Let me see if I can try and keep this one short. [Yeah right] This whole 10% tithe thing. Oh I've been in churches before and passed the plate right on by me for two reasons.1. I don't carry cash.
2. I don't trust my money given to the church.
YEAH I SAID IT.
Money to fix the church roof fund? How many church roofs need repairing from London to Lagos. Japan to Jamaica?
I've wanted to give, but I am tight with my money. I like to keep it to myself and only spend it on others when the mood takes me [which in all fairness is a lot] I have no problem in treating those close to me. In fact that I can do with ease, and I like giving.
I just never liked giving to the church, because I didn't trust those in the church and a lot of the time still don't. I don't go to church but after listening to Joyce Meyer daily over the past week that's one thing I've skipped on and that's the whole 10% tithing. I hear it I know I've should do it, but I don't.
"Oh but I want those shoes. That DVD box set of CSI. That dress. More make-up from MAC. Shit, I just want to keep my money in damn bank account!"
That's how I feel. [I told you I was honest didn't I?] I have to make a little change and give more. Going to church and putting 10% on a plate is not the only way you can give to God or just giving in general if God is not 'your thing.' Well 10% to a different charity each week of my weekly salary is still doing God's work so that's what I will do. And to be honest I'll prefer to give to charity than to church to help others.
As Jade [Goody] is on my mind and I lost a grandmother to Cancer in 1985, I think my first contribution this week will be to a Cancer charity. I'll be posting about each charity I donate to [in case anyone who came across this blog wanted to donate to a particular charity], and look into how the money is spent. That's very important to me. If I'm going to part with my money then I need to know where it is going. Sorry the church roof fund is not seeing my cash.
I share the same sentiment when it comes to giving away money. The sad thing is that its a lose lose situation. If you can help someone directly i believe its more rewarding. I dont believe in Tithing in USA and will never give them a dime in Nigeria because i believe many of them are rogues and opportunists who use the money to support their various lifestyles. When i used to go to a Church it was appalling when i found out how many people were employed by the church that received six figure salaries and endless perks but they couldnt even fund a free daycare for the single mothers or struggling families to make life easy.
ReplyDeleteNow Non Profit organizations in the USA are even a bigger joke but you just cant turn your back on all of them either. In the U.S by law you are only obligated to use 5% of your proceeds to Charity and in most cases the remaining 95% goes to admin costs like flying first class and staying in 5 star hotels and racking up costs. Bill and Melinda Gates how the biggest Charity Foundation in the World and it does more Harm to Africans than Good like Investing in Companies like Monsanto or Oil drilling companies that kill Africans everyday but when Bill and Melinda go to a small village in Africa with a Box of Supplies to help battle Malaria they are hailed as heroes.
In the U.S.A most individuals and companies have a Non Profit organization and trust me its not for a good deed.
With that being said you can do your research on what organization and check their financial statement or just give in good faith and hope that they do the right thing with it.
Its funny how the drug manufacturers can find a cure for impotence but not for cancer which i think is deliberate just like AIDS because they make a fortune in keeping ppl alive but not eradicating the disease entirely.
I actually agree with you on pretty much all of this post. Hence me mentioning the research part, and being 'tight' I guess I've been conditioned to be tight after seeing all these big wig church types with the big congregations and the big donations driving around and living larger than the life they are supposed to be accustomed to. Oh I've heard people talking about pastors don't get paid and that it's justified they use the donation money as part of a source of income. Bullshit. They aren't true Christians then. If you decide to become a man of God preaching the word of God then they lack faith for the Lord to provide and merely rely on their own greed to satisfy their lust of material possessions. Jesus WAS NOT PAID! You do it for the love of it.
ReplyDeleteOne day I want to do volunteer work in another country, whether it a few weeks or few months, get my hands dirty and make a little bit of a difference to someone or a community. I don't want to give money blindly, because of a lot of the points that you mention.
And I had a friend working for a charity. And again you're right [because I know how some of these places work]. Let's just put it this way. She stayed in some very very very fancy hotels. Very fancy!
I'll be researching alright. Don't you worry.
I really enjoyed reading this Nai, coz its definately a subject that keeps popping up for me.
ReplyDeleteI used to feel uncomfortable giving 10% to the church at times, but then when i startd listening to Joyce it really put things into a different perspective. (being slightly contradicting)...
Before I had to start saving such large amounts of money, i would give 10% of my wages, but Joyce helped me to see that regardless of what the church does with the money, you are still planting a seed for your life in Gods eyes, and God will deal with those who use His money in the wrong way.
I still dont tithe to my church saying that, i usually give money to Joyces orgnisation when i do!
lol.
But i enjoyed your blog.... It actually reminded me of that feeling of wanting to give when you usually wouldnt, and not just to God but to life in general. I feel so bloody tight these days.
Oh my goodness. WHat do i sound like this morning.
I shoudl be working, but im off to read the next blog.
Blessngs Nai..(wink) xxx