Is TITHING & TAXES the same thing? I mean they...?

...both seem to operate on threat/extortion. In the secular world of government, taxes are levied by elected politicians. Don't pay their mandated taxes %26amp; you lose YOUR property, or worse. This seems both punitive in nature %26amp; extortion to me.


Under the guise of doing "God's work" so called modern day pastors levy "tithing" upon ones congregation, under the banner of saving YOUR soul from the lake of fire. If you don't pay the tith your gonna burn alive! Again this seems both punitive %26amp; extortion to me.





Which would you consider the most corrupt...





(1) Big money repub/dem politicians?





(2) Big money evangelical pastors?





(3) Do you see the big money evangelist pastors/politicians gaining influence in the secular dem/repub political arena?





Here's a few links that I found that had me crying from laughing so hard! Enjoy...





http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Bakker





http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_e鈥?/a>





http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Televangeli鈥?/a>





http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_con鈥?/a>





I did not add secular repub/dem scandal links as Y/A's board members are onto those scandals before they happen!|||Tithes are not mandatory, and churches are not monopolies. They have to compete. If you don't like the service, you go elsewhere.





The Government is a monopoly with the power of coercive force. Taxes and fees are mandatory confiscation of our property. We could vote the politicians out, but most of the electorate these days is comprised of crackheads who enjoy getting pillaged and smacked around by a large, corrupt nanny-state bureaucracy.|||Yes the state is becoming more like organized crime. Organized crime and religion come from the same part of the world. Organized crime will give you some drugs to make you feel good and after while if you can't pay they will kill your relatives. Religion will make you feel good about yourself but if you don't pay you will not be able to see your mother again. Much the same thing.|||SC is correct Tithing isnt mandatory and you will not go to "hell" if you dont pay......You need to read your bible sir!!!!!!!|||No, there is nothing remotely similar to taxes and tithing.|||Tithing isn't mandatory.|||I've been a Christian all my life and have never been threatened or extorted for a tithe.





And since I'm a tax accountant, I can say the same of paying taxes. The only people who have ever been punished for tax evasion are the people who actually evade their taxes. I don't know how you can call it extortion if the trend is for only the wealthy to pay taxes and for the poor to receive money they never paid in.





It sounds to me like you have a naive view of both.