Julio

Yes, occasionally, leaders who believe in the tithe use all sorts of weaponry to deceive their flocks to give, or expect punishment.
One church that comes to mind is the Nazarene Church.
I heard several times that sinister inference in preachings about money!

Chili

In Catholicism tything is done with 'time' spend attending daily mass. Money is never part of it and I am not even sure if they issue receipts if money is donated.

Huon

Certainly not, in the ordinary cases. With very rich donators, dunno.

Huon

Is it possible to connect the story of Ananias and Sapphira with the disappearance of Paul and Peter in Rome ?
I would easily believe that these two tried to extort money from their first Roman Christians. Perhaps they succeeded, and were killed by some roman gangsters, or perhaps they felt at some moment that they had better disappear [ or another end linked to money, and not very respectable].

Julio

lol!
That was interesting to read.
Who knows if you have a valid point, here.

Toto

Both stories are legendary. There is no evidence outside of vague Christian tradition that Peter or Paul were even in Rome.

darstec

Oh you are so wrong. In Catholicism tithing is done through weekly collection basket envelopes. One's name is printed on the envelope. Higher feast days have higher donation requirements. Guests are "permitted" to drop loose bills into the basket. Ushers pass the baskets.

In one church our family attended if one did not meet the required donation their name was published in the next week's Sunday bulletin as not performing their donation duty.

Then there were the yearly Bishop's Relief Fund and other extra donation requirements.

Some parishes require the children attend and pay for Catholic School or refused from services. In one of our parishes the parishioners sued the dioceses because many could not afford the Catholic school fees. The bishop then allowed the children to attend free if they family was low income.

Julio

There you are!
Ananias & Sapphira revisited.
The RCC cult is the richest in the globe.
Its property and real estate value rises into the BILLIONS of dollars.
And they keep asking and threatening.

Transient

Last I heard of them they were in Palermo, Sicily trying to convert the mafia and got taken out by the great great great... grandfather of Michael Corleone.
:Cheeky:

mountainman

I had never before contemplated Eusebius of the Caesars as a literary consigliori but you know Yalla, you might be on to something since it is a well known historical fact Constantine was actually at war before he sponsored the lavish and large scale publishing of Acts.