Originally Posted by Tully Mars

Interesting. I don't know anything about the killing and ruining of peoples lives. Not saying it's not true, don't know. But almost every religion has blood on it's hands, doesn't it? I mean why were the witches in Salem Mass. killed? The Spanish Inquisition? Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition. How about the Mountain Meadows massacre? Hell there are Muslims killing each other in the middle east right now because ones in one sect of the Muslim faith and other's in another. Aren't Protestants and Catholics getting started all over again in Ireland? How long have they been killing each other? I had no doubt I could go to Ireland and find a person who'd happily tell me one or the other religion isn't a real religion. These are all real religions, right?

As for passing the plate- do you think that's where most churches get their income? It may well be. I honestly don't know. I do know I had a friend who was in a church (not naming the church here purposefully) his mother was ill and he slacked off on his monthly 10% for a few months. Was called and asked what the problem was, why the payments had stopped. According to him it wasn't a pleasant conversation. From the way he told it it sounded like a call from a credit collection agency. I know my ex's mom gave a tithing, well, religiously all her life. When we finally had to put her in a home she was concerned that those payments not stop. She was fearful that if she didn't keep it up she wouldn't go to heaven. Now where would she get an idea like that? Pay up or go to hell. Really that's it when you boil it down to the basics, isn't it?

OK so the good folks at Scientology like to sell trinkets. In their case they're high priced "M" or "E" meters, I can't remember what they call them. But lot's churches spend hours a day on the TV convinces people to send them cash. They're not even send out meter to their followers to tell them how well their doing. Probably taking in just as much cash.