leeches. Many have a net positive impact.

2

There are a lot of churches in the poorer communities that feed a lot of people who can’t afford to eat...

I have read and heard about them but I have never seen one.

@jlynn37 IF they really believe in their "message", you should neither see (unless you need them) or hear from them. If they live according to their book (and the problem is, so few do), they should be quietly going about what they think is right.

But it's the loud ones that give all of them a bad name.

1

I believe they have a limited social benefit to communities but that is all and even in that environment they do a lot of harm due to the "us vs them" mentality.

0

From the outside I see a lot of churches more interested in collecting tithes than helping congregants, and don't even get me started on "mission trips" where everybody in matching T-shirts doles out bowls of rice or oatmeal contingent upon sitting through a recruitment speech. On the other hand, during the months while my critically ill child had to stay in hospital and I was a resident in a nearby Ronald McDonald House, I saw genuinely kind people from church groups making a huge positive difference for families in crisis. That was beautiful.

Deb57 Level 8 July 29, 2018
0

Both.
Maybe.
Possibly.

0

depends on the church i think lotta ones in your country seem to be there to make lifes easier for the ppl running it not so much for the poor and needy but people eh

weeman Level 7 July 29, 2018
0

I think it varies from church to church

5

It depends on the church. It depends on the people.

Keep in mind that both Jimmy Carter and Joel Olsteen are very devout religious men. Olsteen lives in a mansion and hoards his money (that he gets from conning old people). Carter builds houses for Habitat for Humanity.

I think I would enjoy hanging out with Carter. Olsteen, not so much.

Ozman Level 7 July 29, 2018
4

Actually I've received a lot of assistance through local churches. They've helped with rent, food, gas (automotive and housing), and various other things.

While I hate cowing down to a church for assistance, I've seen quite a bit of help from them for the poor.

Mega churches however I've seen as nothing but greedy scumbags syphoning off of innocent people searching for belonging.

1

I dislike churches and could go on for 8 hours about it, but there are good ones out there fighting the good fight, doing “the lords work” if you will.

I worked at a non profit family homeless shelter a few years back and dealt with many local charities and churches. My favorite guy was “bud” a 70 yo pastor from a local church. That guy did more manual labor than most people I know and he turned away no one. Unfortunately, our shelter quit working with him because he didn’t fit a safety standard (meaning, he took people our shelter wouldn’t and surprise, he couldn’t contribute $$ to the shelter). I kept sending food and people his way because fuck my boss.

I think churches are like any other cooperation where the heavy lifting is done by the labor force (volunteers) and the top is concerned only with a bottom line.

Lastly, don’t judge a book by its cover, but absolutely judge a church on its appearance. If it seems nice and the brass is polished, you can tell where their priorities are.

Hail Xenu

Josh87 Level 4 July 29, 2018

you are throwing the example of good people to capture hard working people. The history have heard the good worming Bud stories many time, infact many of us know the knight in shinning armor. Mr, Bud, or Mr God was never here for the poor. Poor would not exist, if its not for the Mr. God. I don't want to be the Mr. God, wait I am wrong gender. Either way I don't want to be Ms God either. No need for God scam. Poor, starvation, war exist so the Mr. Bud, Mr, God or Ms, God can save us. Please, some of us are not only survivor, and are still struggling to breath,, generation after generation. Quit the scam doesn;t work. Yes Mr Bud or Mr God can also work more than 40 hrs and still educate themselves to do the right thing. Yes people can work 40 hr and still go to school to became lawyer, doctors, senators, president. The whole scam need to stop.

0

Something to do sunday morning those without hangover, noticed service start time is not as early as used to be.

0

Churches are definitely leeches. Damage the brains of the youngest, help overseers to keep people subdued. priests are mostly if not all corrupted bunch. While homosexuality occurs in nature in about 17% of population church by celibacy laws designed to preserve the church wealth is at about 78%. (I red the numbers in one study, could not defend it accurately). Note the lie of legal celibacy. In reality priest does have wife called cook and his wife has children that will inherit exactly nothing. Because we paid so much money for oil western governments are now owned by muslims. Fortunately there are 72 kinds and they hate each other. If they would stop they would attack us. (I wonder if 72 muslin flavors are related to 72 virgins they rape as reward for killing people). The muslim owned governments are now ramming muslimism down our throats and up our asses. I am radicalized, fundamentalist born again atheist, but the only legal way I can protest (In many countries islam is outlawed, but for obvious reasons not enforced. I pasted Churchill's gems printed on my walls) is pasting crosses everywhere. On the rear view mirror, front and rear door to the house, on my neck. Churches in collusion with governments also promote overpopulation. Wee are past the point of no return. Our children will hate us, soon and for a good reason.

2

They are leeches. There are other ways to bring people together without dangerous fairytales, lies, and scamming folks out of their money.

1

church spend lot of money in lobbying, the whole idea of not for profit from the time of kings and queens tells you it was always about money. The missionaries are the homeless who go to war torn countries with hidden agenda of supermacy. I am talking history, and nothing have changed. Till church or any other religion stays not for profit, in any country and it interfere with the daily life of people, poverty and suffering will continue. In USA we have mega churches raking in money from the not for profit status and people are coerced to support the gang of religion for there own well being. Biblical religion was created to control. I see how the religious people get to invest before something is approved. Plastic, internet, drugs, and now marijana. There special interest, is to keep people poor, so they can take the front seat, be credited for all the good in the world. Religious people are pretending to save others while filling there own coffers.

Arshi Level 5 July 29, 2018

Halelujah. I would marry you. There are 1170 plus registered religions. I have fun with 27 and sometimes I am asked to respect the religion. I agree wholeheartedly provided they will make it less ridiculous. That usually shuts up the critics. Religion is extremely destructive in a family. My mother a bigoted Catholic and father, cardiologist, atheist, created disfunctional family for us children and for mother who died at 47 of a broken heart what I understand now. My 4th wife of 25 years was screwed up by German Lutheran sect. She still believes that she will sizzle in the eternal fire of hell for living with me.

@Arizonajerry your personal account do not reflect my life. I have no problem getting a date, infact guys see me as trophy so I get treated better than I deserve. My words above are honest and accurate. Religion is a scam and it needs to stop, instead of people joining in creating slaves to serve there purpose, doesn't work. Religious people have tried everything with me to control me, the failed. I feel like monty python trying to save myself from dummies. No one is stupid they consciously choose to do wrong and then hide behind religion. Its all about supremacy. I hear all the time I marry a Hispanic but white is a superior race. We have internet now. I need the king, queen, dissolve. I am not the only one who feel that way. I want these people arrested, its a white color crime. Religious people are leech and cause of discrimination, suffering to support the lazy.

1

Leeches.
Most definitely leeches.
Especially the catholic churches that have turned a blind-eye to pedophile
priests preying on the youngest and most vulnerable.
Yep. Leeches.

0

Die Religion ... ist das Opium des Volkes.... --Karl Marx

he also said that he is not worried about capitalism. they will sell him the rope he will hang them on. I just read that we are doing great. We sold to Muslims more arms in the first 6 months of this year then we sold during all of the last year. Hallelujah.

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