God Hates Weapons Manufacturers

I received an e-mail not to long ago from an organization that I am involved in. The e-mail basically asked for a monthly financial commitment of a relatively insignificant amount. I immediately deleted the e-mail, chalking it up to another request for money from a Christian organization and tried to forget about the whole thing.

My wife received the same e-mail, and asked me about it later, "Did you get the e-mail about the communal funds?"

"Yes, I deleted it. I'm not giving anything to them," I said in a manner that revealed my anger to her, surprising myself with my own bitterness. This, of course, led to a long conversation in an attempt to discover the source of my anger over a seemingly small thing.

Now, some time later, I believe I have discovered the source of my frustration. The bottom line is this: I'm not ready to part with my money for a need that is not urgent, or even necessary. Paying for retreats is one thing - I have no problem whatsoever with paying my own way, but asking for money that will go into a fund and end up somewhere far from where it started bothers me. I simply don't trust religious organizations with my money anymore. It is especially difficult to give money to an organization without a detailed budget (I know a little bit about budgets, I grew up in a Southern-Baptist church).

For all I know the $40 a month could end up paying a Professional Christian's salary (though I'm sure that the men in this organization would object to the term "pastor" I'll use it anyway - for lack of a better term). Why should I help a pastor pay his inflated Bay Area mortgage while I'm still renting? And what do pastor's really do? Is it the sermon? - I'd preach a sermon for free. Hell, I might even pay for the privilege of a captive audience. The notion that I'm sweating my ass off for $15 an hour while I give a cut to a teacher that sits in a coffee shop all day pretending like he understands God more than the rest of us really bothers me.

Professional Christians in the Bay Area have higher living standards than the people they serve. Most all of the pastors I know own a home and two cars, as well as having banker's hours and incredible benefits. Most are in a tax bracket higher than my own, and most everyone else being asked to contribute is in a situation similar to my own. This constitutes an abuse of (perceived) power: I believe that Professional Christians should live in standards similar to those they serve, if not in outright poverty - which is still a requirement for service in many Christian organizations.

I don't trust anyone who doesn't have to work for a living. They can never relate to the situations that we encounter on a daily basis. Leadership is defined by the sacrifices that one is willing to make for her/his family and friends, and in the end Professional Christians are asking us to sacrifice our income to support her/his lifestyle.

I firmly resolve to give my money to real charities from now on: friends/family in need, OXFAM, UNICEF, World Vision, et cetera. I would like to know that my charity is going to meet the needs of hungry people, sick people and naked people the world around, not to some pastor's $4-a-day coffee habit. From now on they will have to find some other chump to screw.