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Tai Chi
Nov 12, 2015 14:35:14 GMT -5
Post by annaj26 on Nov 12, 2015 14:35:14 GMT -5
"Religion is for people who’re afraid of going to hell. Spirituality is for those who’ve already been there." Vine Deloria, Jr. I like that, Jessie. Some of life is indeed a mystery.
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Tai Chi
Nov 13, 2015 16:08:51 GMT -5
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Post by Scottish Lassie on Nov 13, 2015 16:08:51 GMT -5
Every supernatural happening is there to tell you something, It is up to you to work out what it means.But seemingly you are quite happy to leave it as just being something unusual that happened, so that's it.!!! I have had several things happen in my lifetime that I cannot explain. One involved my daughter calling from a vacation in Florida to tell me she had lost her keys and wondering what she should do. About 15 minutes after we hung up, I suddenly knew where her keys were though I had no clues from her at all. I called her back and told her where to look and, sure enough, they were found!. A few more similar things and a couple of others that were more amazing but are personal and I'd rather not get into that. The mind is amazing. Don't ever condescend to people who have had such experiences. They may know more than we do. I'm with you!!!
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Tai Chi
Nov 13, 2015 16:13:41 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by Scottish Lassie on Nov 13, 2015 16:13:41 GMT -5
"Religion is for people who’re afraid of going to hell. Spirituality is for those who’ve already been there." Vine Deloria, Jr. I like that, Jessie. Some of life is indeed a mystery. Aren't we already there at this moment in time?Conditions are very unstable in this world so it must be hell for all those who are in the midst of all the carnage.
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Tai Chi
Nov 13, 2015 16:18:14 GMT -5
Post by beth on Nov 13, 2015 16:18:14 GMT -5
The way I heard that quote ... and I think it was from Judy Collins the folk singer, was, "Religion is for those who are afraid of hell, spirituality is for those who have been there and come back to tell about it."
I think she said that when talking about herself surviving the hell of her son's suicide, but she probably had heard the original and was paraphrasing.
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Tai Chi
Nov 13, 2015 16:29:02 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by Scottish Lassie on Nov 13, 2015 16:29:02 GMT -5
Hi Jessiealan, no!!! We do not support them financially, we do however support those who are interested in joining but are unable to be a paying member. Supporting them financially would be through dues, membership fees, tithes and the like. Any org. like that has to have money, if not from the members then from some other source. I am curious about where their funding comes from. Since yuo're in Australia, do you know of Hillsong Church and Darlene Zschech. I have a friend who was very fond of her music at one time. Hi Jessiealan, I have come across it at one time, but did not investgate further. The money that ECKANKAR uses for any purposes is donated by members as well as their yearly membership fees.
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Tai Chi
Nov 14, 2015 6:00:07 GMT -5
Post by mouse on Nov 14, 2015 6:00:07 GMT -5
membership fee,s...for religious thinking I can go with donations freely given..collections etc ...but memebership fee,s..even Rome doesn't go down that road
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Post by beth on Nov 14, 2015 8:58:28 GMT -5
Hmmm ... I don't *think* churches here do membership fees though they do encourage tithing. Would they drop members who missed a payment? I guess it means they don't accept people with low incomes who can't afford the fees.
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Post by men an tol on Oct 20, 2016 21:32:57 GMT -5
Hmmm ... I don't *think* churches here do membership fees though they do encourage tithing. Would they drop members who missed a payment? I guess it means they don't accept people with low incomes who can't afford the fees. I suspect that it varies from religious group to religious group. Tithing in my experience is usually considered about 5% of one’s annual income, but that may vary a great deal and I’m not sure that all churches tithe. People of more substantial worth often give more and leave large amounts in their wills. In one local church there was recently a discussion about the projected income. The membership has been declining and the average age has been decreasing. The older group who has typically had the extra income to provide for special projects is getting smaller. It is beginning to look like the future (financially speaking) is not looking very good. This is also happening in the fraternal organizations. It appears that as the older generation is passing, donations are decreasing. Some say there is a connection between growing governmental providing funds to increasing numbers of people and a growing relationship to decreasing donations.
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Post by beth on Oct 20, 2016 21:49:19 GMT -5
Hmmm ... I don't *think* churches here do membership fees though they do encourage tithing. Would they drop members who missed a payment? I guess it means they don't accept people with low incomes who can't afford the fees. I suspect that it varies from religious group to religious group. Tithing in my experience is usually considered about 5% of one’s annual income, but that may vary a great deal and I’m not sure that all churches tithe. People of more substantial worth often give more and leave large amounts in their wills. In one local church there was recently a discussion about the projected income. The membership has been declining and the average age has been decreasing. The older group who has typically had the extra income to provide for special projects is getting smaller. It is beginning to look like the future (financially speaking) is not looking very good. This is also happening in the fraternal organizations. It appears that as the older generation is passing, donations are decreasing. Some say there is a connection between growing governmental providing funds to increasing numbers of people and a growing relationship to decreasing donations. That doesn't sound right to me. I think most working people would be a little reluctant to a required donation in a church or religious organization if it cut into their personal needs. Churches usually DO encourage tithing, and by the way, it's usually 10%, but it isn't a requirement for membership. They also have "special offerings" during which they pass the plate for cash or checks to be used for special needs. Not sure what those consist of now, but they used to be for "missions", to pay "revival" guest ministers and for upgrades to the building and grounds. There are undoubtedly exceptions. Most local churches are not rip off artists. Those usually give a hard sell via television and radio.
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Post by men an tol on Oct 20, 2016 22:12:18 GMT -5
I suspect that it varies from religious group to religious group. Tithing in my experience is usually considered about 5% of one’s annual income, but that may vary a great deal and I’m not sure that all churches tithe. People of more substantial worth often give more and leave large amounts in their wills. In one local church there was recently a discussion about the projected income. The membership has been declining and the average age has been decreasing. The older group who has typically had the extra income to provide for special projects is getting smaller. It is beginning to look like the future (financially speaking) is not looking very good. This is also happening in the fraternal organizations. It appears that as the older generation is passing, donations are decreasing. Some say there is a connection between growing governmental providing funds to increasing numbers of people and a growing relationship to decreasing donations. That doesn't sound right to me. I think most working people would be a little reluctant to a required donation in a church or religious organization if it cut into their personal needs. Churches usually DO encourage tithing, and by the way, it's usually 10%, but it isn't a requirement for membership. They also have "special offerings" during which they pass the plate for cash or checks to be used for special needs. Not sure what those consist of now, but they used to be for "missions", to pay "revival" guest ministers and for upgrades to the building and grounds. There are undoubtedly exceptions. Most local churches are not rip off artists. Those usually give a hard sell via television and radio. Your points are good ones Beth and your right, tithing is normally 10%. Even so, as government involvement grows it does seem to have a negative impact on donations.
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Deleted
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Tai Chi
Oct 20, 2016 22:21:19 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Oct 20, 2016 22:21:19 GMT -5
That doesn't sound right to me. I think most working people would be a little reluctant to a required donation in a church or religious organization if it cut into their personal needs. Churches usually DO encourage tithing, and by the way, it's usually 10%, but it isn't a requirement for membership. They also have "special offerings" during which they pass the plate for cash or checks to be used for special needs. Not sure what those consist of now, but they used to be for "missions", to pay "revival" guest ministers and for upgrades to the building and grounds. There are undoubtedly exceptions. Most local churches are not rip off artists. Those usually give a hard sell via television and radio. Your points are good ones Beth and your right, tithing is normally 10%. Even so, as government involvement grows it does seem to have a negative impact on donations. most tithing is recommended 10% but there is no command in the new testament to do so...1 Cor 16.
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Tai Chi
Oct 20, 2016 22:30:25 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Oct 20, 2016 22:30:25 GMT -5
"Religion is for people who’re afraid of going to hell. Spirituality is for those who’ve already been there." Vine Deloria, Jr. I like that, Jessie. Some of life is indeed a mystery. troubles on this earth will never equal hell.
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Post by men an tol on Oct 21, 2016 1:03:01 GMT -5
Your points are good ones Beth and your right, tithing is normally 10%. Even so, as government involvement grows it does seem to have a negative impact on donations. most tithing is recommended 10% but there is no command in the new testament to do so...1 Cor 16. Aye, quite right Chefmat51, if there were such a command it would negate the individual freewill and begin to look more like Islam.
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Tai Chi
Oct 21, 2016 4:41:26 GMT -5
Post by mouse on Oct 21, 2016 4:41:26 GMT -5
most tithing is recommended 10% but there is no command in the new testament to do so...1 Cor 16. Aye, quite right Chefmat51, if there were such a command it would negate the individual freewill and begin to look more like Islam. deed it would
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Tai Chi
Oct 21, 2016 13:39:07 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2016 13:39:07 GMT -5
most tithing is recommended 10% but there is no command in the new testament to do so...1 Cor 16. Aye, quite right Chefmat51, if there were such a command it would negate the individual freewill and begin to look more like Islam. alot of churches I've attended expect 10% but that puts a strain on lower income people; I like the apostle Paul's guidance as it takes off the "you MUST do this" burden laid on people. It was a requirement in the old testament. We are still expected to give offerings and alms on top of the money set aside each week. I attended a Jimmy Swaggart crusade back in the 80's before all his troubles and I didn't like the way he collected money. I had no problem with the buckets being passed around but when he announced "if you give $100, you can come forward to receive your Jimmy Swaggart bible and meet Jimmy Swaggart". That violated Matthew 6:1....it immediately placed audience members into different classes of people....the well off got to show off.
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