So what % of churches have been involved in some type of scandal? Just wondering what you think the % of them are.
You are generalizing in almost every single one of your points. I have yet to attend a church (and I have been attending churches my whole life) that preaches damnation if I didn't tithe. They teach the principle of it sure, but I don't feel pressured into losing my salvation over it.
I have yet to become a part of a church where the head of the church has been involved in a scandal. Sure, there are going to be some Bc we are human, but the %s of scandals doesn't outweigh the rest.
Lastly, I personally haven't attended a church that made damnation a focus instead of grace and mercy. Are there consequences for our decisions and choices? Absolutely. They are even held to the same consequences but I personally have never looked at a Pastor and thought he was perfect.
I have no idea about percentages, nor did I attempt to reference any percentages. I simply said that this was "my issue" with churches and organized religion, which come from my personal experiences.
If you'd like examples, I'll be glad to share..
1. I grew up in Orangeburg, SC. A guy named Christian Ryder passed away while drinking and driving. The pastor of Harmon Memorial Pentecostal (where my friend attended) said that the Lord spoke to him and he was going to bring Christian back to this world. It was literally cult gatherings with all these adolescents (and even parents bought into this) for about a week or so...where a TON of money was raised.
Well guess what? Christian never rose from the dead...and oh by the way, the pastor stepped down a few months later after he was caught having an affair with a member of the choir.
2. Back when I was dating my wife, I attended her small town Baptist church with her. Her mother was actually the secretary of the church and wrote all the checks. While attending church, the preacher went on and on about how the church needed money and what God thinks of those who don't tithe the full 10%. It was one of the most uncomfortable hours I've ever had in a church. This is the same preacher that was so religious, he would not allow members to have wedding receptions at his church if they intended on dancing at the reception...that's right, I didn't say drinking...I said DANCING. Don't ask me why, but apparently his interpretations of the Lord's word is that dancing is a sin.
Long story short, this same preacher that turns down the rent money (the money people would pay to rent out the fellowship hall for a wedding)...over dancing...and the same preacher that preached an entire sermon on damnation for not tithing because the church needed money, all the while was paying his son $300 a month out of the church account for the labor involved in cutting the Church's grass twice a month...and it may have been 3/4 of an acre...at most. Also, the church was helping out his son's family who was financially in need, by paying their utility bill for them each month.
Oh and here's the kicker...that son had two kids out of wedlock...which was the primary reason the church was having to misappropriate their funds to "help" them...then turn around and try to guilt the rest of the congregation out of more money because the church account was running dry...smh.
3. Let's not even talk about the many national stories of high level church leaders misappropriating funds, or sexually violating young members of the church.
4. The New Spring example is another good one.
And there have been others that I've seen personally and/or heard about...but that's enough to justify my point for what I said in my OP.
That's not a blanket statement for all churches or church leaders, as there are some very good ones out there. However, it's no secret that churches and organized religion are dying off...and I feel the examples above play a huge role in that...atleast I know for sure that's the case for me.
When the people preaching damnation and telling you how you're supposed to live your life, are living lives way worse than yours, it's absolute hypocrisy and a total joke.
***Oh I forgot to mention...the pastor (which was a different pastor than the one I referenced in my #1 or #2 points) who conducted the marriage ceremony for me and my wife, was very hardcore. When we sat down with him for pre-marriage counseling prior to our wedding, he was very adamant about making sure we knew the commitment we were getting into in the eyes of God...etc, etc..
Well guess what...about a year after he conducted our marriage ceremony, his wife caught him having an affair and divorced him for adultery.
