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Re: Confidentiality of Tithes
Wow!
I have just read through all this post, after having avoided it at the beginning when it was first posted because I thought it would be more of the same debate: tithing versus giving. When it seemed to stretch out so long, thought I would pop in to see where it was at, and decided I had to read from the beginning...
What an interesting read.
T2W - I commend you for your sweet spirit, in being able to publicly repent of something that was basically pure self-defense because of the very critical nature of the two main pastor posters - AB and SE. I understand your frustration with them, because I do see embodiment in both of them myself of pastors in the past who have acted in much the same manner. I applaud your willingness to discuss the matter with them and also to be willing to look yourself in the mirror with honesty.
I am hoping that they apply some of the same self-searching principles to their heart, as you spoke of doing.
Hopefully this discussion here will help us all learn that we don't have all the answers. Name calling, and head bashing accomplish very little. Calm and reasonable discussion bring light and illumination to difficult questions. We can all stand to learn something from each other.
I have learned that SE appears to be a compassionate and kind-hearted pastor, although having no qualms condeming somone to hell for being a Trinitarian.
I have learned that AE loves to call names, as would play out in most of his posts on this thread, but did show some inkling of compassion when Aquila posted his story (My heart goes out to you Aquila for what you have been through!). My thought is this - men are not all good, and they are not all evil either. But the true fruit of a man's life will be in whether he can look at himself in honesty and search his heart to see if there be any wicked way. If he has the ability to humble himself, and honestly search his heart, I do believe there is fruit there God is pleased with.
I have learned that most of us have figured out that the tithing doctrine is nonsense, comes straight from Catholicism, and is nowhere close to Biblical New Testament giving. Tithing funds large churches, and pastors, but if my Bible serves me correct, any reference to a church in the NT was concerning those meeting "from house to house". Seems to me that having house to house meetings, or at least metting in low-scale modest buildings would help the church to much better serve the widows, orphans, and poor people.
Just my humble opinions...
Thanks again all for quite an interesting, and enlightening read....
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