Tithes to churches or Universal Health Care

[Dancefortwo]

According to this source, nonprofitssourse dot com, $50 billion is given as tithes to churches across the US every year.    

https://nonprofitssource.com/online-givi...f%2010%25.

Personally I think this money would be better spend if it supporting universal health care.  Also, taxing mega churches would certainly pay for some of the national healthcare.   I know I'm preaching to the choir here but jezuz, the money plunked into donation baskets across US churches is disgusting.   Funny how so many Christians, especially Evangelicals,  don't concern themselves too much with their tithes donations but get all hopped up about their taxes being used for a national health care system.   Kinda pisses me off.

[Thumpalumpacus]

As I asked my Trumpatista neighbor yesterday, regarding health-care: WWJD? I have read the Bible, and do not recall even once seeing Jesus ask for payment, or even co-pays.

ChrINOs.

[Little Lunch]

As I asked my Trumpatista neighbor yesterday, regarding health-care: WWJD? I have read the Bible, and do not recall even once seeing Jesus ask for payment, or even co-pays.

ChrINOs.

Yeah, but Jesus' disciples got together after he died and started a commune where you had to give over everything or else god would kill you on the spot. :-)

[airportkid]

... $50 billion is given as tithes to churches across the US every year ...

It is indeed a lot of money that, every penny, could have been put to better use, but at (roughly) 500,000 churches across the country, that's only $100K/yr per church, and sheer statistics puts most of those churches making only a fraction of that.

But even allowing that money could be better spent, we can't forget that's $5B that pays for goods/services, and salaries that pay for goods/services, that are peoples' livings, and any significant disruption of it in a hasty fit of social conscience could incur more unnecessary pain than letting the practice die a natural death.

Still, taking out a half dozen mega-churches that account for $30B of the $50B would be a good start that would only inconvenience half a dozen moguls.

[Thumpalumpacus]

As I asked my Trumpatista neighbor yesterday, regarding health-care: WWJD? I have read the Bible, and do not recall even once seeing Jesus ask for payment, or even co-pays.

ChrINOs.

Yeah, but Jesus' disciples got together after he died and started a commune where you had to give over everything or else god would kill you on the spot. :-)

[mordant]

According to this source, nonprofitssourse dot com, $50 billion is given as tithes to churches across the US every year.    

https://nonprofitssource.com/online-givi...f%2010%25.

Personally I think this money would be better spend if it supporting universal health care.  Also, taxing mega churches would certainly pay for some of the national healthcare.   I know I'm preaching to the choir here but jezuz, the money plunked into donation baskets across US churches is disgusting.   Funny how so many Christians, especially Evangelicals,  don't concern themselves too much with their tithes donations but get all hopped up about their taxes being used for a national health care system.   Kinda pisses me off.

Yep, there's $ laying around ... in religious institutions, the military, the police, many nonprofits, etc. It is a question of will and focus and priorities and leadership, not actual scarcity, that people are healthcare poor, education poor, or just plain poor.

I get so tired of being lectured that I'm in some sort of impractical, childish utopian fantasy because I advocate for a more humane and just society, but even people who understand the need and would welcome these changes in society in principle are conditioned to think necessary change is unattainable and thus unobtanium.

[Phaedrus]

Apparently, god needs money to ensure prayers for good health.

[Minimalist]

Religion is the most lucrative scam in human history.

[Aegon]

According to this source, nonprofitssourse dot com, $50 billion is given as tithes to churches across the US every year.    

https://nonprofitssource.com/online-givi...f%2010%25.

Personally I think this money would be better spend if it supporting universal health care.  Also, taxing mega churches would certainly pay for some of the national healthcare.   I know I'm preaching to the choir here but jezuz, the money plunked into donation baskets across US churches is disgusting.   Funny how so many Christians, especially Evangelicals,  don't concern themselves too much with their tithes donations but get all hopped up about their taxes being used for a national health care system.   Kinda pisses me off.

If you look closely you'll find a lot of waste and inefficiency in federal spending, which, if rerouted properly, could pay for quite a handful of benefits for the public including a single-payer system. They don't want you to know that, though. They're going to keep spending how they spend, then call any programs that actually directly benefit the taxpayer "big government" and "socialism." Or even dumber... say it's impossible. lmao

[Percie]

According to this source, nonprofitssourse dot com, $50 billion is given as tithes to churches across the US every year.    

https://nonprofitssource.com/online-givi...f%2010%25.

Personally I think this money would be better spend if it supporting universal health care.  Also, taxing mega churches would certainly pay for some of the national healthcare.   I know I'm preaching to the choir here but jezuz, the money plunked into donation baskets across US churches is disgusting.   Funny how so many Christians, especially Evangelicals,  don't concern themselves too much with their tithes donations but get all hopped up about their taxes being used for a national health care system.   Kinda pisses me off.

That's small compared to the amount spent on alcohol and drugs each year. Diverting those expenditures would help pay for health care AND directly result in better health.

[Percie]

As I asked my Trumpatista neighbor yesterday, regarding health-care: WWJD? I have read the Bible, and do not recall even once seeing Jesus ask for payment, or even co-pays. 

This observation suggests that you think that doctors should work for free. Unlikely.

[adey67]

As I asked my Trumpatista neighbor yesterday, regarding health-care: WWJD? I have read the Bible, and do not recall even once seeing Jesus ask for payment, or even co-pays. 

This observation suggests that you think that doctors should work for free. Unlikely.

How in Satan's name did you interpret his post as suggesting that doctors should work for free?? He's talking about society in general and turd faced Christian hypocrites in particular, we have a wonderful health service here in Britain and not once has anyone ever suggested Doctors or anyone else works for free, there will always be a need to balance books and be fiscally responsible it's just that unlike many in the US we have understood and accepted that universal health care offers way more advantages than disadvantages. Seriously this has to be the most retarded post on this site I've seen in a while.

[Thumpalumpacus]

As I asked my Trumpatista neighbor yesterday, regarding health-care: WWJD? I have read the Bible, and do not recall even once seeing Jesus ask for payment, or even co-pays. 

This observation suggests that you think that doctors should work for free. Unlikely.

That wasn't my point at all. Would you like to discuss this?

[Cavebear]

According to this source, nonprofitssourse dot com, $50 billion is given as tithes to churches across the US every year.    

https://nonprofitssource.com/online-givi...f%2010%25.

Personally I think this money would be better spend if it supporting universal health care.  Also, taxing mega churches would certainly pay for some of the national healthcare.   I know I'm preaching to the choir here but jezuz, the money plunked into donation baskets across US churches is disgusting.   Funny how so many Christians, especially Evangelicals,  don't concern themselves too much with their tithes donations but get all hopped up about their taxes being used for a national health care system.   Kinda pisses me off.

That's small compared to the amount spent on alcohol and drugs each year. Diverting those expenditures would help pay for health care AND directly result in better health.

We have tried to stop alcohol use (Prohibition) and drugs (The War on Drugs). Neither worked. While I agree that stopping both (and tobacco use) would be beneficial, how would you suggest we proceed?

[Percie]

As I asked my Trumpatista neighbor yesterday, regarding health-care: WWJD? I have read the Bible, and do not recall even once seeing Jesus ask for payment, or even co-pays. 

This observation suggests that you think that doctors should work for free. Unlikely.

That wasn't my point at all. Would you like to discuss this?

I know it wasn't your point. I'm pointing out that your analogy doesn't really support your point.

[Percie]

We have tried to stop alcohol use (Prohibition) and drugs (The War on Drugs).  Neither worked.  While I agree that stopping both (and tobacco use) would be beneficial, how would you suggest we proceed?

I'm not suggesting we proceed. I'm suggesting that people who aren't suggesting that spending be stopped on those things should probably leave religious contributions alone. It just exposes their irrational bias.

[Thumpalumpacus]

This observation suggests that you think that doctors should work for free. Unlikely.

That wasn't my point at all. Would you like to discuss this?

I know it wasn't your point. I'm pointing out that your analogy doesn't really support your point.

You clearly don't understand my point, then. Let me know if you'd like some help.

[Percie]

Jesus healed people. In an analogy to current times, he's a doctor. You note that he didn't ask for payment. So, by analogy doctors today shouldn't ask for payment.

Yes, I know that's not what you meant. It was a really bad analogy.

[Percie]

And note that he did tell one healed person to go and make a payment to the priests for certification of his healing.

[Minimalist]

Jesus healed people. In an analogy to current times, he's a doctor. You note that he didn't ask for payment. So, by analogy doctors today shouldn't ask for payment.

Yes, I know that's not what you meant. It was a really bad analogy.

Jesus never did shit, jack.  Time for you to provide evidence that the fucker existed.

[no one]

god needs money, Mary is raking god over the coals for child support.

[Inkubus]

That's small compared to the amount spent on alcohol and drugs each year. Diverting those expenditures would help pay for health care AND directly result in better health.

Non sequiter.
How do you propose the money spent on ale and weed be diverted to worthy causes?

Edit, or is that a false dilemma?

[Aegon]

According to this source, nonprofitssourse dot com, $50 billion is given as tithes to churches across the US every year.    

https://nonprofitssource.com/online-givi...f%2010%25.

Personally I think this money would be better spend if it supporting universal health care.  Also, taxing mega churches would certainly pay for some of the national healthcare.   I know I'm preaching to the choir here but jezuz, the money plunked into donation baskets across US churches is disgusting.   Funny how so many Christians, especially Evangelicals,  don't concern themselves too much with their tithes donations but get all hopped up about their taxes being used for a national health care system.   Kinda pisses me off.

That's small compared to the amount spent on alcohol and drugs each year. Diverting those expenditures would help pay for health care AND directly result in better health.

I believe his point is that if the federal government taxed mega-churches that would be a significant revenue stream, and that revenue could be used to fund a robust public healthcare system.

[Aegon]

This observation suggests that you think that doctors should work for free. Unlikely.

That wasn't my point at all. Would you like to discuss this?

I know it wasn't your point. I'm pointing out that your analogy doesn't really support your point.

The point is having to directly pay for healthcare services, particularly at the high prices you see in the American system, is ludacris - and anyone with a remotely present sense of compassion, Jesus of all people, wouldn't think to charge.

(Obviously doctors still get paid in a public system)

[Thumpalumpacus]

Jesus healed people. In an analogy to current times, he's a doctor. You note that he didn't ask for payment. So, by analogy doctors today shouldn't ask for payment.

Yes, I know that's not what you meant. It was a really bad analogy.

I feel no compunction to answer strawmen, and you will not get a waiver on that.

By all means, do continue.