Freethought & Rationalism Archive

dayton_damn · 11-04-2003, 07:35 PM

As I have mentioned in my previous posts, my father is flamboyantly Christian. I could spend a lifetime describing all the flaws I find in his thinking�

Somehow along his journey deep into Christianity my father has learned (and is absolutely certain) that if you believe in God, then God will provide you with absolutely everything you need in your life. The way he usually attempts to illustrate this is with birds. (Birds are taken care of by God; naturally given everything they need to live) This idea seems to me to be related to the practice of �tithing.� My dad believes that you can never be in financial need if you give a certain percentage of you money to God. (The last time I looked, the check he wrote was made out to the church, not �God�; and last time I went to the church they had a new pair of flat screen TV�s right outside the worship area, across from the bookstore)

These notions are absolutely remarkable to me. They stand boldly in the face of absolute, plainly observable reality.

Because I think it is most likely my father has learned these ideas from the Bible, I am very interested in any areas of the Bible which deal with this topic, can someone please help me out!
What are these passages and what do you think about them?

Alphonze · 11-05-2003, 05:58 AM

"Does the Bible say I don't have to do anything?" It depends what you mean with "anything", but, no, the Bible (Jesus) says that you should not worry about everything. Just sitting on yor ass with your armes crossed and give 10% of your salury (is of course good for the recipient, hopefully the poor), but since the beginning of mankind we are doomed to work for our living and love one another. The promise Jesus gives is not for "lazy" people, in my belief.

Have I understood your question (since I'm from Sweden)?

beastmaster · 11-05-2003, 03:12 PM

Your father is relying on these passages:

Quote:

Matthew 6:24-34 (Luke 12:24-27)
24 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. 25 "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?' 32 For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well. 34 "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day."

Jesus is not endorsing sloth. Nor is he directly advocating tithing here, contra your father. [Edit: Actually, reviewing the counterpart passages in Luke, I see that Jesus does end instructing his followers to sell all their things, so your father may have a point about tithing.] Rather, he (apparently) is admonishing his followers not to be "anxious" [the theme word of the passage] about materialism to the point of neglecting spirituality.

dayton_damn · 11-06-2003, 05:59 AM

very helpfull!
thank you!

11-04-2003, 07:35 PM	#1
dayton_damn Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Dayton, Ohio Posts: 9	Does the Bible say I don't have to do anything? As I have mentioned in my previous posts, my father is flamboyantly Christian. I could spend a lifetime describing all the flaws I find in his thinking� Somehow along his journey deep into Christianity my father has learned (and is absolutely certain) that if you believe in God, then God will provide you with absolutely everything you need in your life. The way he usually attempts to illustrate this is with birds. (Birds are taken care of by God; naturally given everything they need to live) This idea seems to me to be related to the practice of �tithing.� My dad believes that you can never be in financial need if you give a certain percentage of you money to God. (The last time I looked, the check he wrote was made out to the church, not �God�; and last time I went to the church they had a new pair of flat screen TV�s right outside the worship area, across from the bookstore) These notions are absolutely remarkable to me. They stand boldly in the face of absolute, plainly observable reality. Because I think it is most likely my father has learned these ideas from the Bible, I am very interested in any areas of the Bible which deal with this topic, can someone please help me out! What are these passages and what do you think about them?

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11-05-2003, 05:58 AM	#2
Alphonze New Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: G�teborg, Sweden Posts: 1	"Does the Bible say I don't have to do anything?" It depends what you mean with "anything", but, no, the Bible (Jesus) says that you should not worry about everything. Just sitting on yor ass with your armes crossed and give 10% of your salury (is of course good for the recipient, hopefully the poor), but since the beginning of mankind we are doomed to work for our living and love one another. The promise Jesus gives is not for "lazy" people, in my belief. Have I understood your question (since I'm from Sweden)?

11-06-2003, 05:59 AM	#4
dayton_damn Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Dayton, Ohio Posts: 9	very helpfull! thank you!

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