Tithing is something you do to the church. to pay bills, because even though its a non profit, water and electricity still get used. Tehy also use that money to help the community, feed the homeless and keep the building and property up.
You cannot give moeny to God. What does he need is for? He lives where the streets are paved with one of our most precious metals. You tithe because you are giving back to him by sacraficing something that is important to you to show faith.
Right all the money given to some guy on the TV go to what you listed above? come on man realy you think that? Search yahoo for the homes of some of the televangelist, there freaking huge and extravagnt, If they were so worried about being close to god the moey they spent on their home woud have been sent back in to the communitys. Now yes some churches do give back to communitys and yes i know they have bills to pay but think about this, lets say we go to this church that has 15 (average american) members. How much money a week are you bringing in if every one tiths 40% or even only 20%?
There is a difference between murder and killing. Death is part of life and there have been numerous times that God himself has demanded his people kill. The Crusades though, were none of this. These were Christian men who decided to take back the Holy Land, oh, and rescue their King. Even though they proclaimed it was for God, there is nothing (accepted as God's word) that states he asked for the war.
I never said God had to say go kill, I just ment that if "King whatever" says kill a person or group of people and some one ask why it is accepted and more palatable if his respons is "god said so"
People know what they are taught. and even the bible says, you will not be punished for what you don't know. If you were never introduced to him, then you can't be punished for making the wrong choice.
The point here is that chistians belive in a very far fetched story, replace this story with another one or a fairy tale and all of a sudden its laughble, or even more so.
Jack and the Beanstalk? seriously
Ok the old testement in a nut shell: God say to Joseph "im gonna knock up you wife, dont worry tho she will still be a virgin. She will give birth to a baby boy named Jesus that is realy me."
*Skip ahead a little*
Jesus who is also god goes around and does "magic" and "heals" people and also teaches that his "father" (who by the way didnt have sex with his mom and is also him)sent him here to teach ever one about God(his self).
*skip ahead some more*
Some guy gets mad at Jesus(God) and decides to kill him. And in stead of saving him self with his "magic" he lets it happen to frogive the sins of every one past, present and future. Now Jeasus and God who are the one and the same but NOT are chillen in this very exclusive club called Heaven, and the only way in is to follow there rules here on earth.