We ought to see far enough into a hypocrite to see even his sincerity.
Being judgmental is a huge problem with navy wives in this area. I have never experienced anything like it before. And I'm not saying I am innocent. I think that we as women are programmed to compare and judge one another, similar to how dogs sniff each others butts. I don't care who you are, we all do it. Ever been to Cafe Mom? Not that I will ever go back, but go read some of the trending forum topics and read how the women bash each other for opinions. Fact is, we all think different things. That's OK though. We are not all supposed to think alike. See, I live in the bible-belt, where southern women are supposed to be kind hearted and welcoming. But I feel like a lot of the times I am not accepted because I am so brash. I am so brash because of life circumstances and things I have been through, that if people took the time to get to know.. they could relate to me better. Instead I end up feeling singled out and depressed, simply because I feel like an outsider. These churchy-girls, who claim to be (and think they are) such good people- I feel are very hypocritical.
To be a Christian you are supposed to be christ-like. Always putting others first, always considering others feelings. I never claimed to be a big time Christian. But I do believe in god. I do not think you have to attend church every Sunday to be accepted into heaven. I feel that a lot that goes on in the churches (not all) I know is a great big amount of hypocritical passing judgement on one another. Some churches these days is more about the women wanting social activities for "free" that they really pay for.. and putting on airs and pretending to be good people, thinking they are surrounded by other good people. I do not trust people around my children personally, maybe I am overprotective, but it's better safe than sorry. I know that a lot of these people they think they know, they don't know at all. The people you think are "so nice" are the ones who will definitely surprise you. Even ones you have known for years. You never know what goes on behind closed doors. I guess I watch too much True Crime, but statistics do not lie.
The reason I say this, is I have met some of these "christian women". Like the one who wouldn't give my child a glass of water when she in in her home, and was thirsty, and told her "to go home & eat because it's rude to ask other people for food". My child is 6 years old, and I feed this woman's child constantly. ((Never-mind the fact that I have gifted her 250$ in Kitchen paint.)) That wasn't very Christlike and unselfish. I have a feeling if I attended her church she might not have dared do that- because then someone might have found out she acted that way. But it's OK to treat me like that? Since I don't go? My child attends a Christian school.. If she needed food that bad, she could've called me and I would've sent her some...
Hypocrisy is the essence of snobbery, but all snobbery is about the problem of belonging.
I am sure there are true Christians and good people mingled into the crowd and I am not saying 100% are all bad, but I don't want to get mixed in with even 1% of the bad, just to find some good that might be there.
The church seems to be all about money.. "we need to build a bigger wing for our youth group and expanding congregation." I got a flyer recently in the mail asking for donation of a hundred or more dollars! I thought the church was supposed to help people, not help itself to their wallets... The Church should be giving money- not taking it!
Meanwhile, some preachers live in four and five bedroom houses, and driving luxury cars, and the churches are always asking for donations. I feel like god doesn't want your money. When God asks for "offerings" I am not sure that's what he meant. Even if he did, wouldn't it be gold or silver? Cash wasn't around in the biblical days. I understand churches have bills, but they go above and beyond paying for those. The Church should never have any profit. What does God need money for? He going to Abercrombie & Fitch this weekend? Is God going to buy him a Cadillac? No.
1 Timothy 6:10 actually says, “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evils”
A lot of the times a congregation will be told the money is going to the church, and some of it may be, I don't know. It should be ALL going to needy families, not in building "better youth groups" and buildings for the church. You ought to be able to praise God without any material things, excursions to water parks fully paid for and jump house rentals and what not. I just agree to disagree is all.
I was wrong for assuming we were friends because we were friendly- I suppose. I hardly think your my friend if my child isn't welcome to a glass of water or a snack at your house. I would never tell my friends child that. Is she oblivious to the fact that it was perceived that way? Perhaps.
It bothered me a months ago.. and it still bothers me today. I have a hard time letting things go until they are resolved or talked about. That being said I have a lot of resentment about things, and it's unhealthy.
You can bash me on my opinions of this, and that is fine. But I am not a goody two shoes and I will never pretend to be. I am just me, and I shouldn't have to pretend to be someone I am not just to get people to like me. I have a few friends, and they are not judgmental, and they are always there for me. If I need a favor, they help! That's what friends do. Not take and take and take, and when you need something, they "can't, sorry". Friends invite one another over for dinner, and hang out, not call you when they need something. They let your kids spend the night, and forgive you. The mistake I made was assuming some of these girls were my friend, apparently they were just sniffing my butt. See, the difference is me and them is.. I like people.. until they do me pretty bad wrong. Even then... I am very forgiving and understanding. Some of these women, I have never done anything to. They barely know me and have written me off.
In any case.. I guess it all relative. Its easy to write someone off you barely know. What I mean is.. if you have a disagreement with someone who you have known for years, its easier to forgive them than someone you haven't known very long. The person that you have known longer could totally screw you over, like friendship ending and you will forgive them. But the person you barely know can say one wrong thing, unknowingly.. and you will write them off. Perhaps I am guilty of it too. I sincerely hope not. I will never pretend to be someone I am not to put on airs.
The only vice that cannot be forgiven is hypocrisy. The repentance of a hypocrite is itself hypocrisy.
Today the tithes that are received from people in the local churches are not used exclusively for the work of the ministry. Since we have large edifices to maintain, much of the tithes and offerings go toward building maintenance and expenses. Many of the tithes and offerings go towards salaries. Little is given to meet the needs of people or to minister to people as described in Matthew 25:31-46. Instead of someone getting the money needed to help purchase a refrigerator, the money is given to a church that squanders it on luxuries. Instead of someone buying a car that they need, they give the money to a church where the pastor drives around in a luxury car. Luxuries are not wrong but having them while teaching the people that they should tithe to sustain these luxuries is wrong.
Being judgmental is a huge problem with navy wives in this area. I have never experienced anything like it before. And I'm not saying I am innocent. I think that we as women are programmed to compare and judge one another, similar to how dogs sniff each others butts. I don't care who you are, we all do it. Ever been to Cafe Mom? Not that I will ever go back, but go read some of the trending forum topics and read how the women bash each other for opinions. Fact is, we all think different things. That's OK though. We are not all supposed to think alike. See, I live in the bible-belt, where southern women are supposed to be kind hearted and welcoming. But I feel like a lot of the times I am not accepted because I am so brash. I am so brash because of life circumstances and things I have been through, that if people took the time to get to know.. they could relate to me better. Instead I end up feeling singled out and depressed, simply because I feel like an outsider. These churchy-girls, who claim to be (and think they are) such good people- I feel are very hypocritical.
To be a Christian you are supposed to be christ-like. Always putting others first, always considering others feelings. I never claimed to be a big time Christian. But I do believe in god. I do not think you have to attend church every Sunday to be accepted into heaven. I feel that a lot that goes on in the churches (not all) I know is a great big amount of hypocritical passing judgement on one another. Some churches these days is more about the women wanting social activities for "free" that they really pay for.. and putting on airs and pretending to be good people, thinking they are surrounded by other good people. I do not trust people around my children personally, maybe I am overprotective, but it's better safe than sorry. I know that a lot of these people they think they know, they don't know at all. The people you think are "so nice" are the ones who will definitely surprise you. Even ones you have known for years. You never know what goes on behind closed doors. I guess I watch too much True Crime, but statistics do not lie.
The reason I say this, is I have met some of these "christian women". Like the one who wouldn't give my child a glass of water when she in in her home, and was thirsty, and told her "to go home & eat because it's rude to ask other people for food". My child is 6 years old, and I feed this woman's child constantly. ((Never-mind the fact that I have gifted her 250$ in Kitchen paint.)) That wasn't very Christlike and unselfish. I have a feeling if I attended her church she might not have dared do that- because then someone might have found out she acted that way. But it's OK to treat me like that? Since I don't go? My child attends a Christian school.. If she needed food that bad, she could've called me and I would've sent her some...
Hypocrisy is the essence of snobbery, but all snobbery is about the problem of belonging.
I am sure there are true Christians and good people mingled into the crowd and I am not saying 100% are all bad, but I don't want to get mixed in with even 1% of the bad, just to find some good that might be there.
The church seems to be all about money.. "we need to build a bigger wing for our youth group and expanding congregation." I got a flyer recently in the mail asking for donation of a hundred or more dollars! I thought the church was supposed to help people, not help itself to their wallets... The Church should be giving money- not taking it!
Meanwhile, some preachers live in four and five bedroom houses, and driving luxury cars, and the churches are always asking for donations. I feel like god doesn't want your money. When God asks for "offerings" I am not sure that's what he meant. Even if he did, wouldn't it be gold or silver? Cash wasn't around in the biblical days. I understand churches have bills, but they go above and beyond paying for those. The Church should never have any profit. What does God need money for? He going to Abercrombie & Fitch this weekend? Is God going to buy him a Cadillac? No.
1 Timothy 6:10 actually says, “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evils”
A lot of the times a congregation will be told the money is going to the church, and some of it may be, I don't know. It should be ALL going to needy families, not in building "better youth groups" and buildings for the church. You ought to be able to praise God without any material things, excursions to water parks fully paid for and jump house rentals and what not. I just agree to disagree is all.
Perhaps I am too opinionated?
Then what about the "christian" girl I know who gets drunk nearly every weekend, but not now always arguing with someone and telling peoples business? Who told me at one of her parties that "I was "inappropriate" for "talking about sex." (AT a party, late at night.. while drinking? LOL!) But her friends later told me, that she openly talks about her sex life when she barely knows them. She goes to Church hungover a lot of Sundays, and actually is in somewhat of a leadership position there from what I understand. I do not think there is anything wrong with talking about sex. Or having drinks with friends. But when you come over to my house hungover making accusations .. I later find, you tell people before I arrived I was "weird" .. no whats weird is that you would invite someone over who you thought was weird. Its not very christian-like to think you are better than someone else because they look/act/talk different than you and "they don't go to church".I was wrong for assuming we were friends because we were friendly- I suppose. I hardly think your my friend if my child isn't welcome to a glass of water or a snack at your house. I would never tell my friends child that. Is she oblivious to the fact that it was perceived that way? Perhaps.
It bothered me a months ago.. and it still bothers me today. I have a hard time letting things go until they are resolved or talked about. That being said I have a lot of resentment about things, and it's unhealthy.
You can bash me on my opinions of this, and that is fine. But I am not a goody two shoes and I will never pretend to be. I am just me, and I shouldn't have to pretend to be someone I am not just to get people to like me. I have a few friends, and they are not judgmental, and they are always there for me. If I need a favor, they help! That's what friends do. Not take and take and take, and when you need something, they "can't, sorry". Friends invite one another over for dinner, and hang out, not call you when they need something. They let your kids spend the night, and forgive you. The mistake I made was assuming some of these girls were my friend, apparently they were just sniffing my butt. See, the difference is me and them is.. I like people.. until they do me pretty bad wrong. Even then... I am very forgiving and understanding. Some of these women, I have never done anything to. They barely know me and have written me off.
In any case.. I guess it all relative. Its easy to write someone off you barely know. What I mean is.. if you have a disagreement with someone who you have known for years, its easier to forgive them than someone you haven't known very long. The person that you have known longer could totally screw you over, like friendship ending and you will forgive them. But the person you barely know can say one wrong thing, unknowingly.. and you will write them off. Perhaps I am guilty of it too. I sincerely hope not. I will never pretend to be someone I am not to put on airs.
The only vice that cannot be forgiven is hypocrisy. The repentance of a hypocrite is itself hypocrisy.
Former Agricultural Society
It is argued that we must tithe money instead of animals and produce from the land because we do not live in an agricultural society as the Hebrew people did during Old Testament times. On the surface this sounds logical but it doesn’t hold up against the facts. This argument tries to show that we must tithe money instead of the animals thus validating the tithing law for New Testament church.
The Old Testament Hebrews did live under an agricultural society. However, there was a monetary system. Their money system was based on silver, gold, and other precious stones. For example, as we saw in our scripture examination section, the people were supposed to exchange their tithe for money (silver), take it to the tent of meetings, exchange the silver for whatever they wanted, and then eat the tithe in the presence of God. If God wanted money then he would have commanded it. In each case that God instructed the people about tithing, He specifically wants food and NOT MONEY.
Therefore, we cannot say that since we do not live in an agricultural society that our tithe will be different. If that were true then we would introduce a rather interesting problem. If God’s laws changed based on society then we could alter His laws whenever things (society) changes. God’s laws would be different in the industrial society then in the technological society. God’s word does not change and we do not have the right to adjust it based on the society or culture around us. Again, the society argument does not justify tithing our money to a local church.
Financing The Early Church
How then was the early church financed? The early church was financed by the free will offering of the people. There was no tithing system instituted at all! As a matter of fact, the early church was financed the same way as the early Israelite society. When God commanded the construction of the tabernacle He did not use tithes but free-will offerings of the people. See Exodus 35:20-29. Likewise, the work of the ministry of the early church was financed by free-will offerings. See Acts 2:44-45; 4:34-35.Today the tithes that are received from people in the local churches are not used exclusively for the work of the ministry. Since we have large edifices to maintain, much of the tithes and offerings go toward building maintenance and expenses. Many of the tithes and offerings go towards salaries. Little is given to meet the needs of people or to minister to people as described in Matthew 25:31-46. Instead of someone getting the money needed to help purchase a refrigerator, the money is given to a church that squanders it on luxuries. Instead of someone buying a car that they need, they give the money to a church where the pastor drives around in a luxury car. Luxuries are not wrong but having them while teaching the people that they should tithe to sustain these luxuries is wrong.
