my friend asked me a good question and I had no answer. Where do churches of mainstream religions get their dough? i'm talking about christian and jews etc. don't bring up some weird-fuck cult.

do preists still live in churches? do they get a salary? how does it all work? or is it like a part time thing now? a volunteer service you could say. i'm really confused.

keep it regarding to America since I read some European countries have a church tax where you are taxed depending on the church you go to and that money is then given to your respective church.

but yeah, do church ministers and whatever get their dough through donations only? does the state sponsor their ass? i don't get it. not talking about their tax exemption but, does the government give them my tax money too?

Yeah, "donations", more like extortion, and tax exemption certainly doesn't hurt. Suckers donate money to absolve themselves of guilt. This album cover... covers it pretty well:

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/336/folderen9.jpg

Tithing and fundraisers. If the congregation is sizeable and all donate 10% of their earnings, then that can work out to be a pretty good operating fund. Their expenses would be the Pastor's salary, the utilities, the bookkeeping/secretarial fees (unless it was a volunteer position) and the mortgage note unless the building was paid off or donated.

Where do churches of mainstream religions get their dough?

Through voluntary donations.

do preists still live in churches?

I can't recall the exact name of the building they live in, but for the most part, yes.

do they get a salary?

Depending on the denomination, yes. For others, they may receive a percentile portion of the donations.

how does it all work?

As with most things in the religious community, it is more a case-by-case basis. Some portion of time is dedicated, with a larger portion being optional.

or is it like a part time thing now? a volunteer service you could say. i'm really confused.

It depends on the church and the wishes of the elders/congregation. Some church members volunteer, some are paid for dedicated services. If you go to a specific church, you could get a better picture of how tithing and the disbursement of the donations are spent by asking its treasurer.

but yeah, do church ministers and whatever get their dough through donations only?

Yes.

does the state sponsor their ass?

Not for their religious activities, but if they work in a NFP or NP charity organization, then they may receive taxpayer funding for the salaries of service professionals (secretaries, doctors, nurses, etc). For the most part though, NFP and NP organizations thrive off of voluntary donations.

i don't get it. not talking about their tax exemption but, does the government give them my tax money too?

Not for their religious activities, but again, taxpayer money may be going to a priest who volunteers at or works for a NFP or NP apart from his duties as bishop/priest/pastor/deacon, etc.

An important distinction should be noticed though: Some organizations are ran by Christian/religious groups, but because their services are not directly religious, they are eligible for government grants/loans. One example of this would be a Christian private school; their primary purpose is to provide an education. Such an organization may receive taxpayer money for any purpose that does not support the religion itself, but its goal of education.

The Album cover only is for those fundamentalist baptist and other protestant denominations. Forgiveness isn't and should be used as a scare tactic because well its just not right it should be genuine for you not coerced....

Money comes from *cough* donations. The MONEY back in the beginning was used to buy the three basic needs to survive and that money was redistributed to those who needed it. Therefore, religion and its relation to $$$ has changed over the years. Now its for personal gain and sociopolitical control. It wasn't always the case... Than again in the earlier days it wasn't state run and institutionalized as well.

Yeah, "donations", more like extortion, and tax exemption certainly doesn't hurt. Suckers donate money to absolve themselves of guilt. This album cover... covers it pretty well:

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/336/folderen9.jpg

Death \m/

Chuck was an amazing musician!


Anywho. Church has always gotten money, I have yet to see a truly poor church.

Why does a church really need money? Shouldn't god give out some cash or something to help out his minions?

I have yet to see a truly poor church.
same here

same here

They're all over the place...they just don't stand out like the rich churches...you know, because they can't afford massive sanctuaries and big signs.

The government donates "charity funds" to the churches. Not much......usually in the tens of millions. Then they use it to build more churches, which increases their net worth, and banks also donate money as a "charitable cause". It's not because they like it, believe it or whatever, it's because they are scared of it. They dont understand it, so they pay it money so it goes away and stays in the background.

Unless all these powerful religious institutions are working with our supposed Secular Governments in attempts to control people. The ultimate fact is that it may even pay them as a means to keep the general populace under control.... Since that is what most society model religions do: Value Submission to Society, Moral Control Valves and other similar divisional principles.

Most of your smaller churches belong to a bigger corporate group. Money is funneled from the bottom (smaller churches) to the top (God....I mean a CEO).

Church is a business. It is a multi-billion dollar business.

They get their money from dipshits who fork it over after a man screams at them for half an hour about how shameful, evil, and disgusting they all are, how they cannot ever help this b/c they were born that way, and a zombie man is there only hope to not burn forever in agony.

I am still amazed the shit works. It is like a pimp smacking around a ho until she feels so worthless she fucks whatever he tells her to and GIVES him the money. I think from a psychology standpoint the mentality of both a whore and a tithing christian theist are not very different at all.

I think from a psychology standpoint the mentality of both a whore and a tithing christian theist are not very different at all.

Can I quote you on that in another thread? I know a certain rabbit that could have a field day with this statement...

Heh :D

What of us who tithe because we hear on an invariable basis a message of love, tolerance, and acceptance?

Where the fuck do you people go to church where the pastor could even get away with the shit you talk about? I've only been to Baptist and S.D. Adventist churches, and I've never heard any of the shit you guys claim is said. Invariably, I hear talk of love, tolerance, and acceptance. The topic does occasionally get to that of hellfire, but I've never heard a single pastor talk about it without quoting thus, "Love covers all sins," and then talking about more love, tolerance, acceptance. It seems to me, that the topic of Hell is only brought up as a transitive topic to excuse talking about more 'Christ-like' living.

Serious guys, where the fuck did you go to church where you got the 'repent and confess now or suffer eternal agony' message?

\
Serious guys, where the fuck did you go to church where you got the 'repent and confess now or suffer eternal agony' message?

The 'Fire and Brimstone' style of preaching became popular during the Great awakening in the 1700s. Some of it still happens today; most notably Jehovah's Witnesses and others of the proportionally smaller sects practice this method.

Where the fuck do you people go to church where the pastor could even get away with the shit you talk about? I've only been to Baptist and S.D. Adventist churches, and I've never heard any of the shit you guys claim is said. Invariably, I hear talk of love, tolerance, and acceptance. The topic does occasionally get to that of hellfire, but I've never heard a single pastor talk about it without quoting thus, "Love covers all sins," and then talking about more love, tolerance, acceptance. It seems to me, that the topic of Hell is only brought up as a transitive topic to excuse talking about more 'Christ-like' living.

Serious guys, where the fuck did you go to church where you got the 'repent and confess now or suffer eternal agony' message?

Ever been to the dirty South, Hex? Kneeled on raw white rice in a corner till your knees bled for hours on end while having the entire sunday school class pray for you as the teacher describes to everyone how the devil is "winning" this soul that it's liable to drag straight down to hell?

Ever had your knuckles bloodied and made to suck on a bar of lye soap while you prayed outloud to Jesus to forgive you for repeating a phrase you heard on a television (non-approved) sitcom?

What about being told that before you burn, you're going to watch your bastardized parents burn in front of you because you were born out of unwed sin and evil?

You should imagine being convinced that Satan made you pretty, just so he could use you as a tool to tempt other souls into the bowels of hell.

Don't be so naive. It's not all potlucks and socials for everyone. I've visited "normal" churches, where the people were quite kind and friendly, and non-intrusive. But I'll never forget some of the seedier backwoods tabernacles, and you should make yourself aware of it, too. After all, it's your God that they have gone apeshit berserk over. They read from the same Bible as you. As a Christian, this should be a pretty big affront to your senses.

The 'Fire and Brimstone' style of preaching became popular during the Great awakening in the 1700s. Some of it still happens today; most notably Jehovah's Witnesses and others of the proportionally smaller sects practice this method.

You've clearly never visited the South, either.

'Fire and Brimstone' style of preaching is very much alive today, most notably some sects of Pentecostal AND backwoods Baptist fundies.

These people aren't media-loving whores like the big-box churches and the suburbia activity centers that double as churches in the larger towns and cities, so you just don't hear about their rituals in the news.

I've gone to mass at a very large, very elaborate Catholic church every Christmas and Easter with my ex in-laws, because they're very kind people and they enjoy having me in their company. It's a pleasant, peaceful and relaxing experience - a far cry from some of the sideshows I've seen growing up. It's actually pretty chill.

Did neither of you watch the documentary "Jesus Camp"? There was more talk of hell, damnation and biblical violence in that 70 minute flick than you'd believe. It's sugarcoated with a real bubble of fellowshipping and goodwill, but if you actually count the number of times she threatens those kids with the image of a fiery, eternal hell or that big, bad monster Satan who is after their souls, you'd be shocked.

^This brings to mind my grandmother's funeral--she was a hard-shell southern Baptist.

The minister (who didn't even know her) got into the resurrection of the body stuff, and all I could think of was Night of the Living Dead.

Some people have commented that some of my ideas (pretty much none of which are original BTW) were far out--but the nuttiest metaphysics I have ever encountered were Christian.

I fail to see how any intelligent and thoughtful person could take much of the Bible literally, or even very seriously.

You've clearly never visited the South, either.

'Fire and Brimstone' style of preaching is very much alive today, most notably some sects of Pentecostal AND backwoods Baptist fundies.

These people aren't media-loving whores like the big-box churches and the suburbia activity centers that double as churches in the larger towns and cities, so you just don't hear about their rituals in the news.

I've gone to mass at a very large, very elaborate Catholic church every Christmas and Easter with my ex in-laws, because they're very kind people and they enjoy having me in their company. It's a pleasant, peaceful and relaxing experience - a far cry from some of the sideshows I've seen growing up. It's actually pretty chill.

Did neither of you watch the documentary "Jesus Camp"? There was more talk of hell, damnation and biblical violence in that 70 minute flick than you'd believe. It's sugarcoated with a real bubble of fellowshipping and goodwill, but if you actually count the number of times she threatens those kids with the image of a fiery, eternal hell or that big, bad monster Satan who is after their souls, you'd be shocked.

Virginia is considered south, but I have never been any farther. I just told him what I knew. I didn't say it wasn't alive today, in fact I said it was alive today. Not to mention you repeated what I said. "most notably some sects of Pentecostal AND backwoods Baptist fundies." I said that it is also in existence in small sects of christianity. Although I forgot to mention its existence in Evangelicalism, however not as prominent. Why are you being such a hard ass?

Virginia is considered south, but I have never been any farther. I just told him what I knew. I didn't say it wasn't alive today, in fact I said it was alive today. Not to mention you repeated what I said. "most notably some sects of Pentecostal AND backwoods Baptist fundies." I said that it is also in existence in small sects of christianity. Although I forgot to mention its existence in Evangelicalism, however not as prominent. Why are you being such a hard ass?

Wow. If my post came off as sounding hostile, I truly didn't intend for it to. I never refuted your post, except to emphasize "very much alive" versus "some of it still happens", and I was drawing upon my own experiences in my own region, which is about as far South as you can get in the U.S.

I was addressing Hex's surprise and wonder that churches like that actually did still exist in America - and they're not as isolated as one might think. I guess compared to religion worldwide, or country-wide, it may appear to be only the "small sects". But if you look at individual states like Arkansas and Louisiana, they're more numerous, especially in the more rural, backwoods areas.

I was curious to learn if either of you had watched Jesus Camp, and was hoping to get your views towards it if you had.

I assure you: I wasn't being a hard ass.

Wow. If my post came off as sounding hostile, I truly didn't intend for it to. I never refuted your post, except to emphasize "very much alive" versus "some of it still happens", and I was drawing upon my own experiences in my own region, which is about as far South as you can get in the U.S.

I was addressing Hex's surprise and wonder that churches like that actually did still exist in America - and they're not as isolated as one might think. I guess compared to religion worldwide, or country-wide, it may appear to be only the "small sects". But if you look at individual states like Arkansas and Louisiana, they're more numerous, especially in the more rural, backwoods areas.

I was curious to learn if either of you had watched Jesus Camp, and was hoping to get your views towards it if you had.

I assure you: I wasn't being a hard ass.

I probably misinterpreted from when you said that it was still very much alive; I took it as implying I meant otherwise. Hard asses for no one. Thanks for taking time to clear this up.

Tithes or donations.

My uncle is a Catholic priest. He lives in a house across the street from the church at which he says mass. The Catholic Church pays him a yearly salary. He gets payed less than $35,000 a year. But they also cover expenses like car payments and health insurance for him.

Catholics aren't required to pay a tithe, but a collection plate is passed around every week at Sunday mass. People usually throw in a few bucks. There are also the occasional fund raisers.

Thanks for taking time to clear this up.

My pleasure :)

Most of your smaller churches belong to a bigger corporate group. Money is funneled from the bottom (smaller churches) to the top (God....I mean a CEO).

Church is a business. It is a multi-billion dollar business.

They get their money from dipshits who fork it over after a man screams at them for half an hour about how shameful, evil, and disgusting they all are, how they cannot ever help this b/c they were born that way, and a zombie man is there only hope to not burn forever in agony.

I am still amazed the shit works. It is like a pimp smacking around a ho until she feels so worthless she fucks whatever he tells her to and GIVES him the money. I think from a psychology standpoint the mentality of both a whore and a tithing christian theist are not very different at all.

LoL, Im sorry but the Gnostic Churches have no "bigger corporate group" what they have is grassroots churches which are voluntarily funded by the the laity. Then again Gnostic Churches are not very big and are rathersmall like the size of a chapel.

The "Guilt Trip" Marketing is evil I agree 100% but not all churches preach this way. I would be more inclined to goto a church that promotes Tolerance, Peace, Love and Following and Becoming The Living Christ than worshipping the Christ stuck in Time and Space. Ultimately in my view Christians are in nostalgia waiting for Christ to come again in the form of Jesus, Gnostics are aware of the Living Prenscence of Christ in their life and seek to model it.

Whichever way you turn it the world religions have ironically enough become obbsesed with the world... :/

Yeah, my church is not like that at all(Catholic), people just throw in a buck or two at mass. I think some parishioner gave the priest a BMW to drive. A pretty nice one, but hes a parish priest so no real vow of poverty. Most of the money collected goes toward paying the mortgage of the buildings and the rest goes to Youth programs, homeless programs, and etc.

Most of your smaller churches belong to a bigger corporate group. Money is funneled from the bottom (smaller churches) to the top (God....I mean a CEO).

Church is a business. It is a multi-billion dollar business.

They get their money from dipshits who fork it over after a man screams at them for half an hour about how shameful, evil, and disgusting they all are, how they cannot ever help this b/c they were born that way, and a zombie man is there only hope to not burn forever in agony.

I am still amazed the shit works. It is like a pimp smacking around a ho until she feels so worthless she fucks whatever he tells her to and GIVES him the money. I think from a psychology standpoint the mentality of both a whore and a tithing christian theist are not very different at all.

This.

LoL, Im sorry but the Gnostic Churches have no "bigger corporate group" what they have is grassroots churches which are voluntarily funded by the the laity. Then again Gnostic Churches are not very big and are rather small like the size of a chapel.

The "Guilt Trip" Marketing is evil I agree 100% but not all churches preach this way. I would be more inclined to goto a church that promotes Tolerance, Peace, Love and Following and Becoming The Living Christ than worshipping the Christ stuck in Time and Space. Ultimately in my view Christians are in nostalgia waiting for Christ to come again in the form of Jesus, Gnostics are aware of the Living Prescence of Christ in their life and seek to model it.

Whichever way you turn it the world religions have ironically enough become obsessed with the world... :/

Again...