Pope enthralls large crowd with message of love, mercy

[kwassa]

44. Financially supporting an organization is ...

a choice that looks at the work of the organization, and usually says just yes or no. A secondary decision is, if supporting, how much?

We used to tithe a lot of money to the church we belong to. As it lost it's way, and our circumstances changed, we reduced and reduced our pledge, and our involvement.

I would think many Catholics do this to in response to changes. We all know that the larger picture is that only a small percentage of what is tithed goes to the national, and then international church. If a particular church is having financial problems, which many do, one line item that is immediately cut is the percentage of total income from the church that goes to those national offices. It is really the first thing to be cut.

We contribute to a local community that we believe in, and that sustains us. Hypothetically, if we were Catholic, you ask us to walk away from the organization because advocates some very bad ideas, despite nurturing us in some very positive ways, and doing important and very good things in the world. I don't think that will happen.

I think your perspective with seeing it as extortion is interesting, but incorrect. Most church attendees are very attuned to their local church, and much less so to the national body representing that church. Many Catholics have said the same thing in the many threads on this topic over the past two weeks.

If one wishes to belong to any group in this world, including DU, there are compromises to be made. One must measure the positive versus the negative, and there is almost never total positive with no negative. One must accept the whole if one is to belong. The value Catholics must weigh involves the same calculation, and for some that means sticking with a church hoping for reform, with others leaving, but with good memories, and for others, sworn hatred. All of these viewpoints are represented on DU.