T1B

Non-profits...most significantly, religious organizations...are receiving a community-wide tithe, of a definite, palpable sort.

They're exempt from property tax, for Pete's sake.

That means that while other businesses mail fat checks to the government, and the government uses that to clean the streets and keep them lit and policed and on and on, churches and hospitals (basically, a HUGE amount of the real estate in a city like Pittsburgh) get those services for free.

That means that everyone pays a tithe, be they Lubavitchers, atheists, NeckCar worshippers, Unitarian, and plain old Roman Catholics.

I am, without qualification, in favor of transparency in the expenditure of public monies. The only thing transparent about institutions like the Catholic Church are the frilly bodices that pedopriests don for their underaged conquests.

Give the Catholic Church a sawbuck, and the chances that it will go to settle a pedo lawsuit are very very good. Hospital administrators are generally compensated very handsomely.

There will definitely be more pressure for these institutions to pony up their share of property taxes in financially strapped municipalities like...shit all of them. There's not a lot of extra money flying around, considering the fact that we're also dumping $270,000,000 a day into Iraq.

Kirk: What does God need with a starship?
McCoy: Jim, what are you doing?
Kirk: I'm asking a question.
"God": Who is this creature?
Kirk: Who am I? Don't you know? Aren't you God?
Sybok: He has his doubts.
"God": You doubt me?
Kirk: I seek proof.
McCoy: Jim! You don't ask the Almighty for his ID!
"God": Then here is the proof you seek.
[Hits Kirk with lightning]
Kirk: Why is God angry?
Sybok: Why? Why have you done this to my friend?
"God": He doubts me.
Sybok: You have not answered his question. What does God need with a starship?
"God": [Hits Spock with lightning. Then addresses McCoy] Do you doubt me?
McCoy: I doubt any God who inflicts pain for his own pleasure.

Question for Whitey and poptart: do you calculate the 10% pre-tax or after tax?

After.
I'm not hung-up on nailing an exact 10%, Goobs.
With giving, the issue is really about where your heart is rather than the percentage or the amount, IMO.

But as I mentioned, 10% is a start for me, Goober.
I give other offerings too.
Mission, building offering, thanksgving, special offering.. etc.
Just depends.

poptart wrote:After.
I'm not hung-up on nailing an exact 10%, Goobs.
With giving, the issue is really about where your heart is rather than the percentage or the amount, IMO.

I thought the Bible specified 10%?

You don't believe the Bible, so don't worry about it.

Goober McTuber wrote:Question for Whitey and poptart: do you calculate the 10% pre-tax or after tax?

After.

poptart wrote:You don't believe the Bible, so don't worry about it.

Rack!

poptart wrote:You don't believe the Bible, so don't worry about it.

I believe a lot of what I read in the Bible. I just don’t take it all verbatim. I’m not sure how many times it was translated, Greek to Hebrew to German to English? I think the Bible is useful as a guide, I believe it was divinely inspired, but it was written by men, none of them named Dinsdale.

poptart wrote:People are usually not down with tithing for one of three reasons.

1. The don't believe in Jesus Christ at all
2. They don't trust their church with the money -- in many (or most) cases, I can't blame them for having that distrust
3. They are believers, but lack the faith to tithe

I guess you are #1 ....

You're right ... I am #1. Also as it applies above. That having been established, I believe Jesus lived and taught some pretty solid lessons, but not that he was born of a virgin mama, was the son of God, walked on water, rose from the dead, or is coming back.

I can't answer the hypothetical question of whether or not I would give $$ if it wasn't Biblical to do so.
I don't know how that would play out.

So you're saying that w/o the Bible or some other guidebook, you'd be unable to determine for yourself issues of morality or right from wrong? You really need someone else to do that for you?

In response to Goob's question about 10%, you wrote:
You don't believe the Bible, so don't worry about it.

But earlier,

you wrote:I tithe out of a thankful heart, and out of a desire for souls to be saved.

You don't have a desire for McTubesteak's soul to be saved?

I give other offerings too.
Mission, building offering, thanksgving, special offering.. etc.
Just depends.

Huh, I'd never really considered it before, but I guess contributing toward the war on geriatric incontinence is a noble and worthy cause. RACK you for that.

Sin,

Wolfman

So you're saying that w/o the Bible or some other guidebook, you'd be unable to determine for yourself issues of morality or right from wrong? You really need someone else to do that for you?

What part of the word "guidebook" didn't you understand?

Organized Christianity is nothing so much as a way of saying, "Damned if I know. Just show me where to kneel and which pit to toss my money into, so I can feel good about myself. Have some robed pedo chanting gibberish in the background, call it TRADITION, and call it a day."

PSUFAN wrote:

So you're saying that w/o the Bible or some other guidebook, you'd be unable to determine for yourself issues of morality or right from wrong? You really need someone else to do that for you?

What part of the word "guidebook" didn't you understand?

I reckon it was the same part that appears in "rhetorical" that you didn't grasp.

I think a lot of you would do well to understand the difference between a "Christian" and a "Catholic". When it comes to organized religious leaders, the two are mutually exclusive. But it's painfully obvious that most of your ideas of what goes on at church was gleaned from from TV and movies. Care to break out some killer smack on Baptist Altar boys next?

Raydah James wrote:

Nishlord wrote:Spongebob and the Tellytubbies are pulling a train on that hateful cunt right about now.

Included im sure are the pistol gripped dildo and neon assbeads your cunty ass sold him previously, you smut peddling loser.

No leg-humping this week please, James. Not while the entire board is coming together as one in celebration.

Headhunter wrote:I think a lot of you would do well to understand the difference between a "Christian" and a "Catholic". When it comes to organized religious leaders, the two are mutually exclusive. But it's painfully obvious that most of your ideas of what goes on at church was gleaned from from TV and movies. Care to break out some killer smack on Baptist Altar boys next?

Nah, the Baptists prefer the church secretary piss on them and call them bad little boys.

Headhunter wrote:I think a lot of you would do well to understand the difference between a "Christian" and a "Catholic". When it comes to organized religious leaders, the two are mutually exclusive. But it's painfully obvious that most of your ideas of what goes on at church was gleaned from from TV and movies. Care to break out some killer smack on Baptist Altar boys next?

Not sure at whom specifically your comment is aimed, but I have a pretty fair idea of the difference, having been raised as a Catholic.

I have nothing against those who choose to adopt any particular faith, if by doing so they feel their lives are improved. I simply don't appreciate those who have faith (look up definition, if needed) try to pass it off as fact. What I may believe, and most certainly what they believe, are unproveable, so those who insist on either the existence or nonexistence of God are equally arrogant and misguided. My objection to organized religion of any ilk is that it represents a systematized way of telling others how they should think and what they should believe. Again, I have no problem with that for others if that's the path they choose to take. It just doesn't work for me.

PSUFAN wrote:Non-profits...most significantly, religious organizations...are receiving a community-wide tithe, of a definite, palpable sort.

They're exempt from property tax, for Pete's sake.

That means that while other businesses mail fat checks to the government, and the government uses that to clean the streets and keep them lit and policed and on and on, churches and hospitals (basically, a HUGE amount of the real estate in a city like Pittsburgh) get those services for free.

That means that everyone pays a tithe, be they Lubavitchers, atheists, NeckCar worshippers, Unitarian, and plain old Roman Catholics.

I am, without qualification, in favor of transparency in the expenditure of public monies. The only thing transparent about institutions like the Catholic Church are the frilly bodices that pedopriests don for their underaged conquests.

Give the Catholic Church a sawbuck, and the chances that it will go to settle a pedo lawsuit are very very good. Hospital administrators are generally compensated very handsomely.

There will definitely be more pressure for these institutions to pony up their share of property taxes in financially strapped municipalities like...shit all of them. There's not a lot of extra money flying around, considering the fact that we're also dumping $270,000,000 a day into Iraq.

Rack! The only hospital in my town is a Catholic hospital. They perform no services for women relating to birth control, abortion, etc. No tube-tying, vasectomies, etc. In addition to being the only hospital in town (50K pop.), they pay no taxes as PSU mentions...and charge 40% above the national average for all services and supplies.

No wonder they just built a 65 million dollar addition....to go with the 12 million dollar addition 4 years ago and the 20 million dollar renovation 10 years ago. Greedy, money-extorting bastards is what they are.

Edit: After my deductible.....I pay 20%. I'll save my tithes to subsidize any services I get from that Catholic no-tax-paying, money-grubbing, 40% above national average charging white castle raking in the cash to support pedophiles.

It was more of a general statement, Smackie. And not intended for any one person in particular. But each time religion gets brought up around here, the naysayers always seem to mistake Christianity with Catholicism. Evidenced by all the pedo priest smack, the kneeling, and other rituals of catholicism that are mistakenly attributed to Christians.

Headhunter wrote:I think a lot of you would do well to understand the difference between a "Christian" and a "Catholic". When it comes to organized religious leaders, the two are mutually exclusive.

So you're saying that Catholics aren't Christians?

Perhaps you'd better go back and rethink that statement.

I'm saying that the leaders of the Catholic Church don't act very Christian like. Specifically in the way they like to turn the other boys cheek when dealing with their priests.


I knew exactly what I was saying, and I don't think it needs any re-thinking.

Hypocrisy is in no way limited to the Catholic Church.

RadioFan wrote:Hypocrisy is in no way limited to the Catholic Church.

You forgot to add

Sincer,

Marcus Allen

Headhunter wrote:the naysayers always seem to mistake Christianity with Catholicism. Evidenced by all the pedo priest smack, the kneeling, and other rituals of catholicism that are mistakenly attributed to Christians.

Not to get into a hair-splitting exercise here, but Catholics are Christians, although Christians are not necessarily Catholics. But I'm sure you knew that.

Believe me, I'm no defender of the virtue of the Catholic Church. But I will say that pedophelia and other unsavory characteristics of Catholic leadership are certainly not limited to that particular branch of Christianity. You'll find it in every denomination, but it won't get the same level of scrutiny or media play that it does when perpetrated by a priest, and covered up by the hierarchy. If there is a difference, it's that it's justifiably portrayed as being institutionalized in the Catholic Church, whereas in other sects, it's considered an individual act. But really, we're talkin' same shit, different shovel.

Why doesn't the Catholic church mandate that all priests be castrated? There's purportedly no use for them (other than sodomizing young boys) and since they are not intended for "fruitful" purposes the faith should have no problem with it.

mvscal wrote:Personally, I believe Jesus liked to bugger young boys.

[no,i'mnottrollingtomakethethumpers'headsexplode,nosiree]I believe your beliefs are perfectly in line with the teaching of the bible. It's just that certain church members(man editing the Word of God), had that particular Psalm deleted, for the sake of decency.


Can you imagine what the catholics would do if their operating manual actually endorsed the buggery of young boys?

The prospective priests might have a problem with it.

Non-Catholic Christians are better...because they say they are.

Allow me to paraphrase:

RadioFan: "Hypocrisy is in no way limited to the Catholic Church."

Headhunter: "I know you are...but what am I?"

OR:

Headhunter wrote:

NOT US!!!!



US!!!!

War Wagon wrote:The prospective priests might have a problem with it.

Castration? Why? Might make their jobs easier...the oh-so-rare heterosexual, non-pedophile priests included.

mvscal wrote:When Jesus spoke of loving your fellow man, he wasn't speaking metaphorically of tolerance and acceptance. He was talking about tapping him in the dirtpipe.

Husker4ever wrote:

War Wagon wrote:The prospective priests might have a problem with it.

Castration? Why? Might make their jobs easier...the oh-so-rare heterosexual, non-pedophile priests included.

Do you or does anyone seriously believe that a majority of Catholic priests are pedophiles?

Husker4ever wrote:Why doesn't the Catholic church mandate that all priests be castrated? There's purportedly no use for them (other than sodomizing young boys) and since they are not intended for "fruitful" purposes the faith should have no problem with it.

Because priests can renounce their vows and leave the priesthood.


Sick

War Wagon wrote:

Husker4ever wrote:

War Wagon wrote:The prospective priests might have a problem with it.

Castration? Why? Might make their jobs easier...the oh-so-rare heterosexual, non-pedophile priests included.

Do you or does anyone seriously believe that a majority of Catholic priests are pedophiles?

No...just expressing some disgust about the disproportionate numbers who are and my disdain for the heirarchy that protects them.

Tom In VA wrote:

Husker4ever wrote:Why doesn't the Catholic church mandate that all priests be castrated? There's purportedly no use for them (other than sodomizing young boys) and since they are not intended for "fruitful" purposes the faith should have no problem with it.

Because priests can renounce their vows and leave the priesthood.


Sick

I think they renounced their vows everytime they sodomize a child. But, yea....you got a point.

Husker4ever wrote:

Tom In VA wrote:

Husker4ever wrote:Why doesn't the Catholic church mandate that all priests be castrated? There's purportedly no use for them (other than sodomizing young boys) and since they are not intended for "fruitful" purposes the faith should have no problem with it.

Because priests can renounce their vows and leave the priesthood.


Sick

I think they renounced their vows everytime they sodomize a child.

Indeed.

Dinsdale wrote:had that particular Psalm deleted

I lol'd.


Good one Dins.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yopbFf_Z3Mg

Wow.

Q, West Coast Style wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yopbFf_Z3Mg

Wow.

Actually we were attacked because we are infidels and condone all the infidel things we enjoy. Whether or not it's "God's punishment" is debateable. But there is no way around the fact the attackers hold us in contempt due to our ... liberal views.

Tom In VA wrote:

Dinsdale wrote:had that particular Psalm deleted

I lol'd.


Good one Dins.

When I come up with a decent reference, I'll post it.

Until then...educate yourself. There were bible passages edited out over the eons which portrayed Jesus...let's just say "not in the best light by modern societal standards."

Tom In VA wrote: But there is no way around the fact the attackers hold us in contempt due to our ... liberal views.

Wow...just wow.

Keep slurping up the bullshit.

To anyone with a functioning brain, we were clearly attacked because we occupied foreign lands for the benefit of special interests.


If China posted troops in your town, would you sit back and say "thanks," or would you try and make their life miserable, and teach your children the importance of resisting the foreign invaders?

Dinsdale wrote:

Tom In VA wrote: But there is no way around the fact the attackers hold us in contempt due to our ... liberal views.

Wow...just wow.

Keep slurping up the bullshit.

Straight from their mouths. But I'll believe you instead lmao.