I hope you got your big boy pants on because this is going to hurt.
The church started the whole thing. As I understand it, and I could be wrong about this so feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but, as I understand it, this first "act of Congress" was to fund missionaries to Haiti.
That is to say, the first people to rely on other people's money instead of trusting God to provide for them was our fellow Christians.
And it continues to this day. The church I used to attend had a Grant Writer on staff. His or her sole job was applying for other people's money to pay for this or that church "ministry". Whether it be marriage counseling and seminars or drug counseling and halfway houses or any other number of good works.
Commence flaming.
AMEN!!! Pastors and many republicans have destroyed America...judgement is falling.
“His or her sole job was applying for other people’s money to pay for this or that church ‘ministry’.”
I guess that depends on the church and/or denomination. If Dad noticed visitors in the congregation, before offering was taken he announced that offering was only for members and regular attendees. It wasn’t the responsibility of other to contribute.
We also didn’t do bazaars, bake sales, or any other revenue-generating events unless it was just among members. It was the “money changers in the temple” thing.
Wow! I go to a small Southern Baptist Church. We are far from perfect, but we do not get money or ask for money from the government. We do not have Recovery Night. We are all sinners.