I’m always a bit conflicted on this point. On one hand, a huge amount of church finances go towards sustaining the church (and in many denominations, paying for grand, ostentatious buildings and clothes and even jets for its owner).
On the other hand, every single homeless shelter in a pretty massive radius of me is funded by a church. Like… literally all of them. Without them we would have none in a huge area.
That’s not really an endorsement of churches, its just kind of a critique of the idea that secular groups are a lot more charitable - which I also don’t think is true
I wish I could remember the book that talked about this. But basically, the idea is that Christians would rather give their money to the church and then have that money be used for charitable purposes than to pay taxes, even if that amount would be less.
The main reasons are that Christians feel like they can “control” where the money goes better and, because their giving is optional, they feel good that their money is going toward something good.
Oh and it doesn’t hurt that whatever good they do is a shoehorn for them to proselytize.
I’m always a bit conflicted on this point. On one hand, a huge amount of church finances go towards sustaining the church (and in many denominations, paying for grand, ostentatious buildings and clothes and even jets for its owner).
On the other hand, every single homeless shelter in a pretty massive radius of me is funded by a church. Like… literally all of them. Without them we would have none in a huge area.
That’s not really an endorsement of churches, its just kind of a critique of the idea that secular groups are a lot more charitable - which I also don’t think is true
If only there were other entities that could find public services…
I wish I could remember the book that talked about this. But basically, the idea is that Christians would rather give their money to the church and then have that money be used for charitable purposes than to pay taxes, even if that amount would be less.
The main reasons are that Christians feel like they can “control” where the money goes better and, because their giving is optional, they feel good that their money is going toward something good.
Oh and it doesn’t hurt that whatever good they do is a shoehorn for them to proselytize.
People would be livid to pay an additional 10% in tax. It’s fine when it’s the church though.
Hey as long as it’s not you, am I right??