Monday, March 19, 2007

Church Shouldn't Be Like This......

Okay, in chapter twelve, Jem and Scout go to church with Calpurnia, I noticed something that really ticked me off. When you go to church, and the offering goes around, you put money in if you WANT to when you have the money. Reverend Sykes started offering, and then counted the money. Then when he was finished he said bluntly, "This is not enough, we must have ten dollars.......if everybody gives one more dime, we will have it........Alec, shut the doors. Nobody leaved here till we have ten dollars." (p. 122) I know for a fact, if someone demanded me to give money, I most certainly would not due it, because they are forcing money from me. Stealing. What is your opinion on this matter, do you believe that Church should be that way? You know mine....

12 comments:

julia schreffler said...

I agree, I don't think that this is the way things should go at a church. I would feel obligated to give then, but at church you shouldn't feel like that you should want to give. They do have a very good reason to want the money though.

Knightley said...

I sort of agree that church should not be like this. However,everyone seems to know that Tom is going to get the death sentance even though he did not do it. I think that the preacher is just trying to help the family out because they have no source of income right now so if they got money from the church then they would be able to buy food and stuff that they need. The preacher seems to know that the people in the church have enough money to lend a nickel or two to a family that really needs it. If the preacher did not force them to give it up then they would not give any at all because be honest do you give money to the church each Sunday? These people do not get a lot of money for there work. A nickel or dime is maybe 1/4 or 1/2 of the money that they may have made that week. So in this time a nickel or dime was a lot of money.

Barbie Girl said...

When I read this part in the book, I thought, "Wow are you kidding me! They are actually forcing people to give money to the church?" I thought that this was ridiculous and who would ever do this. Then I thought will they are helping people, but still what if those people they are taking money from, need that money. In Kaminous_the_Great post, he said that it was like "stealing." I agree with this in a way because they are forcing people to give money but then it is also going to a good cause.

Dr.Gonzo said...

Well I do believe that the
church should not force money out of people. But remember it was to help Tom Robinson and his family, so I think this makes an exception.

ginger said...

I agree completly with you. Church is a place of worship and while I realize that it takes a certain amount of money to run it, church is free. In this situation I could see where the money could be desperatly needed but what about the people in the church who need their money to fed their children, you can't take away from your own to take care of someone elses.

Anonymous said...

I agree: People should not be forced to give their offerings to God. I understand that mojority of the churchgoers were very pious. I can see were Reverend Sykes coming from though. He knew that his community could help out just a little bit more. This was his obligation, his role within the church. In fact they had more money that they donated eventually... However, they did have to think about their family...

Dr. Hoopz said...

I completely agree that the church should not force the offering upon people. If the church needed the money and they were not rude about I would probably give. When Reverend Sykes simply stated that there wasn't enough, that just isn't what you do in a church. However, one could argue that in this situation everybody should give a little money for Tom Robinson and his case. Although I do personally think that the church shouldn't force money upon the members.

Kaminous_the_Great said...

So are you all saying that if it is for a good cause, the church can force money to be given, to steal. So if a mugger mugs you, to give to the homeless, is it right, because it is for a good cause...Explain that to me...

Princess Ariel said...

Hmm... this is really frusterating. In Proverbs it says that God hates sacrifices from the wicked. He doesn't want tithe or sacrifices that people have offered out of guilt. By the Rev. doing that, it is making people feel guilty. Why else would they give if they weren't ready to give it earlier?
It is kind of like Robin Hood. That movie always used to confuse me because he was stealing for a good cause. I still think it is wrong.

Emily Osment said...

WOW Princess Ariel! I agree! I think it is very wrong. It is a totally different thing when someone asks you another time nicely, to please give the money because they are in extreme need! It is totally different though when they tell you that you may not leave the church until they get one more dime from everyone. I wouldn't like to be bribed for something. If I want to give it to them then I will, but I most definately will not be more persuaded the second time around if I wasn't even persuaded the first time around with that approach. I disagree with it totally, and I think it is very wrong!

txncutie said...

I agree also! In the bible it says that you should give a minimum of 10% of your earnings to the church! Now some people aren't that commited yet or don't have enough money to give 10% but they still give what they have! Now i don't think it's right for the church to tell people that they have to give money..because a tithe is something you feel you need to give to the church....but i do think that giving a tithe to the church is a good thing when you feel compelled by the Holy Spirit to do so....but a tithe on demand is not the same as tithing from the goodness of your heart!

Unknown said...

I also don’t think that people should be forced to give an offering if it’s not what is on their heart. Even though an offering is used to help the overall cause of the church and I don’t doubt that the church was probably in need of financial help but I still don’t agree. An offering is something you give up for God, a sacrifice, saying you want to give up part of what you’ve earned and hand it over to God and let him work through it. If people are forced to give up their money it takes away the meaning of an offering. I’m not against the pastor of the church telling the congregation where they are financially and just talk to them about where they want to be and do as a church. But they defiantly shouldn’t force people to give up money; they should give as they feel compelled to give.